The M23 Connector: Heavy-Duty Industrial Connectivity
When M12 isn't enough — higher current, higher pin density, servo motor power and feedback in a single connector — the M23 circular connector takes over. With a 23 mm threaded coupling defined under IEC 61076-2-110 (signal) and IEC 61076-2-114 (power), M23 delivers up to 30 A per pin and 630 V in pin densities ranging from 6 to 19 contacts. Katlax manufactures the full M23 portfolio in our Santej facility — signal, power, and the popular E-coded servo variant — all IP67 rated, TUV Rheinland certified, and CE / UL / RoHS compliant.
M23 is the workhorse of servo drives, robotics, encoder feedback, and heavy industrial signal applications. Where the M12 family handles factory-floor sensors, M23 handles the motors, the encoder cables, and the higher-voltage feeder runs.
M23 Coding Variants — P, E, and Power
| Coding | Pins | Primary use case | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| P-Coded (Signal) | 6 / 7 / 9 / 12 / 17 / 19 | Heavy-duty signal, encoder feedback, multi-conductor I/O | The most flexible M23 variant. Pin counts up to 19 contacts in a single connector. |
| E-Coded (Servo) | 6 / 7 / 9 / 12 / 17 / 19 | Servo encoder cabling, motor feedback | Distinct keying for servo applications to prevent cross-plugging with signal lines on the same machine. |
| Power | 6 + PE / 8 + PE | Servo motor power, high-current feed lines | Up to 30 A per contact, 630 V AC/DC. Protective earth on a dedicated pin. Used where M12 L/S/K-coded doesn't have enough current capacity. |
M23 power and M23 signal are mechanically incompatible by design — the coding key prevents cross-mating even though the threaded coupling is the same size. For pin-out diagrams of every M23 variant, see the Pin Assignment reference.
Pin Counts and Configurations
Available M23 pin configurations from the Katlax catalogue:
- 6-Pin: Compact signal, small servos
- 7-Pin: Encoder feedback with two channels + power
- 9-Pin: Full quadrature encoder + commutation signals
- 12-Pin: Multi-axis encoder, dense I/O
- 17-Pin: High-density signal, complex feedback bundles
- 19-Pin: Maximum density — used where every conductor counts (servo + feedback + temperature + brake in a single connector)
Power variants come in 6+PE and 8+PE configurations with conductor cross-sections up to 2.5 mm² for the 30 A rating.
Technical Specifications
- Standards: IEC 61076-2-110 (signal), IEC 61076-2-114 (power).
- IP rating: IP67 standard when mated; IP68/IP69K available for washdown and underwater applications.
- Current rating: Up to 30 A per contact on power variants; up to ~12 A on dense signal variants.
- Voltage: 630 V AC/DC (power); 50 V (signal).
- Mating cycles: 100 minimum per standard; field-tested to 500+ in industrial environments.
- Operating temperature: −40 °C to +90 °C standard; extended ranges to +105 °C available.
- Vibration / shock: Tested to IEC 60068-2-6 and IEC 60068-2-27.
- Housing materials: Nickel-plated brass standard; stainless steel for marine and hygienic applications.
Cable Material — PUR Dominant for M23
Most M23 applications involve drag chains, robot dress packs, or other dynamic environments — so PUR (polyurethane) is the dominant cable jacket choice. We also supply:
- PUR — high flex life, oil and abrasion resistant, the default for servo / robotics.
- PVC — for static installations only; lower cost but limited flex life.
- TPE — chemical resistance, food-grade variants for hygienic applications.
For high-flex servo applications, we also offer continuous-flex cable rated for 10 million+ cycles — datasheet on the downloads page.
How to Select the Right M23 Connector
- Signal or power? Signal: P-coded or E-coded. Power: M23 Power (6+PE or 8+PE).
- Servo or general signal? E-coded for servo encoder cabling (prevents cross-plugging with signal lines), P-coded for everything else.
- Pin count? Choose the smallest pin count that fits your conductor list — denser connectors are more expensive and bulkier.
- Current rating? Power variants: up to 30 A. If you need more, switch to busbar or terminal-block connections.
- Cable jacket? PUR for any dynamic application (drag chain, robot, AGV). PVC for static. TPE for chemical/food-safe.
- Cable length? Standard 2 m, 5 m, 10 m, 30 m; custom to 100 m on a single SKU.
- Termination? Pre-molded (factory IP67) or field-attachable.
Applications Across Industries
- Servo drives and motors: The flagship M23 use case. E-coded encoder cables + Power feeder cables on the same machine, mechanically keyed to prevent cross-mating.
- Industrial robotics: Joint motor cabling, encoder feedback, brake-release lines. PUR jackets handle the constant flex of robot dress packs.
- CNC machine tools: Spindle motor power, encoder feedback, table-axis servo cabling.
- Packaging and converting machinery: Multi-axis servo drives, registration sensors, drive feedback.
- Rail and transit: Traction motor connections, signalling cabinets requiring high-density I/O.
- Heavy-duty mobile machinery: Agricultural, construction, AGV/AMR robots — where dust, water, and vibration are constant.
- Renewable energy: Wind-turbine pitch motors and yaw drives, solar tracker actuators.
Why Katlax for M23
Katlax has manufactured M23 connectors at our Gandhinagar facility for over a decade — vertically-integrated production from injection moulding through final IP-leak testing. We're one of the few Indian manufacturers with the tooling and process capability for true industrial-grade M23 production.
Certifications: TUV Rheinland EN & IEC, CE, UL (Subject-764 traceability), UKCA, ISO 9001:2015, IPC/WHMA-A-620 (wire harness), plus self-declaration on RoHS and REACH. All certificates downloadable from our downloads page.
India-based manufacturing gives APAC and EMEA customers significantly shorter lead times than European alternatives, with direct engineering access for custom requirements. Standard M23 SKUs ship in 2–3 weeks; custom servo cable assemblies in 4–5 weeks.
Browse, Compare, and Quote
Use the filter sidebar above to narrow the M23 catalogue by coding, pin count, gender, or cable specification. Click any product card for the full datasheet and a one-click request-for-quote form. For servo OEM applications, custom over-mould geometries, or specialised cable materials, our engineering team responds within 24 business hours.