White Paper
IO-LINK HELPS MACHINE
BUILDERS SAVE UP TO 50%
by Shishir Rege
Employing IO-Link to interface field device I/O, progressive
machine builders are modernizing their controls architectures
to support the IIoT and I4.0, while at the same time saving up
to 50% over traditional control system designs.
IO-Link is an open and standardized sensor-actuator
communication technology according to IEC 61131. IO-Link
has been around for over ten years, and is primarily known for
simplifying the integration of smart sensors because IO-Link
communication to field devices can be accomplished over all of
the most popular industrial networks. However, many companies
are quietly having success utilizing IO-Link as an enabler for
innovating cost-saving control system architectures.
2 | IO-Link Helps Machine Builders Save Up To 50%
In what areas can machine builders expect savings?
Every machine goes through five stages from development
through deployment: Design, Build, Programming &
Commissioning, Installation & Start-Up, and Maintenance.
The table below provides a quick overview of available
IO-Link savings.
OVERVIEW OF SAVINGS WITH IO-LINK
Machine Phase Available Savings
Design ■■ Distributed machine-mounted I/O reduces or eliminates controls cabinets
■■ Distributed I/O architecture enables faster, more efficient modularized machine design
■■ Reduced number of industrial network nodes cuts networking hardware overhead and burden
■■ Standardization of device-level interface across all popular industrial networks cuts design effort
■■ Enablement of IIoT and Industry 4.0 communication via IO-Link architecture
■■ Enablement of error-proofing and traceability features for enhanced user experience
■■ Reduced design time enables faster time-to-market and frees design capacity
Build ■■ Assembly with quick-connects reduces time-intensive wiring terminations
■■ Use of quick-connect cables reduces occurrence of improper wiring terminations / rework time
■■ Modular I/O design shortens cable runs from sensors to I/O modules, cutting installation time
■■ Standardized quick-connect cables simplify component inventory and supply logistics
■■ Shorter overall build time frees plant capacity for larger orders or additional machine builds
Programming
& Commissioning
■■ Fewer assembly errors to be located and corrected
■■ Faster identification and correction of remaining assembly errors
■■ Faster troubleshooting of component faults and defects via networked point-level diagnostics
■■ Faster refinement of machine logic through remote device parameterization / configuration
■■ Simplified machine logic via integration of intelligent sensors for distributed task- and error-handling
Installation
& Start-up
■■ Modular plug-n-play design simplifies and shortens tear-down, shipping, and re-assembly on site
■■ Reduced start-up time through remote diagnostics and/or enhanced diagnostics with IO-Link
Maintenance Reduced unplanned downtime through:
■■ Rapid re-configuration of failed field devices via automatic parameterization over IO-Link
■■ Reduced troubleshooting time due to port-level / device-level diagnostics including short-circuit and over-current detection
and reporting
■■ Remote- / condition-monitoring data
■■ Enabling predictive maintenance through event logging of field device data
■■ Enabling continuous process improvement through process-related data logging
■■ Easy system expansion to handle additional devices, device upgrades, and device types
IO-Link Helps Machine Builders Save Up To 50% | 3
www.balluff.com
The inefficiencies of traditional control system design
The traditional approach to controls architecture is to install
a centralized controls cabinet to house the control system
components. This methodology requires a lot of design effort to
specify controller-specific I/O components, design the component
layout in the cabinet, identify and document individual wires with
color and gauge, describe wire routing, and ensure full compliance
with UL requirements.
During the labor-intensive phase of machine build, electrical
technicians spend time routing, cutting, stripping, labeling,
crimping, and terminating each wire. The industry estimates
an average time of about seven minutes per wire. For (150)
terminations, then it could take about (17) hours of labor or
the equivalent of $1100. Later on in the programming and
commissioning phase, controls engineers must spend additional
costly hours to debug termination errors and wiring errors that
may have occurred in both the design and assembly phases.
The time and money spent on these non-value-added activities
could be better applied to reduce machine cost, build additional
machines, or improve machine functionality and capability.
Any similar controls design approach that involves terminating
wires, for example distributed architecture with small controls
cabinets mounted around the machine, would entail the same
disadvantages. Since status or diagnostics are not readily
available, debugging a short circuit takes a long time.
Conventional distributed I/O is not the answer
The next architecture iteration, "distributed I/O" utilizing machine-
mounted (outside the cabinet) network blocks, eliminates or
significantly reduces terminations by introducing double ended
quick-connect cord-sets. Network blocks offer more status and
diagnostics information (if offered by the supplier) to speed up
the design and build activities. A downside of this approach is
that it requires a higher number of network nodes. For example,
if the machine requires (5) analog I/O and (17) binary I/O, then at
least three network nodes are needed (depending on the supplier
and available split of I/O count on each network node). The rising
numbers of nodes adds cost quickly.
4 | IO-Link Helps Machine Builders Save Up To 50%
128-480 Discrete I/O Points on a Single Fieldbus Node
Existing Industrial Network
How does IO-Link architecture simplify wiring and
reduce associated costs?
With IO-Link, especially machine-mounted IO-Link masters
(gateway module), each port offers the ability to add up to (30)
discrete I/O points, up to (8) points of analog I/O, or a single smart
sensor, allowing the design of a flexible, scalable control system
architecture.
For example, IO-Link can accomplish the previously mentioned
(5) analog I/O and (17) binary I/O architecture on a single network
node, utilizing one 4-port IO-Link master along with one 8-port
analog I/O expansion module (a.k.a. "hub") and one 8-port/16-
point binary expansion hub. The analog and binary hubs occupy
two IO-Link ports on the master, while the 17th point of binary
I/O occupies a third. That leaves three unused analog inputs on
the expansion hub and one additional IO-Link port on the master
for future expansion as a single discrete I/O, a smart sensor
input, or an expansion port to provide a larger number of analog
or binary I/O points via another expansion hub or single-channel
analog adapter.
IO-Link Helps Machine Builders Save Up To 50% | 5
www.balluff.com
Power
Power
Communication Discrete I/O
Discrete I/O
Discrete I/O
Discrete I/O
Analog I/O
Analog I/O
Outputs
Valve
Manifold
Control
RFID or
Specialty
Device
Specialty
Example of Expandable, Modular IO-Link Architecture
6 | IO-Link Helps Machine Builders Save Up To 50%
3
1
452
2M L-
L+
C/Q2L+
3
1
452
L-
L+
C/QDI/DQ
CLASS A AND CLASS B IO-LINK MASTER PORTS
Class A Class B
Port Characteristics:
M12 A-coded connector port
with 5-poles (female)
Port Characteristics:
M12 A-coded connector port
with 5-poles (female)
Pin 1 = +24V DC device power Pin 1 = +24V DC device power
Pin 3 = OV DC ground for
device power
Pin 3 = OV DC ground for
device power
Pin 4 = IO-Link communication
or configurable as I/O
Pin 4 = IO-Link communication
or configurable as I/O
Pin 2 = Manufacturer's
discretion for input, output or
configurable I/O with common
on pin 3
Pin 2 = +24V DC output power
Pin 5 = Not used Pin 5 = OV DC ground for
output power (isolated)
Class A Class B
When integrating analog I/O with IO-Link, a similar approach to
simplified cabling can be adopted. Between the analog I/O hub
and the analog device, a double-ended shielded cable can be
applied that eliminates need for terminating the cable shielding
manually, reducing labor time and the potential for error
leading to analog noise problems. Since the analog hub can be
mounted closer to the sensors, the shielded cable runs can be
much shorter, eliminating need to carefully plan analog cable
routing to avoid potential noise and interference issues. Some
builders prefer to specify a different jacket color for shielded
cables to avoid mixing them up with unshielded cordsets.
Benefits of cable standardization with IO-Link
IO-Link is a device-level point-to-point serial communication
protocol over a standard proximity sensor cable with 3, 4, or
5 poles depending on the type of IO-Link master port (Class A
or Class B). With machine-mount architecture, typically, both
sides (master and device) use M12 A-coded connectors that
encourage the use of double-ended cordsets. Some suppliers
offer both Class A and Class B ports on the master. Actuator
devices such as pneumatic valve banks often require isolated
output power for safe de-energizing. In that case, a 5-pole cable
is required for connection to a Class B, IO-Link master port.
A Class A, IO-Link port defines three poles for Power (Pin 1),
Common (Pin 3), and Input (Pin 4); the remaining pole (Pin 2) is
manufacturer-defined. It can be designated as Input, Output,
or user-selectable Input/Output. This provides the greatest
application flexibility as that port can be split to provide two
channels of IO-Link, or discrete binary I/O, or to power an
output power with Common on Pin 3. This flexible 4-pole layout
offers the ability to standardize on 4-pole cables throughout the
architecture. To split ports into two different tasks, a Y-splitter
cable is used. Since all cables utilized are 4-pole double-ended
cordsets differing only in length, machine builders and end users
will only need to stock one type of cable in various lengths,
helping them reduce the variety of cable types in inventory.
This further simplifies design documentation, assembly,
maintenance, and logistics…saving cost.
K
0-10V
PT1000
4...20mA
°C/°F
°C/°F
mm
mm
IO-Link
Analog
Input Hub
Network
IO-Link
Master Block
IO-Link Helps Machine Builders Save Up To 50% | 7
www.balluff.com
How does IO-Link enable modular design and how
does that reduce costs?
When IO-Link is used as the basis for the controls architecture,
expansion I/O blocks (I/O hubs) can host analog and/or binary
I/O on each stand-alone module of the machine. I/O hubs on
machine modules communicate to the remote IO-Link master
over a single unshielded cordset per hub. Compare this to
traditional methods where all I/O wiring must be brought back to
a central control cabinet.
If a higher density of I/O is required on the machine module,
either a 4-port or 8-port IO-Link master can be mounted on the
module and local IO-Link expansion hubs added to handle all
local I/O. Communication to each module is accomplished over
the industrial control network, interfacing to the IO-Link master
acting as a network node.
With either approach, a machine can be built by creating small,
transportable sections. Tear-down for packing and shipping
involves disconnection of a few power, IO-Link, or network
cables vs. potentially dozens or hundreds of discrete wires as
with traditional control system design. During the setup at the
customer site, all machine modules plug back together quickly,
drastically reducing expensive on-site setup time.
Real-world IO-Link success story
Fori Automation, an assembly automation supplier in Shelby
Township, Michigan with a global customer base, sees IO-Link
as integral to a modular control systems approach. Fori has
implemented IO-Link to standardize of their controls architecture,
while remaining responsive to their customers' choice of controls
platform and network preference. When asked about this
approach, Garry Hagar, Controls Engineering Supervisor, stated
that "standardization of equipment and controls strategy can
easily cut 50% of our engineering time."
According to Hagar, "Modularity is very important, not only for us
to be able to quickly tear down, ship, and install at the customer's
factory in a short time frame, but also during production. If
any problems arise, the ability to quickly troubleshoot is only
possible with modular systems. Unplanned downtime is costly in
automotive assembly lines."
www.balluff.com
WP • IO-Link Helps Machine Builders Save Up To 50% • C18
About the Author
Shishir Rege is Marketing Manager for Networking and Safety for Balluff Inc. and works out of
the Balluff Inc. headquarters in Florence, KY. He has over 18 years of experience in robotics
and automation in diverse industries including automotive, packaging, aerospace, and medical.
Shishir holds a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from Western Michigan University and
an MBA from Michigan State University. He can be reached at [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shishirrege
About Balluff
Rugged Control Components from Network to Sensor
Balluff specializes in delivering dependable, rugged and precision products for industrial sensing, networking, and
identification to help prevent downtime and eliminate errors. We are a complete system and component supplier, offering
industrial network and I/O products for use outside of the control cabinet. We add value to automated systems by providing
a wide range of enabling technologies that unlock hidden productivity potential.
Our products include a complete line of sensors, transducers, ID systems, and connectivity products. Our sensor lines
include photoelectric, inductive, capacitive and magnetic, as well as other more specialized sensor products to fit virtually
any sensing application.
IO-LINK HELPS MACHINE BUILDERS SAVE UP TO 50%
Latest in Home