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Charlotte Stonestreet
Managing Editor |
Home> | IIot & Smart Technology | >Connectivity | >Inductive sensors get IO-Link |
Inductive sensors get IO-Link
16 October 2017
Giving users access to data that couldn’t economically be used previously, ifm electronic has equipped a range of inductive sensors with IO-Link.

An IO-Link system can monitor the health and the status of a system: IO-Link turns sensor data into a digital data stream, analogue inputs are not required. By using what is still effectively high-resolution and linear analogue information, the user can now determine much more, such as the relative position of the sensor and its target.
IO-Link can be used in the other direction to tell the device to act normally open or closed, or switch positive or negative, even to select and activate a time delay in the device. Individual sensors are electronically tagged and identified.
The new range is available in standard sizes of M12, M18, M30 and 40x40 cube, flush or non-flush, with excellent specifications - as one would expect from ifm electronic, i.e. high IP ratings and a wide temperature range, all guaranteed for five years. Not only that, but these sensors are more versatile than conventional inductive sensors yet don’t need analogue input cards, only an IO-Link master to handle the communication. IO-Link masters are becoming readily available, are easy to integrate into the control architecture, and cost a lot less than analogue inputs.
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