Six trends shaping the industry of the future

Products, processes and services constantly need to become faster and better to keep up with the growing needs of industry. As part of this rapid growth, connectivity solutions are being put to the test.

Technology experts at LAPP see six key trends that will shape the industry.

1. Direct current (DC) technology

DC technology will make an important contribution to the success of the energy transition and to greater sustainability. This is because experts have established that the use of DC grids significantly reduces energy consumption in existing systems by avoiding conversion stages. The need for copper for the three/four-core DC cables and AC-DC converter devices is also reduced. DC grids in factories also contribute to a lower peak power at the supply connection to the grid and reduce the load here. LAPP has therefore prioritised the development of cables and wires for low-voltage DC grids for industrial applications and already has a large portfolio of connection solutions for industrial DC grids.

Collaboration between LAPP and Fraunhofer IPA has led to the development of a scalable DC network concept for a production site expansion in France, for example. This increases efficiency and enables the integration of PV systems for sustainable grid concepts. This pioneering conceptual work supports the transformation of the factory power supply towards direct current and promotes efficiency and sustainability.

With Australia being one of the leading countries globally for solar panels, there is huge opportunity for industry to capitalise on solar — on factory roofs, for example — to enhance its sustainability credentials.

2. Digitalisation

181 zettabytes (that’s the number 181 followed by 21 zeros) is the forecast for the amount of digital data generated worldwide in 2025. How can this gigantic amount of data be transmitted quickly and stably?

Copper cables alone cannot cope with this. The solution: light, or more precisely, fibre-optic, cables. A futureproof communication infrastructure in the factory with fibre-optic cables is therefore essential. Today, there are already implementations such as fibre-to-the-curb, where the fibre-optic connection is laid to the distribution box in front of the house or factory.

Fibre-to-the-machine is the next logical step in order to connect the highly networked machines in the factory with sufficient data transmission capacity.

3. Single pair Ethernet (SPE)

Of course, copper-based data transmission is still the dominant solution in the industry. Since 2019, LAPP has been a member of the SPE Industrial Partner Network e.V. This association of well-known companies is a central information and exchange platform for SPE, helping the technology to achieve breakthroughs. In simple terms, the aim is to connect field-level devices (e.g., sensors or actuators) to the cloud via the Ethernet protocol, paving the way for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

Ethernet Advanced Physical Layer (Ethernet-APL), which is partly based on SPE, was developed especially for demanding applications in the process industry. The technology enables safe data transmission up to field level in potentially explosive environments. This is supported through the “intrinsic safety” protection technique. Ethernet-APL also bridges large distances of up to 1000 m.

4. Miniaturisation

The trend towards miniaturisation is continuing in many areas of industry. Applications are becoming more compact, installation spaces smaller, and more and more data and power connections have to be plugged into the smallest of spaces.

To address these market requirements, LAPP has developed connectors with diverse applications. For example, its EPIC POWER M12L and M12K connectors are suitable for collaborative human-robot solutions, so-called “cobots”, which work together with humans in production or in the warehouse. The technical properties of the connectors were simulated during development using virtual models.

5. EMC compatibility

In the smart factory, machines and systems are becoming increasingly networked. As a result, the issue of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is becoming increasingly important. Particularly in industrial systems in which frequency converter-controlled motors are used, unwanted currents can increasingly occur on the potential equalisation cables (PA) or protective earth cables (PE). These unwanted currents can affect neighbouring data lines and their data quality during transmission, trigger fault circuit breakers incorrectly or even lead to increased corrosion effects in building structures.

LAPP’s ÖLFLEX FD Servo zeroCM motor cable has been designed to manage leakage currents using a special stranding process, and contributes to the EMC optimisation of frequency-controlled drive systems.

6. Sustainability

Users are also increasingly looking for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient connection solutions for cables.

Along with developing a cable with a sheath made from a partially bio-based TPU, and a prototype cable with a sustainable PVC sheath, LAPP is also investigating initial approaches to the use of recycled material, both in the production cycle and the use of “cable scrap”.

In addition to product-related sustainability approaches, transparency and documentation of the product carbon footprint are important.

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