IO-Link is a revolutionary industrial communication protocol supported by over 300 industrial engineering companies. It is the foundation of an accessible, flexible, and interoperable smart manufacturing technology stack. The ifm IO-Link master provides a dual pathway to send production data to both the PLC for machine control and to any higher level software platforms on-premises or in the cloud via the IIoT port, including ERP, SCADA, MES, CMMS, EDA, CIM systems, and more. By including the dedicated IIoT port, the ifm IO-Link master ensures that the data flow to software systems for additional trending and analysis does not interfere with PLC communication to ensure there is no lag in operational commands.
The technical specs of the AL13xx series provide increased flexibility in manufacturing environments. It is field-mountable to reduce cabinet space requirements, and supports ethernet wiring, Bluetooth mesh for wireless communication, and LTE routers for cellular connection. The most important benefit of IO-Link is its flexibility and interoperability with other industrial and industry-specific hardware and software. It ensures you can collect, send, and access your production data in real time from wherever you need it.