IEC 63171-4:2022

Connectors for electrical and electronic equipment - Part 4: Detail specification for shielded or unshielded, free and fixed connectors with up to 8 ways for balanced single-pair data transmission with current carrying capacity - Mechanical mating information, pin assignment and additional requirements for Type 4

IEC 63171-4:2022 covers shielded and unshielded free and fixed multimedia connectors (MMC) for data transmission with frequencies up to and above 3 000 MHz for shielded and up to 600 MHz for unshielded connectors, both with current-carrying capacity with up to 8 ways. It specifies the common dimensions, mechanical, electrical and transmission characteristics and environmental requirements as well as test specifications, respectively. The form factor of these connectors allows their use for cable sharing with TOs (Telecommunications Outlet) for structured cabling. This document covers type 4 connectors. Each part of this series has the associated type number equal to the number of the part in the series. All connectors in the IEC 63171 series are deemed to provide the same functions as defined in IEC 63171, using different mechanical interfaces. The shielded and unshielded connectors are interoperable for their internal transmission performance and can be exchanged. The shielded version has improved EMC and coupling properties. The connectors are intended to be used for Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) according, but not restricted to the following IEEE standards: 10Base-T1 (IEEE 802.3cg), 100Base-T1 (IEEE 802.3bw), 1000Base-T1 (IEEE 802.3bp), Multi-Gig Base-T1 (IEEE 802.3ch) and optionally with Power over Data line (PoDL) power supply according to IEEE 802.3bu. The contents of the corrigendum 1 (2023-08) have been included in this copy.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 14-Sep-2022
• ICS: 31.220.10 - Plug-and-socket devices. Connectors
• Technical Committee: SC 48B - Electrical connectors
• Drafting Committee: PT 63171 - TC 48/SC 48B/PT 63171
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 15-Sep-2022
• Completion Date: 23-Sep-2022

Relations

• Corrected By: IEC 63171-4:2022/COR1:2023 - Corrigendum 1 - Connectors for electrical and electronic equipment - Part 4: Detail specification for shielded or unshielded, free and fixed connectors with up to 8 ways for balanced single-pair data transmission with current carrying capacity - Mechanical mating information, pin assignment and additional requirements for Type 4
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Overview

IEC 63171-4:2022 is an IEC detail specification for shielded and unshielded free and fixed multimedia connectors (MMC) - Type 4 - that support balanced single-pair data transmission with current-carrying capacity. The standard covers connectors with up to 8 ways, defining common dimensions, mechanical mating information, pin assignment, electrical and transmission characteristics, environmental requirements and test specifications. It applies to transmission frequencies up to and above 3000 MHz (shielded) and up to 600 MHz (unshielded). The 2022 edition includes Corrigendum 1 (2023-08).

Key topics and technical requirements

• Mechanical mating information: form-factor details for fixed and free connector styles (examples: MMC 1P, 2P, 4P and corresponding free styles), mating dimensions and coupling device effectiveness.
• Pin assignment: standardized front-view pin maps and multi-way arrangements for consistent wiring and interoperability.
• Electrical characteristics: creepage/clearance, voltage proof, insulation resistance, contact resistance, current-temperature derating and DC resistance limits.
• Transmission characteristics: insertion loss, return loss, propagation delay, transverse conversion loss/transfer loss, power-sum alien NEXT/FEXT and (for shielded types) transfer impedance and coupling attenuation.
• Interoperability: shielded and unshielded connectors in the IEC 63171 series are specified to be interoperable for internal transmission performance and can be exchanged; shielded variants offer improved EMC and coupling properties.
• Environmental and reliability tests: defined basic and full test schedules, preconditioning, vibration and contact resistance arrangements, and other test procedures to verify mechanical, electrical and transmission performance.
• Cable sharing and structured cabling: connector form factor allows use with Telecommunications Outlets (TOs) for structured cabling installations.

Applications and practical use

• Designed primarily for Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) use cases and compatible (but not limited) with IEEE SPE standards: 10Base-T1 (802.3cg), 100Base-T1 (802.3bw), 1000Base-T1 (802.3bp), Multi-Gig Base-T1 (802.3ch) and optional Power over Data Line (PoDL, 802.3bu).
• Typical applications: structured building cabling, industrial networks, IoT/Sensor networks, equipment interfaces and any system needing single-pair data plus power over the same conductor with compact connector form factors.
• Useful for designers, connector manufacturers, network equipment OEMs, installation/specification engineers and test laboratories verifying SPE connector compliance.

Who should use this standard

• Connector and cable manufacturers for product design and interoperability
• Systems and network architects specifying SPE endpoints and TOs
• Test labs and QA teams for compliance and qualification testing
• Procurement/specification authors and OEMs creating technical requirements

Related standards

• IEC 63171 (base series specification)
• Other parts of the IEC 63171 series (Type numbers = part numbers)
• IEEE 802.3 SPE standards: 802.3cg, 802.3bw, 802.3bp, 802.3ch, 802.3bu

Keywords: IEC 63171-4, Type 4 connectors, single-pair Ethernet, SPE, shielded connector, unshielded connector, MMC, PoDL, structured cabling, IEEE 802.3.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 63171-4 ®
Edition 1.0 2022-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Connectors for electrical and electronic equipment –
Part 4: Detail specification for shielded or unshielded, free and fixed connectors
with up to 8 ways for balanced single-pair data transmission with current
carrying capacity – Mechanical mating information, pin assignment and
additional requirements for Type 4
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IEC 63171-4 ®
Edition 1.0 2022-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Connectors for electrical and electronic equipment –

Part 4: Detail specification for shielded or unshielded, free and fixed connectors

with up to 8 ways for balanced single-pair data transmission with current

carrying capacity – Mechanical mating information, pin assignment and

additional requirements for Type 4

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 31.220.10 ISBN 978-2-8322-5608-4

– 2 – IEC 63171-4:2022 © IEC 2022
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 10
2 Normative references . 10
3 Terms and definitions . 11
4 Common features and typical connector pairs . 11
4.1 Mating information . 11
4.1.1 General . 11
4.1.2 Overview of connector styles . 11
4.1.3 Fixed connectors . 12
4.1.4 Free connectors . 15
5 Characteristics . 21
5.1 General . 21
5.2 Pin assignment . 21
5.3 Classification into climatic category . 22
5.4 Electrical characteristics . 22
5.4.1 Creepage and clearance distances . 22
5.4.2 Voltage proof . 23
5.4.3 Current-temperature derating . 23
5.4.4 Initial contact resistance – interface only (separable fixed and free
contact) . 23
5.4.5 Input to output DC resistance . 23
5.4.6 Input to output DC resistance unbalanced. 23
5.4.7 Initial insulation resistance . 23
5.5 Transmission characteristics . 23
5.5.1 General . 23
5.5.2 Insertion loss . 23
5.5.3 Return loss . 23
5.5.4 Propagation delay . 23
5.5.5 Transverse conversion loss . 24
5.5.6 Transverse conversion transfer loss . 24
5.5.7 Transfer impedance (shielded only) . 24
5.5.8 Coupling attenuation . 24
5.5.9 Power sum alien (exogenous) NEXT . 24
5.5.10 Power sum alien (exogenous) FEXT . 24
5.6 Mechanical characteristics . 24
5.6.1 Mechanical operation . 24
5.6.2 Effectiveness of connector coupling devices . 24
5.6.3 Insertion and withdrawal forces . 24
6 Tests and test schedule . 24
6.1 General . 24
6.2 Arrangement for contact resistance measurement . 25
6.3 Arrangement for vibration test . 25
6.4 Test procedures and measuring methods . 26
6.5 Preconditioning . 26
6.6 Test schedules . 26

6.6.1 General . 26
6.6.2 Basic (minimum) test schedule . 26
6.6.3 Full test schedule . 26
Bibliography . 27

Figure 1 – Relationship between the IEC 63171 series documents and their related
references . 7
Figure 2 – Type 4 connector overview . 9
Figure 3 – Shielded and unshielded fixed connector details – MMC 1P . 12
Figure 4 – Shielded and unshielded fixed connector details – MMC 2P . 13
Figure 5 – Shielded and unshielded fixed connector details – MMC 4P . 14
Figure 6 – Shielded and unshielded free connector with snap-in device – MMC 1PS . 15
Figure 7 – Shielded and unshielded free connector with locking device – MMC 1PL . 17
Figure 8 – Shielded and unshielded free connector with snap-in device – MMC 2PS . 18
Figure 9 – Shielded and unshielded free connector with locking device- MMC 2PL . 19
Figure 10 – Shielded and unshielded free connector with snap-in device – MMC 4PS . 19
Figure 11 – Shielded and unshielded free connector with locking device- MMC 4PL . 20
Figure 12 – Free connector female contact . 21
Figure 13 – Fixed connector pin assignment (front view of connector). 22
Figure 14 – Arrangement for contact resistance test . 25
Figure 15 – Arrangement for vibration test . 26

Table 1 – Styles of connectors . 12
Table 2 – Dimensions for Figure 3 – MMC 1P . 13
Table 3 – Dimensions for Figure 4 – MMC 2P . 14
Table 4 – Dimensions for Figure 5 – MMC 4P . 15
Table 5 – Dimensions for Figure 6 – MMC 1PS . 16
Table 6 – Dimensions for Figure 7 – MMC 1PL . 17
Table 7 – Dimensions for Figure 8 – MMC 2PS . 18
Table 8 – Dimensions for Figure 9 – MMC 2PL . 19
Table 9 – Dimensions for Figure 10 – MMC 4PS . 20
Table 10 – Dimensions for Figure 11 – MMC 4PL . 20
Table 11 – Dimensions for Figure 12. 21
Table 12 – 2-way connector signal pin assignment . 22
Table 13 – Creepage and clearance distances . 23

– 4 – IEC 63171-4:2022 © IEC 2022
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
CONNECTORS FOR ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT –

Part 4: Detail specification for shielded or unshielded, free and fixed
connectors with up to 8 ways for balanced single-pair data transmission
with current carrying capacity – Mechanical mating information, pin
assignment and additional requirements for Type 4

FOREWORD
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IEC 63171-4 has been prepared by subcommittee 48B: Electrical connectors, of IEC technical
committee 48: Electrical connectors and mechanical structures for electrical and electronic
equipment. It is an International Standard.
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
48B/2964/FDIS 48B/2984/RVD
Full information on the voting for its approval can be found in the report on voting indicated in
the above table.
The language used for the development of this International Standard is English.

A list of all parts in the IEC 63171 series, published under the general title Connectors for
electrical and electronic equipment, can be found on the IEC website.
This document was drafted in accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, and developed in
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The contents of the corrigendum 1 (2023-08) have been included in this copy.

– 6 – IEC 63171-4:2022 © IEC 2022
INTRODUCTION
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) draws attention to the fact that it is claimed
that compliance with this document may involve the use of a patent concerning contact mating
surface dimensions given in 4.1.
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IEC 63171 is the base specification of the whole series. Subsequent specifications do not
duplicate information given in the base document, but list only additional requirements. For
complete specification regarding a component of a higher number document all lower numbered
documents shall be considered as well. Figure 1 shows the interrelation of the documents.

Figure 1 – Relationship between the IEC 63171 series
documents and their related references
This document refers to International Standards for test and measurement, environmental
testing as well as solderless connections.

– 8 – IEC 63171-4:2022 © IEC 2022
IEC 63171-4 Ed. 1
IEC SC 48B – Electrical connectors
Specification available from:
IEC General secretariat
...