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Charlotte Stonestreet
Managing Editor |
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Greater control of circuits
17 November 2017
New modular, solid-state fuse units from ifm electronic give the user much greater control over their circuits. Modules in the DF system control single or dual channels with loads up to 10A per channel, and up to eight modules can be attached to the base unit.
The DF series uses the latest IO-Link technology for bidirectional communication with the PLC. This allows the user to enable each channel independently, allowing a phased start-up of a complex system, for example, to avoid a big inrush that would otherwise trip a traditional fuse. If a trip does occur, the circuity can also be reset remotely.
Data exchange also leads to more information about the machine; the DF will tell the PLC the actual current and voltage of each channel, so the power consumption is split down to individual circuits. The cause of any trip can also be determined, i.e. an overload or a short-circuit.
