IO-Link Masters

If sensors are to manage the tasks of the future, they need to do more than simply deliver process data to the machine control. Sensors must be able to communicate with all different kinds of receivers and send and receive data to and from higher-level information systems. Ethernet IO modules with integrated IO-Link master facilitate reliable, efficient communication between management and sensor/actuator levels as they assume a gateway function between Ethernet and IO‑Link. Up to eight IO‑Link devices may be directly connected—four channels are available for sensors, four channels for actuators. The IO-Link master enables integrated diagnostics and parameterization from the control level right down to the sensor level. Commissioning times are also significantly reduced, primarily in large-series production plants.

This means that Ethernet IO modules with integrated IO-Link master can be ideally incorporated into the requirements profile of innovative machine and plant manufacturers—forming a crucial component of Sensorik4.0®.

For quick and easy connection and configuration of IO-Link sensors via the USB interface on a computer, Pepperl+Fuchs offers an IO-Link USB master. Sensors can be integrated into an FDT user interface, such as PACTware® software, and parameterized outside the plant, directly via the IODD interpreter.

Using the IODD interpreter, individual IO-Link sensors are cloned easily, by transferring the configuration and parameterization data from one sensor to another. Extensive diagnostic options are also available during the setup process. For example, the data, stability, and functional reserve of a sensor signal can be checked and adjusted. The IO-Link USB master therefore offers the possibility to perform simple configuration and parameterization of IO-Link sensors outside the plant.