As cobots in industrial applications transition from simple, repetitive pick-and-place tasks to more complex, data-heavy operations, the mechanical arm must evolve into a high-speed manipulator. Modern cobots require more incoming and outgoing data to support advanced automation needs.

This growing demand presents several challenges for OEMs and industrial operations, specifically regarding the space, weight and centralized design required by traditional Ethernet architectures.

Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) and standardized M8/M12 connectivity help enable the next generation of smart manufacturing by providing durable components that reduce the space, weight and costs required in cobot applications.

Cobot Demands Are Increasing 

A growing number of companies are turning to cobots to improve efficiency, increase safety, or meet labor demands. Factory and warehouse automation are two common applications where cobots are more frequently used for repetitive tasks or to reduce the risk to humans for such jobs as moving heavy boxes.

As their name implies, collaborative robots (cobots) work alongside humans, which means that strict safety protocols must be followed. This adds importance to sensors and communication within the system. These safety requirements must be balanced with cobot speed. The faster a cobot works, the more productive it is.

However, cobots are designed to slow down the closer a human gets; at a certain close distance, the cobot will cease movement to ensure human safety. This means a cobot’s sensors are constantly transmitting data, which increases data speed demands. The more accurately a cobot can work and react to human presence, the better and more efficient it is.

As cobots move beyond basic pick-and-place tasks, the system is now responsible for a much richer data set. This often includes high-resolution force and torque sensing, real-time grip force feedback, temperature monitoring, vibration analysis and even local vision or AI-assisted inspection data.

These applications generate continuous, high-frequency data streams that must be transmitted with low latency. This shift turns the cobot arm into more than just a means of motion; it becomes a conduit for real-time data, connecting end-of-arm tooling with higher-level controls and IIoT environments.

Challenges of Traditional Ethernet Architectures

When operations want to implement cobots, traditional Ethernet architectures can present challenges since they were not designed for this level of decentralization.

Traditional systems use four-pair Ethernet cables (eight wires in total) that are bulky, stiff and difficult to route through compact articulated arms. The stiffness reduces the free movement of the arm and the cable needs more maintenance, increasing downtime.

The number of cables required also increases the system weight and limits cobot speed, movement and dynamic performance. The standard RJ45 connectors used in many of these systems lack robustness, as they were not designed for the vibration, dust and moisture often found in factory environments.

Additionally, many legacy architectures rely on protocol gateways, which introduce latency and reduce data transparency. Traditional systems today typically still rely on a combination of fieldbuses, serial links or IO-Link aggregated through gateways. While functional, these solutions cap bandwidth, limit synchronized data acquisition and create bottlenecks when scaling toward predictive analytics or cloud connectivity.

Benefits of SPE: Redefining Cobot Design

SPE simplifies the architecture through power over data line (PoDL) technology, which delivers both power and data over the same two wires. This eliminates separate power lines, reduces connector count and minimizes failure points. For designers, this means faster integration of smart sensors and actuators at the end-effector, cleaner cable routing and more space for functionality rather than infrastructure.

This fundamentally changes the mechanical constraints of robotic design. By reducing cabling from four pairs to a single twisted pair, SPE dramatically decreases cable diameter, weight and bending radius. It allows tighter routing through joints, reduces torsional stress during motion and improves overall cable lifespan. SPE’s mechanical advantages include:

• Weight reduction. Moving from eight wires to two wires significantly reduces cable weight, enabling higher acceleration and faster stops with the same motors and gears.
• Flexibility. A smaller diameter allows for a tighter bending radius and easier routing through the 8mm holes common in robot joints.
• Durability. Reduced torsional stress during motion improves overall cable lifespan.
• Data performance. SPE uses native Ethernet protocols, enabling continuous, high-frequency data streaming directly to the cloud or high-level control systems for condition monitoring capabilities that were previously constrained.

In short, SPE aligns digital performance with the physical realities of highly dynamic robotic arms.

The Impact on Connector Selection

With SPE, operations can choose connectors designed for more reliability and durability in industrial environments. The industry is converging on M8/M12 standardized connectors because they help strike the balance between compact size, mechanical robustness and electrical performance.

These connectors are purpose-built for industrial automation and are already widely adopted across sensors, actuators and robotics. Benefits of M8/M12 connectors include:

• Excellent resistance to shock, vibration, dust, oil and moisture. (IP65/67/68 ratings).
• Secure locking mechanisms that maintain signal integrity under constant motion.
• 360-deg. shielding that supports reliable high-speed data transmission, even in electrically noisy manufacturing environments.

In addition, choosing standardized M8/M12 interfaces helps ensure that when a tool is swapped—whether it is a gripper, welder or vacuum cup—the electrical, mechanical and data interfaces remain consistent. This significantly reduces reconfiguration errors, preserves data mapping and provides for the same data streams to continue uninterrupted to the controller and the cloud. For end-users, this results in faster changeovers, so that maintenance workers can perform swaps quickly without requiring a certified electrician.

OEMS should look for connectors that offer controlled-impedance cabling, 360-deg. shielding, vibration-resistant connector designs and rigorous validation under dynamic motion profiles. This helps address such challenges as impedance variation, electromagnetic interference and mechanical fatigue to deliver stable, repeatable signal performance across millions of movement cycles. Working with an experienced partner can help OEMs select the right components for a specific application.

What’s Next in Cobots and SPE?

Looking ahead, there are several technologies that will impact the use of SPE in cobot applications.

• Hybrid connectivity. The M12 hybrid connector is the catalyst for the next generation of cobots because it combines power and high-speed data in a single, standardized interface. As power demands and data rates increase at the end-effector, this connector helps simplify architecture, reduces cabling complexity and supports higher system integration, all while maintaining industrial-grade robustness.
• The evolution of AI. High-speed data conduits support AI as it develops, allowing cobots to learn while working. For example, a cobot can use AI to maneuver around humans or obstacles and reroute itself to a better path rather than just stopping.

The Strategic Value of SPE in Cobot Applications

The most significant hurdle to widespread adoption of SPE for cobot applications is architectural mindset. Designers must move away from centralized, gateway-heavy models and embrace fully Ethernet-native, decentralized systems. This transition requires rethinking power distribution, data flow, diagnostics and cybersecurity. But once implemented, it unlocks scalability, transparency and long-term digitalization benefits.

The end-effector is becoming a primary IIoT node, not just a mechanical tool. SPE and M8/M12 standardization supports high-speed data, power and diagnostics in a compact, robust form factor. Robust connectivity is the foundation for predictive maintenance and smart manufacturing.

As cobots continue to evolve, connectivity becomes a strategic enabler. The ability to move power and high value data reliably through a compact, standardized interface will define how intelligent, flexible and autonomous future manufacturing systems can become.