Comtrol has announced a device which, it says, combines the benefits of IO-Link sensor communications with EtherNet/IP and Modbus TCP industrial Ethernet protocols. The IO-Link Master 4-EIP Master connects “smart” IO-Link sensors and actuators to factory networks, while shielding PLC programmers from the complexities of IO-Link. It is said to result in simpler EtherNet/IP and Modbus TCP interfaces, cutting system development times and installation efforts.
Phoenix Contact has announced a device that uses existing copper wires to create redundant Ethernet ring structures with data rates of up to 15 Mbps for two-wire operation or 30Mbps for four-wire operation. The device also enables Ethernet communications over distances of up to 20km, instead of the usual limit of around 100m.
The Israeli controls manufacturer ACS Motion Control has announced its most powerful line of motion controllers and EtherCat masters to date. The SPiiPlusEC controllers expand the capabilities of the company’s earlier SPiiPlus controllers and EtherCat network managers.
Flir Systems has announced a fixed-mount temperature sensor that combines thermal and visible cameras in a small, affordable package. The AX8 sensor can be installed in tight spaces to perform continuous, automated monitoring of the temperatures of critical electrical and mechanical equipment. It can also be used to detect fires.
Rockwell Automation has announced a low-cost, condition-monitoring system for monitoring and protecting machinery that integrates with control systems. Instead of operating independently, the Allen-Bradley Dynamix 1444 system uses Rockwell’s Integrated Architecture system to assess equipment health, to predict potential issues, and to help avoid damage to critical machinery.
Festo has announced a module that can be positioned anywhere along the stroke length of a pneumatic actuator to create stops where they are needed. A “unique” follow-through function is claimed to allow faster cycle times after such stops.
Unitronics, the Israeli manufacturer of integrated controller-HMIs, has announced several extensions to its range including:
At next month’s SPS IPC Drives show in Germany, Siemens will be launching a second generation of its Sinamics G120 modular drives with significantly higher power densities than before. The new drives can be mounted side-by-side without derating, reducing not only space requirements but also the cost of the control cabinets.
Omron has announced a machine controller that is aimed at simplifying semiconductor industry applications and cutting development costs and lead times.
At next month’s SPS IPC Drives trade show in Germany, the Austrian automation manufacturer B&R will unveil a modular engineering software system that, it claims, will cut the time needed to develop the application software for new machines and systems by an average of 67%, as well as reducing service and maintenance costs.
E-T-A Circuit Breakers claims to have produced the first track-mountable electronic circuit-breaker with physical isolation that comes with worldwide approvals. The ESS31-T mechatronic breaker provides overcurrent protection against overloads and short-circuits when the current in a 24V DC control circuit exceeds the current-carrying capacity of the conductor or the rated value of a component.
The French manufacturer Socomec has developed a modular energy measurement and monitoring system which, it claims, can be implemented in a quarter of the time of rival metering technologies, and at a cost that is 30% lower.
At next month’s SPS IPC Drives show in Germany, Siemens will be launching two ranges of IE4 “super premium” efficiency induction motors that are around 14% more efficient than IE1 machines and 3% more efficient than IE3 motors.
The Austrian manufacturer B&R Automation claims that a three-axis servodrive that it is launching at next month’s SPS IPC Drives show in Germany will be the most efficient servodrive available with integrated safety functions. The Acopos P3 drive has a power density of 4A per litre of space, and a sampling time of just 50µs for the entire controller cascade, resulting in “previously unobtainable dynamics and precision,” according to B&R.
At next month’s SPS IPC Drives show in Germany, Siemens will be unveiling significant additions to its Simatic family of industrial controls, including failsafe versions of its basic S7-1200 controllers which, it says, will be unique in offering safety functions for a similar price to a standard microcontroller.
