Built to order · 44 assemblies
Circular M-Series Cable Assemblies
Round connector leads for industrial sensor and actuator wiring, covering A-coded M8 in 3 to 6 pin and A-coded M12 in 3 to 8 pin, straight or right-angle, with PVC, PUR or TPU jackets. Sealed to IP65–IP67 when mated and built to IEC 61076-2-101 (M12) and IEC 61076-2-104 (M8). The range also extends past M8 and M12 to M5 miniature sensor cordsets, M16 sensor and actuator builds, M20 locking power and signal leads and M23 encoder feedback and servo power assemblies. Pin count, length, orientation, jacket and shielding are set per order.
- Connector
- M5 · M8 · M12 · M16 · M20 · M23
- Pin count
- M5 3–4 · M8 3–6 · M12 3–12 · M16 2–14 · M23 6–19
- Orientation
- Straight · 90° right-angle
- Sealing
- IP65 – IP67 mated
- Jacket
- PVC · PUR · TPU
- Shielding
- Unshielded · foil + braid
- Length
- 0.3 m – 30 m
- Standard
- IEC 61076-2-101 / -104
M23 Encoder Feedback Cable, 12-Pin and 17-Pin Servo Cordset
An M23 encoder cable is the quiet half of every servo axis: it carries encoder, resolver and winding-temperature signals from the motor back to the drive, through a 360-degree shield that keeps millivolt feedback legible next to a motor switching hundreds of volts. 12-pin to DB9 drive-end builds are our most common configuration.
Specification table
Every cordset below is assembled after the order is placed, so the specification is written backwards from your connector, your controller and the environment the cable runs through. If your pin count, cable chemistry or approval list is not in the table, it is still buildable unless the molding geometry forbids it, in which case you hear that before tooling starts.
| Parameter | Standard build | Available on request |
|---|---|---|
| Connector series | M8 A-coded 3-6 pin; M12 A-coded 3-12 pin | M5, M16, M20, M23 and 7/8 in builds |
| Coding | A (sensor), B (PROFIBUS), D (PROFINET), X (Cat6A) | K, S, T, L, M power and Y hybrid |
| Shell coupling | M8 x 0.5 and M12 x 1 threaded per IEC 61076-2-101 / -104 | Push-pull, stainless V4A, weld-slag resistant shells |
| Body style | Straight and 90° right-angle, rotatable to order | Clocked exits so both plugs face the same way |
| Conductor | 22-26 AWG stranded copper per pin | 20 AWG power pairs, hybrid power plus data |
| Shielding | Unshielded as standard | Foil plus braid bonded 360° to the coupling nut |
| Jacket | PVC (control cabinet), PUR (oil and coolant) | TPU drag chain, weld-spatter, food-grade |
| Sealing | IP65 to IP67 mated | IP68 continuous immersion, IP69K washdown |
| Length | 0.3 m to 30 m, set per order | Robot dress-out assemblies and coiled lengths |
| Marking | Printed or laser part number | Cable flags, port numbering, customer artwork |
Mating hardware is compliant with IEC 61076-2-101 for M12 and IEC 61076-2-104 for M8; fieldbus and device-side behavior follows the relevant profile from IO-Link or PROFIBUS.
M8 or M12 — which thread fits the job
The two share the same insert family. The decision usually comes down to available panel space and how often the connection is made and broken.
| Parameter | M8 | M12 |
|---|---|---|
| Thread and cut-out | 8 mm, M8×1 or PG7 thread | 12 mm, M12×1 or PG9 thread |
| Pin count | 3, 4, 5 or 6 pin | 3, 4, 5, 8, 12 pin |
| Current per pin | Up to 3 A | Up to 4 A, higher on power-coded inserts |
| Typical use | Compact sensor heads, small junction boxes, tight manifolds | General sensor wiring, IO-Link ports, fieldbus drops |
| Mating cycles | Around 100 | 500 and up |
| Choose when | The device body has no room for a 12 mm thread | The run sees vibration, washdown or repeated disconnection |
Typical applications
- Sensor and actuator drops Discrete I/O wiring from the junction block to inductive, photo and pressure sensors, where the M12 nut is expected to survive thousands of service cycles.
- IO-Link and PROFINET Class A ports carrying both power and switched data on one four or five pin cordset rather than a separate power pair.
- Drag chain and robot dress-out High-flex TPU builds with put-up lengths tuned to the axis travel.
- Food, beverage and washdown Stainless coupling nuts and PUR or TPU jackets rated for daily caustic rinse.
- Machine vision M12 X-coded Cat6A leads feeding GigE Vision cameras on moving gantries.
Related reading
- M12 Connector Coding GuideEvery M12 code from A to T, with the keyway drawing conventions and typical misuse to avoid.
- M12 Distribution Box SelectionPort count, total current budget and how trunk wiring changes the drop cable you order.
- IP67 vs IP68 vs IP69KWhat each ingress rating is actually tested for, and where paying for IP69K buys you nothing.
Questions buyers ask
Which M12 coding should I specify?
A-coded carries sensor signals and is the most common by far. D-coded is for 100 Mbit Ethernet and PROFINET, X-coded is the Cat6A version used by GigE Vision cameras, and B-coded still appears on older PROFIBUS drops. K, S, T, L and M-coded are power variants with a different keyway so a signal plug cannot be forced into a power socket. The full code list is in our M12 coding guide.
Do you verify the IP rating on every unit?
Every mated pair is checked for shell seating and strain relief pull. Immersion and washdown claims are tested per construction during qualification, and we state which method was used rather than quoting a number with no test behind it. The practical differences are set out in our ingress rating guide.
Can I mix straight and right-angle ends on one cordset?
Yes, and that is the usual request. Give us the clocking angle if it matters, otherwise both plugs are molded in the same orientation with the molded bodies aligned when the cable lies flat.
Have one built to your drawing
Send the connector part numbers, lengths and environment. We review manufacturability in writing before any tooling spend, and we tell you up front what we cannot do.