Member news this month from the IO-Link world include a new IOLCC in Italy, recognition of IO-Link Wireless by the EU, and robot gripping solutions with IO-Link Wireless win an innovation award.
Diplomatic MS: Certified as IOLCC in Italy
Thanks to the competencies developed during the development of both the IO-Link device mounted on all its electronics boards and the related protocol stack, and in order to support the Italian industry helping others discover the advantages offered by the IO-Link technology by committing resources to the market, Duplomatic MS has been certified as an IO-Link Competence Center (IOLCC). To date, it is the only IOLCC in Italy.
With this recognition, the company makes its team of experts available, not only for technical support for the development of IO-Link devices and systems, but also for carrying out certification tests and dedicated training courses.
The Duplomatic MS Competence Center offers device tests, performed with certified (1) instrumentation, (2) physical layer and (3) EMC tests, the latter being performed in a certified EMC laboratory and with the use of a calibrated IO-Link master.
Please contact io-link@nullduplomatic.com to learn more
Industrial Connectivity Unbound
Creating a more connected industrial world that is not bound by cables in the most reliable and cost-effective manner will allow European industry to evolve and thrive.
The industrial space is bound by cables. There is a true need for wireless communication of sensors, actuators and devices at the machine level in factories, something that cannot be addressed today by existing wireless networks.
European industry is expected to receive huge benefits from the ongoing technological revolution. Mobile robots, connected machinery and the harvesting and application of big data all add to a completely flexible and adaptable production line fit for the 21st century. But first, factories must be freed from cables. With support from the EU, the Wi-MCA project, led by the Israeli start-up CoreTigo, is developing a new system to facilitate this transition. Wi-MCA – Wireless for Mission-Critical Applications – is creating a new communications protocol known as the IO-Link Wireless standard (IEC 61131-9).
This highly reliable, fast, scalable and deterministic wireless communications method, specifically designed for factory automation, meets the demands of the next-generation factory. “Substitution of these cables requires a wireless system capable of providing real-time control, low latency with cable-grade reliability, and the ability to scale to hundreds of devices wirelessly per work-cell,” says Gabi Daniely, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at CoreTigo.
The main aim of the Wi-MCA project was to conduct market research on the new system with leading voices in the European industry market. The feedback will ensure the project moves forward in the most efficient way and help with developing a business plan to bring the new technology to market within the next couple of years.
A world of potential
The technology has several potential impacts, beyond just the need to reduce cabling in the industrial space. “It is about creating a paradigm shift that enables new applications and smart factory solutions that were not feasible before, due to the constraints and limitations that wired communication dictates,” says Daniely.
Industry-specific applications using wireless communications can drive operational efficiency and production optimization, and provide greater intelligence to manage the business. Rotating and dynamic components can gain increased flexibility and mobility. IO-Link Wireless enables simple and cost-effective retrofitting of devices on existing machines, and simplifies relocation and upgrades, and new machine deployment.
A wireless solution enables shuttles on transport track systems to communicate for control and monitoring independently, increasing flexibility and machine capacity, and reducing footprint. In hazardous and hygienic industrial environments, such as the food and beverage industry, IO-Link Wireless solutions reduce costs associated with cabling deployments, maintenance, along with contamination concerns and safety. On top of this, data collection will be greatly enhanced by the IO-Link Wireless system, as all information from connected sensors and robotics will be sent directly to the cloud.
Zimmer Wireless IO-Link wins German Innovation Award 2020
Communication is becoming increasingly important in today’s industrial automation. The exchange of process data between the individual components involved in the process will increasingly determine the performance of an application. Until now, this data exchange was primarily based on physical cable connections. However, this has serious disadvantages in an increasingly complex application environment, e.g. there is a limit on the maximum cable length. The approach of Zimmer Group Wireless IO-Link technology eliminates these disadvantages by establishing a data connection using an encrypted and almost latency-free radio link, which enables communication with up to 40 devices and guarantees an extremely high transmission reliability of 10-9 PER.