In automation technology, the interference-free transmission of data as well as the reliable power supply of the individual components are both sensitive issues. PROFINET fully relies on the standardised M12L connector. “The previous M12 connectors have already been developed very close to the limits of feasibility. We have now checked all the adjusting screws once again to achieve the best results. Without a design using a digital twin, this would hardly have been possible," explains Martin Guserle, Head of Business Unit EPIC® Connectors at U.I. Lapp GmbH. During development, the technical properties of the connectors were simulated using virtual models. The two M12K series for energy transmission up to 630V/12A and M12L up to 60V/16A were virtually put through their paces before producing the first 3D-printed model. This means that the limit of power transmission with increasingly smaller connectors is first evaluated virtually and then transferred to initial prototypes and series production. This results in significantly smaller design sizes, yet with improved power transmission. The new connectors are, for example, suitable for cobots or automated guided vehicles (AGVs).