Here Slot 7 can be reconfigured as an expansion port by means of a simple parameter entry. A complete valve plug or an additional sensor hub can be connected to it. For the user this means a gain in flexibility and efficiency. Now it is possible not only to cost-effectively process additional in- and outputs, but also expand the range to a circle of another 20m. The system is plug-and-play and uses unshielded standard cables, meaning it can be started up straight away.
IO-Link sensor/actuator hub with expansion port
IO-Link actuator/sensor hubs from Balluff feature eight ports for 16 in-/outputs. They are said to allow signals from up to 16 switching sensors to be collected from a distance of up to 20m so that they can be made available to the machine controller via IO-Link and an IO-Link master using a simple 3-conductor cable. Brand new versions are also available with an expansion port.
