IO Link Recommendations

ASF

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Jun 2012
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Hi all,

Got a project coming up where we've proposed to use an I/O link setup for some devices. We have quoted IFM but at this stage are not locked into using any particular brand, so I thought I'd put some feelers out to see what people have used/liked/hated/will never use again.

My main priority is "as simple as possible". If I could set up the I/O link using a web browser or similar and not have to install any third party configuration software, that's a major drawcard. If it has add-on profiles for Logix Designer, even better.

PLC will be a CompactLogix 5370 L3 or 5380.

Anyone got some brands to recommend for or against?
 
Following, because I had the IFM guys in here yesterday going through their IOLink stuff. We have a long established relationship with them, and I haven't looked elsewhere.
 
Balluff IO Blocks

I've used these blocks over ethernet, they have IOLink in some of the blocks. Rated IP67 (from memory) and can be mounted next to remote IO. It was better than building a bunch of IO panels.
 
We use both IFM and Balluff I/O Link products. Balluff products are more mature and flexible. Also you can get more I/O points per I/O Link port with Balluff if you are using it for digital I/O. We do use more IFM units because of price. We have been testing the new AL1222 Master blocks for them. They are a big improvement over the AL1020 master blocks in terms of the AOI's and data table implementation. Both company's I/O Link products work fine,but I prefer Balluff overall.
 
Question:
Are master blocks from different manufacturer interchangeable? In other words,
will IFM IO Link sensors work with Balluff master blocks, and other way around? Same question for Rockwell master block. Will they work with IO Link sensor from any manufacturer?
We are getting into new project as well and interested in using IO link.

PaulB.
 
Balluff. Comes with AOIs for AB processors and are very easy to setup(https://www.balluff.com/local/us/download/ then click on "PLC Modular Coding" towards the bottom of the page). Tags are already named for you. I have tested multiple different brands of IO-link devices and they all seemed to work(Keyence, IFM, Turck and AB). If you use Balluff masters and Balluff end point devices then you will have AOIs for all of it. If not the key is to get a hold of the IODD file for the device. Once you have it you can setup MSGs to do just about whatever you want with your device.
 
Thanks for the tips everyone. Balluff seems to be getting the best rap here.

One question - do Balluff (and IFM, Turck, et al) have AOP's for their master blocks, or only AOI's? I intend to create my own AOI regardless of what's available from the OEM - I like to keep all my AOI's structured the same way. Having an AOI as "example code" is definitely a bonus, but having and AOP to be able to drop the object into my ethernet tree without worrying about instance numbers and data table sizes is even better.
 
For tight AOP integration, or "Premier Integration" as they call it, have you considered using Rockwell's own POINT I/O - IO-Link Master? (1734-4IOL)...

Have a read of the brochure linked here...

1066942 - What is IO-Link ?
Access Level: Everyone

Regards,
George
 
Hmm, I didn't know Rockwell had one. Shame it's only in the 1734 Point IO range - we don't have any Point I/O racks on this project, so we'd have to put a chassis in just for the I/O link modules. Which I suppose is not so different to buying I/O link masters and putting them around the place anyway, but it'd be neat to have them on my 1769 (or 5069) chassis!
 
I had considered that after posting the link - you may not have a POINT I/O adapter to add their master too, increasing the outlay costs to do so. But, I had first considered you may not have been aware of its existence, so at least that was reason enough to mention it.

BALLUFF are quite good and stable and as mentioned can be integrated in Logix 5000 systems. Last I used them I think there was only EDS-based AOP available but that may have since changed?

I remember something previously here somewhere on them...searching now...

...here it is but it kind of died before it lived...

Balluff AOI IO Link

There's some detail in there for adding a BALLUFF IO-Link Master into a Logix 5000 project. And I'm sure there's more detail somewhere in my brain banks, if I had to recall it?

G.
 
I've used both Baluff and AB masters. The Balluff is easy to set up, but AB was actually easier, in my use case.

That being said, I also isolate and use the 192.168.1.x subnet for each assembly line, so I only had to set the rotary switches and go. All other configuration was through Logix5000.
 

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