Weld-immune IO-Link modules

Balluff is offering a range of network modules designed for the extreme conditions of a welding environment. These weld-immune modules made of fibreglass-reinforced plastic resist weld splatter, welding currents and electromagnetic noise fields and are said to ensure reliable signal transmission in spite of ambient electrical disturbances.

The range includes IO-Link masters and IO-Link sensor/actuator hubs with eight IO-Link ports each for 16 inputs and outputs. These will accommodate IO-Link as well as digital and intelligent complex devices. Each input on the IO-Link master is short-circuit protected and each output protected from overload. The inputs and outputs on the hubs are freely configurable.

Also available are hubs with an expansion port. A complete valve plug or an additional sensor hub can be connected, resulting in a significant gain in flexibility and efficiency. It is now possible to expand the range to a circle of another 20 m.

The modules allow the design of a decentralised system architecture in the welding cell outside the control cabinet. Network nodes equipped with an IO-Link master communicate via Ethernet/IP directly with the main controller or control device on the machine.

In addition to a 2-port switch for daisy-chaining networks, the IO-Link master features an integrated display for checking module information such as hardware and software status or for diagnostics. LEDs indicate the status of each port. A real-time display of the module with all current statuses for extended diagnostics is provided through the integrated web server.