IKS4142 by Bosch Rexroth Indramat

The IKS4142 encoder cable is manufactured by Bosch Rexroth Indramat for the IKS Encoder Cables series. This preassembled lead is intended to connect motor-mounted encoders to drive controllers inside automated production lines. By carrying feedback, supply, and auxiliary signals through a single shielded bundle, it helps coordinate position loops and supports reliable axis control in machining centers, packaging equipment, and material-handling gantries. Its preassembled format also reduces the amount of field wiring needed between the motor and the control cabinet.

Inside the orange jacket, the harness contains 13 conductors assigned to different duties. It is an encoder cable with total shield, so a full braided screen surrounds all cores and limits radiated noise entering the feedback chain. The drive end is finished with an M23 17-pin (socket), Pol P connector that fits Rexroth encoder modules. A compact outside diameter of 9.7 mm allows installation in narrow drag chains, and the cable is approved for drag-chain use. Three shielded pairs of 0.25 mm² carry incremental or serial data, four supply wires of 1.0 mm² deliver encoder power, and three additional 0.25 mm² control wires support reference switch or temperature channels. The orange RAL 2003 sheath also makes the cable easier to identify within densely routed machine wiring.

Bending endurance reaches 5 million cycles, meeting the duty seen on high-speed pick-and-place axes. The outer sheath is PUR, a material chosen for resistance to mineral oils, coolant splash, and repeated flexing. Internal insulation tolerates conductor temperatures up to +80 °C, allowing deployment near motors or drives that emit waste heat. For stationary cabling, the minimum bend radius stays at 5 × D, while flexing in energy chains requires a dynamic limit of 7.5 × D to preserve conductor geometry and help prevent shield damage over long operating periods.