Balluff introduces new family of network solutions

Posted on 2 Aug 2016 by The Manufacturer

Leading sensor manufacturer, Balluff has unveiled its new family of network solutions based on the industry's newest and fastest industrial Ethernet network – CC-Link IE Field.

CC-Link IE offers significant potential for applications in a variety of industries, according to Balluff, thanks to its deterministic performance characteristics using token passing technology and high speed.

Director of marketing at Balluff, Tom Rosenberg explained: “CC-Link IE realises the next generation of industrial applications that require large bandwidth for data without compromising deterministic performance.

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“CC-Link IE Field modules enable our customers to utilise the benefits of distributed modular architecture in applications that were not possible before.”

Balluff’s CC-Link IE network portfolio consists of IP67 protection rated machine mount I/O devices and IO-Link masters.

The distributed modular architecture utilises IO-Link to enhance the controls architecture in a cost effective manner, while integrating smart devices into the architecture.

IO-Link is the first sensor-actuator communication standard specified in IEC61131-9 and employs standard M12 sensor cables for communication of process data, parameter data, and events on the same line.

Marketing manager for networking at Balluff, Shishir Rege commented: “CC-Link IE Field devices combined with Balluff’s industry leading portfolio of IO-Link devices provides our customers the flexibility and modularity to build a wide variety of application specific architectures.

“As an example, the CC-Link IE Field network module with 8 IO-Link ports can host up to eight IO-Link smart devices including RFID, SmartLights, flow or measurement sensors, or analog I/O. Or the module could host up to 240 configurable discrete I/O points.”

With the addition of CC-Link IE into Balluff’s networking suite, Balluff can now offer its customers the same architectural scalability with CC-Link IE that it has been offering for other networks including EtherNet/IP; PROFINET; EtherCAT; DeviceNet; PROFIBUS, and CC-Link.

Learn more about Balluff’s CC-Link IE Field I/O Blocks

Learn more about Balluff’s full IO-Link and Networking solutions: www.balluff.us/io-link