ZK7208-3031-A100 by Beckhoff

The ZK7208-3031-A100 is a preassembled motor cable from Beckhoff's ZK Motor Cables series, designed for EtherCAT P-driven servo systems. It combines power conductors and Ethernet lines in a single jacket so that drives, I/O modules, and sensors can be wired efficiently on automated machinery. Within an installation, the cable carries both a 24 V auxiliary supply and control signals, eliminating parallel cable runs and reducing panel space when integrating drives into an EtherCAT P topology.

The cable is supplied at a fixed length of 10.0 m, providing sufficient room for routing inside drag chains while keeping attenuation within the Cat.5 limit for 100 Mbit/s fieldbus traffic. Its insulation and conductor spacing support voltages up to 630 V AC or 850 V DC, keeping line-to-line surges from regenerative drives within the dielectric limit. A continuous current rating of 16 A at 40 °C supports standard AX5000 servo axes and corresponds to the four power contacts and protective earth contact entering the hybrid connector. The data pair has a Cat.5 rating and is enclosed by 360-degree shielding to maintain signal integrity next to PWM power conductors. An outer PUR sheath, molded grommets, and internal seals provide an IP65 / IP67 protection rating, allowing the assembly to operate on moving carriages or inside damp machine enclosures without separate conduit.

A hybrid plug with a 5 + 4-pin contact layout terminates the cable; five contacts are reserved for EtherCAT P, while four contacts serve the power group. The mating shells use a bayonet coupling that provides vibration-resistant retention during axis acceleration. The power conductors have a cross-sectional area of 1.5 mm² to accommodate the stated current limit, while the data pair uses 0.34 mm² conductors, equivalent to AWG 22, to maintain an impedance of 100 ?. The connector uses Key 1 coding to prevent accidental mating with incompatible B17-size connectors. A leading protective earth contact establishes the ground connection before the other contacts engage, while the mechanical coding helps protect connected actuators from incorrect connections.