Utilizing the widely accepted IO-Link open point-to-point technology, a new distributed modular I/O from Balluff is fieldbus-independent and easily configured for use with a wide variety of factory networks.
The idea of putting an Ethernet connector on a sensor (RJ-45 was used in the article) as being to large, too inconvenient. M-12 threaded connectors also provide Ethernet connectivity. They have a different keying so that they cannot be mixed with regular M-12 connectors, the most common connector for sensors today. Connector is not a reason to reject Ethernet.
IO-Link in combination with Ethernet in its various protocols sounds very promising though. I'm looking forward to seeing IO-Link/Ethernet adapters gain much higher industrial visibility.
I 'd like to hear more about how this will combine with RFID and ethernet. Once these get to be ubiquitous and connected to the internet we will have an Internet of things and Sensors. With the advent of distributed AI, we can just call it skynet.
I'm up for any good tech info on sensors. A very hot topic right now. In that vein, check out SensorTech, an event which will be held in Feb in Anaheim.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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