IEC metric screw sized connectors is a family of electrical connectors defined by

IEC The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC; in French: ''Commission électrotechnique internationale'') is an international standards organization that prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic and r ...

that are named according to their

ISO metric screw thread The ISO metric screw thread is the most commonly used type of general-purpose screw thread worldwide. They were one of the first international standards agreed when the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was set up in 1947. Th ...

, namely M5, M8 and M12. The number gives their outer screw thread diameter in millimeters as with the identically named screws. However, the connectors are further classified by a so-called ''coding'', denoted by one or more letters, which defines things like pin layout, shape of connecting surfaces and electrical properties. The many types are partly to prevent incorrect connection. The larger connector sizes are the most varied, with designated connectors ranging from analog and digital signals to AC and DC power. Each "coding" has a different keyway that prevents incorrect connection between incompatibly keyed connectors."M12 connector coding for automation and industry 4.0 compliance"

Machine Design ''Machine Design'' () is an American trade magazine and website serving the OEM engineering market. Its print issues reach qualified design engineers and engineering managers twice a month. Key technologies covered include computer-aided desig ...

. Altech Corporation. Major uses include

factory automation Automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes, namely by predetermining decision criteria, subprocess relationships, and related actions, as well as embodying those predeterminations in machines ...

and transportation. Products can be had that can keep out weather and chemicals (high IP rating) and are mechanically durable.

Standard listing

IEC 61076-2-101 M12 connectors with screw-locking
M12 A, B, C, D and P-coding
IEC 61076-2-104 M8 connectors with screw-locking or snap-locking
M8 A and B-coding
IEC 61076-2-105 M5 connectors with screw-locking
M5 (only A-coding defined)
IEC 61076-2-109 M12 connectors with screw-locking for data transmission frequencies up to 500 MHz
M12 X and H-coding
IEC 61076-2-111 M12 power connectors with screw-locking
M12 E, F, K, L, M, S, T-coding
IEC 61076-2-113 M12 connectors with screw-locking, power and signal contacts for data transmission frequencies up to 100 MHz
M12 Y-coding
IEC 61076-2-114 M8 connectors with screw-locking, power and signal contacts for data transmission frequencies up to 100 MHz
M8 D and P-coding
IEC 61754-27
M12-FO (

fiber optic An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means t ...

)

Variants

References

{{Reflist, 30em, refs= {{cite web , title=What does the coding mean on M12 connectors? , url=https://www.amissiontech.com/news/what-does-the-coding-mean-on-m12-connectors.html , access-date=23 December 2021 , date=2021-05-26 {{cite web , title=Need an M12 Connector? Don’t Forget to Ask about Coding! , url=https://www.belden.com/blogs/do-not-forget-to-ask-about-m12-connector-coding , access-date=23 December 2021 , date=2021-03-26 {{cite web , title=M5 to M12 circular connectors Product overview 2020/2021 , url=https://www.phoenixcontact.com/assets/2018/interactive_ed/101_87294/epaper/52003133_EN_HQ_Rundsteckverbin.pdf , website=Phoenix Contact , access-date=2 January 2021 , date=17 December 2019 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206073651/https://www.phoenixcontact.com/assets/2018/interactive_ed/101_87294/epaper/52003133_EN_HQ_Rundsteckverbin.pdf , archive-date=6 February 2020 , url-status=dead {{cite web , title=Industrial Ethernet Connector Round-Up , url=https://www.flukenetworks.com/blog/cabling-chronicles/industrial-ethernet-connector-round , website=Fluke Networks , access-date=23 December 2021 , date=16 January 2020 , quote=When it comes to industrial Ethernet, M12 and M8 connectors are by far the most popular and universally adopted for industrial control systems. They come in a variety of pin counts with the 4- or 8-pin varieties required for Ethernet and they can be used with twisted-pair category cable, from category 5e to fully shielded category 7A. (…) A-coded M12 connectors used primarily for sensors and actuators can support 1 Gbit/s Ethernet, B-coded connectors are for Profibus applications, and C-coded connectors are used for AC power. For industrial Ethernet, 4-pin D-coded can support 100 Mbit/s Ethernet, but X-coded connectors with 8-pin counts and superior shielding are gaining ground as they can support higher-speed Ethernet up to 10 Gbit/s when used with category 6A or higher cabling. And when it comes to PoE, the 4-pin M12 can support Type 1 PoE, while the 8-pin M12 is required for Type 2 and above. (…) Like the M12, M8 connectors are also coded with the 4-pin D-coded connectors supporting 100 Mbit/s and Type 1 PoE and the 8-pin version supporting up to 10 Gbit/s and Type 2 and above PoE. While RJ-45 connectors are the de facto interface for Ethernet, and they are available in ruggedized versions for harsher environments, M12 and M8 locking connectors are far more durable and better designed to handle the ongoing vibration of industrial equipment since they are locked into place. {{cite web , title=Coding of M12 Cordsets , url=https://www.murrelektronik.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Headquarter_en_DE/Downloads/Further_Documents/Whitepaper/Whitepaper_Coding-of-M12-Cordsets_EN.pdf , website=Murrelektronik , access-date=25 December 2021 , date=16 August 2019 {{cite web , title=Get amped with M12 Power! , url=https://www.phoenixcontact.com/online/portal/us?urile=wcm:path:/usen/web/offcontext/insite_landing_pages/0d25f7e3-661f-4111-8955-6f1d6588ac2c/ , website=Phoenix Contact , access-date=27 December 2021 {{cite web , title=Buccaneer M5 Series , url=https://www.bulgin.com/products/pub/media/import/attachments/M5-Connectors-Data-Sheet.pdf , access-date=2 January 2022 , date=4 November 2021 {{cite web , title=Buccaneer M8 Series , url=https://www.bulgin.com/products/pub/media/import/attachments/M8-Connectors-Data-Sheet.pdf , access-date=2 January 2022 , date=4 November 2021 Electrical connectors