“Production downtime results in significant revenue losses, which is a major concern for manufacturers. Unplanned shutdowns can stem from poor network connections and environments exposed to high vibrations or extreme temperature variations,” says George Kairys, product manager at Molex, adding, “Brad rugged solutions address this issue for our customers, helping them modernize Ethernet network connections in their production facilities with an extremely robust hardware design.”
Available in 5- and 8-port versions, Brad Direct-Link unmanaged Ethernet switches for harsh environments support standard M12 threaded connectors. The Direct-Link switch ports feature patented Ultra-Lock® technology, a push-to-lock mechanism for quick and secure connections. Compliant with NEMA 6 and IP67 standards, Direct-Link switches withstand dusty environments, low-pressure washdowns, and immersion. Available in 30 mm and 60 mm widths with standard hole patterns, the low-profile Direct-Link switches are easy to mount, offering optimal flexibility in space-constrained applications. Visual LED indicators facilitate rapid diagnostics. Self-learning features make Direct-Link switches an ideal solution for industrial network installers, both experienced and novice. Thanks to their wide temperature range, from -40°C to 75°C, and supply voltages, from 9 VDC to 36 VDC, these industrial switches are also suitable for numerous mobile applications in very harsh environments, such as oil drilling rigs, mining and agricultural machinery, and mobile platform process modules.
“Brad’s solutions for industrial Ethernet are designed to efficiently exchange and extract real-time data from the manufacturing floor. The cost-effective, unmanaged Direct-Link switches give our industrial customers greater design freedom and simplify installation. They also deliver the reliable network performance they deserve,” summarizes George Kairys.
