IO-Link - The Smart Communication Interface

Pepperl+Fuchs will be taking the next step toward Industry 4.0. At the trade fair HMI 2019 there was plenty of focus on the expansion of the IO-Link portfolio as well as on the acquisition of the Comtrol Corporation, an American company and pioneer in Ethernet-based industrial communication.

A version of the IO-Link master from the ICE1 series with a slim housing just 30 mm wide will be available for applications where there are confined installation conditions. Multi-protocol capability, the M12 power connector, and web server functionality are just some of the benefits that customers can continue to enjoy.

In order to optimally integrate digital IOs into the IO-Link environment, the portfolio of I/O hubs with IO-Link interface has been expanded to include a variant with ten digital inputs and six digital outputs and a variant with 16 freely configurable digital inputs/outputs. The impressive final addition to the IO-Link portfolio is a completely flexible IO-Link signal tower that allows for up to five signal elements to be combined.

From inductive proximity sensors and positioning systems to photoelectric sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and RFID—whatever you need, the portfolio of IO-Link sensors from Pepperl+Fuchs offers maximum flexibility for application solutions. In addition to sensors with varying functional principles, suitable infrastructure and accessories are also available, including IO-Link masters and the appropriate cables, as well as I/O hubs and corresponding software packages. An expanded IO-Link portfolio helps to provide even better support to customers to make communications in their industrial networks more efficient and flexible.

At a glance:

• Comtrol Corporation acquired at the start of 2019
• Focus on expanding the IO-Link portfolio
• IO-Link masters with a slim housing design expand the portfolio (ICE1 series)
• Solutions for digital outputs expand the range of I/O hubs with IO-Link interface
• IO-Link signal tower introduced
• Pepperl+Fuchs offers a complete range of IO-Link solutions (IO-Link devices, IO-Link masters, IO-Link software)