IO-Link Accelerates Digitalization of Process Plants

DCS EndressHauser IO Link Accelerates Digitalization 1 400

December 17, 2021

 

IO-Link is enjoying increasing popularity, with demand for the communications standard growing rapidly, especially in the food & beverage industry. The fieldbus-independent technology for point-to-point communication is easy to use and provides a cost-effective way to digitalize industrial plants. Endress+Hauser, a leading provider in the industry, offers a wide range of IO-Link products for a large selection of process parameters.

IO-Link is regarded as an established standard for measurement devices with basic functionality, offering advantages such as data transparency and additional control through digital technology.

Integrating IO-Link-capable sensors and actuators is especially popular with suppliers of machines or skids for the food & beverage industry. Particularly for utilities, devices with basic functionality are well suited; instruments with a rich set of different functionalities would unnecessarily increase complexity and costs.

DCS EndressHauser IO Link Accelerates Digitalization 2 400

Broad offering for the food & beverage industry

Endress+Hauser is a leading global supplier of process instrumentation for the food & beverage industry. “No other manufacturer offers such a broad and deep range of products and services. Our comprehensive IO-Link portfolio clearly illustrates this position. As a strong partner for process automation, we support our customers with IO-Link sensors in numerous fields of application,” says Rob Sips, Strategic Account Manager for the Group’s international business.

Analog signals and digital communication

The majority of the IO-Link sensors can be optionally operated in analog mode (4–20mA) with simple configuration changes to the instrument, thus allowing production workflows to remain in place. If extra information such as diagnostic and service data is required, in addition to the actual process parameters, an installed IO-Link-capable instrument can be simply switched to a digital signal.

DCS EndressHauser IO Link Accelerates Digitalization 3 400

A simple avenue towards Industry 4.0

“Although IO-Link is not the most powerful communications standard for process engineering, the technology is cost-effective and harbors tremendous potential for the digitalization of process plants,” says Oliver Hansert from Endress+Hauser Digital Solutions.

Endress+Hauser instruments with IO-Link interfaces support the acyclic transmission of helpful metadata to ensure stable and efficient production. Furthermore, the smart sensor profile is designed for simple engineering, which reduces the effort required by plant operators to integrate sensors into their systems.

New additions to the IO-Link portfolio

Endress+Hauser offers a comprehensive product portfolio of IO-Link-capable instruments for all relevant process parameters. The company recently introduced the Smartec CLD18 compact conductivity sensor, IO-Link versions of the PMP51, PMP55 and PMC51 pressure transmitters, and the Deltapilot FMB50 level transmitter. With these new additions to the IO-Link portfolio, customers can exploit the benefits of digitalization in a cost-efficient manner.

Further information about IO-Link is available here 

 

Related Articles

| | | |

Minister Wilkinson Announces Investments in Critical Minerals in Saskatchewan

August 19, 2024 Saskatchewan is internationally known for mining and exploration, and more recently getting recognition for critical minerals, including rare earth elements, which are used in electric vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, everyday electronics, and industrial uses. As the demand for critical minerals to power the clean economy is expected to double by 2030, according to the International…

| |

iTEMP TMT36 Temperature Head Transmitter with IO-Link

May 22, 2024 iTEMP TMT36’s reliable, long-term stable, single-channel IO-Link temperature transmitter for modular thermometers with form B connection head Endress+Hauser’s iTEMP TMT36 IO-Link temperature transmitter is designed for customers in the food & beverage and life science industry focusing on factory automation who want to benefit from cost-efficient devices that can communicate digitally, e.g….

| | |

6 Ways the New maxon Website Enhances Your Experience

March 25, 2024 maxon develops drives that are among the best in the world. They advance technologies that save lives on Earth, make driving and flying safer, and enable the use of robots in space. Where uncompromising precision and the highest quality standards are crucial for success, their drive systems show what they are made…

| |

Ontario Continuing to Attract New Investments and Jobs

May 22, 2024 Province adds 25,000 new jobs in April Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, issued the following statement on May 10’s employment release by Statistics Canada, which showed Ontario is leading the nation in job creation, adding 25,000 jobs in April, including 5,800 jobs in the manufacturing sector. “For…

|

60 Years of Excellence as A Technical Distributor in Automation for Proax Technologies

Proax Technologies is proud to announce that they are celebrating 60 years of serving the automation market! Industrial Automation has become an essential part of all manufacturing and Proax is well positioned to enable all industries to drive sustainable business growth through automation. Over the years, Proax has invested heavily in growth, with multiple acquisitions and new territory openings. They are continuing to look for opportunities to grow their footprint in the North American Market.

Editor’s Pick: Featured Article

Weidmüller’s u-control 2000: The Automation Controller

Weidmüller’s u-control 2000: The Automation Controller

Weidmüller’s scalable engineering software, u-control 2000, adapts individually to your requirements. And, the u-control is powerful, compact and fully compatible with Weidmüller’s I/O system u-remote. This article looks at what makes u-control the heart of your automation.

Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are one of the main components of any automated system. A typical control system has inputs, outputs, controllers (i.e., PLCs), and some type of human interaction with the system, a human machine interface (HMI), for example.

Read More

Latest Articles

  • The Future of Barcodes: Understanding the 2027 Digital Transformation

    January 17, 2025 In the world of industrial automation and manufacturing, a significant change is on the horizon. The familiar UPC barcode – a staple of product identification for nearly five decades – is evolving into a more sophisticated system. This transformation, known as “Sunrise 2027,” will revolutionize how businesses handle product identification, tracking, and… Read More…

  • High-Performance Drives for the Food Industry

    January 15, 2025 Food production is subject to the strictest of requirements. Operations in this highly sensitive hygienic environment must run smoothly to manufacture the large volume and diverse range of products efficiently and sustainably. What does this mean for companies that are active on a market characterized by fierce competition and high consumer expectations?… Read More…