Simplifying Network Topology

All devices become IO-Link capable

Modern robotics equipment requires many sensors – especially in the robot arm which, for proper dynamics and minimum energy consumption, need to have as little mass as possible. Cumbersome wiring of multiple conductor cables can make this difficult.

These problems are minimized with IO-Link. IO-Link requires only a traditional industrial cable which is simple to install. IO-Link also ensures noise immunity with intelligent devices without the need for shielded cables.

Whether Profibus/Profinet over CC-Link/CC-Link IE-Field, Devicenet or Ethernet/IP and EtherCAT, our IO-Link masters let you use IO-Link with any controller. After all, IO-Link is fieldbus-neutral. With IO-Link you can bring a wide variety of devices together in the structure so that even the most complex tasks, including robotics and beyond, can be simply mastered with the greatest possible flexibility. The universal IO-Link interface integrates intelligent devices into the controller. Likewise you can integrate standard analog sensors into the controller using our IO-Link analog converters. Or simply connect them to our IO-Link hubs, which can digitize the analog input signals and pass them on to the IO-Link master. With the IO-Link master you can also control actuators and valve terminals. Simply use the valve interface to connect the valve terminal to the IO-Link master. Again, all you need is a standard cable to make use of the full functionality.

A Balluff IO-Link sensor hub bundles the signals from up to 16 sensors or actuators. Another highlight is our cascadable hubs with expansion port which allow you to connect an additional sensor hub or a valve terminal. If these hubs are cascaded with an additional hub and connected to our 16x IO-Link master, a module transmits up to 496 inputs/outputs.