The netFIELD Device IO-Link technology platform integrates complex sensors or actuators into Real-Time Ethernet (RTE) networks. The IO-Link Wireless Master combines reliable IO-Link communication with flexible wireless connectivity. IO-Link wireless equipment operates in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz ISM band and uses frequency hopping. As a part of its technology platform, Hilscher combines established netX 90 technology with an embedded module equipped with a 2-track IO-Link Wireless Master.
The gateway converts PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, and EtherCAT to IO-Link Wireless, and vice versa.
Two parallel IO-Link Wireless transmission tracks enable simultaneous communication with up to 16 IO-Link Wireless devices and reach 5 ms as a min. possible transmission cycle time per device.
An integrated web server enables important functions like firmware download, authentication, and IO-Link port configuration. In addition to the RTE protocol, the IO-Link Wireless Master provides an integrated OPC UA server for configuration and diagnosis in compliance with the official specification "OPC UA for IO-Link companion".
Moreover, maintenance, diagnosis, identification, or configuration are functional components that can be used via an integrated MQTT Client with JSON Integration for “IO-Link over MQTT” definition.
The netFIELD IO-Link Wireless Master is a ready-to-use IP67 device optimized for brand labeling and provides connectivity and IO-Link level integration in harsh environments for machine or plant construction where wire-based solutions cannot be used. In addition, it is perfectly suitable for flexible robotic applications because it allows a full range of motion. In general, the IO-Link Wireless Master is made for any use case which requires a reduction of wiring.
An IO-Link configuration tool for device engineering and accesses to complex IO-Link device description files (IODD) completes the seamless integration of IO-Link Wireless devices into Real-Time Ethernet networks.