The 6ES7194-2LN15-0AC0 is a 15-meter shielded PROFINET bus cable with a factory-assembled M8 plug at one end and open leads at the other. It bridges the gap between an ET 200AL I/O block and anything that speaks PROFINET but does not have an M8 socket—a managed switch, a patch panel, a PLC with RJ45 ports, or a terminal block where the bus continues in a different connector standard.

When is plug-to-open-end the right choice for a bus cable?

When the far end of the PROFINET segment is not another M8-equipped ET 200AL module. Typical cases: the ET 200AL block sits at the edge of a machine and the bus must continue through RJ45-based infrastructure; the cable terminates at a PROFINET patch field inside a control cabinet; or a custom-length connection is needed and the installer prefers to crimp the exact connector the site standard calls for. The open end gives the installer full control over the far-side termination—cut to length, attach the required connector, and test.

What makes bus cable shielding different from power cable construction?

Bus cables are built on the 2Y(ST)CY 1×4×0.5/1.0 mm² core: PE-insulated conductors wrapped in overlapping aluminum-clad foil, then a tinned-copper wire braid. This dual-layer shield serves two purposes: the foil blocks capacitively coupled high-frequency noise, and the braid provides a low-impedance drain path to ground at both connector shells. Power cables carry no shield—24 V DC does not need it. The green jacket is the visual cue that shielding is present, and that proper shield termination at the open end is mandatory for reliable PROFINET operation.

PVC vs PUR for a 15-meter bus cable—what changes for signal quality?

From a signal-integrity standpoint, nothing. Both PVC and PUR bus cables share the same 2Y(ST)CY core construction with identical impedance characteristics—they are electrically interchangeable. The choice is purely environmental: PVC costs less and is entirely adequate for clean indoor cable trays; PUR adds halogen-free safety, oil and chemical resistance, and UV stability for harsh, outdoor, or public-occupancy routes. If the cable stays inside a locked electrical room, PVC is the cost-effective choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I terminate the shield at the open end?

The open end exposes the drain wire along with the four signal cores (white, yellow, blue, orange). At the termination point—patch panel, switch port, or terminal block—connect the drain wire to the PROFINET shield ground at the far-end device. Do not leave the shield floating: an ungrounded shield can radiate rather than suppress interference, making emissions compliance harder to meet.

Can this cable be used for 24 V DC power if I ignore the shielding?

No. The green jacket and dual-shield construction identify this as a bus cable. Using it for power defeats the ET 200AL color-coding system and wastes the shielding you paid for. Use the gray-jacket 1AC0 socket-to-open-end cable for power field termination. The color distinction prevents the most expensive wiring mistake in ET 200AL—sending 24 V into a PROFINET port.

What cables complete the rest of the ET 200AL bus segment?

For M8-to-M8 connections within the I/O block, use plug-to-plug bus cables: 0AA0 (straight) or 0AB0 (angled). These daisy-chain modules together along the DIN rail. This 0AC0 is the segment's endpoint—it takes the bus from the last M8 port to whatever comes next in the network topology, whether that is a switch, another protocol, or a custom panel connector.