Balluff Basics

What is
The fundamentals of IO-Link: operation, components and technology

Technology: Standardized (IEC 61131-9) Serial Communication Protocol Typical System

Area of Application: IO-Link is used to bi-directionally communicate from field devices like sensors and Gateway
actuators to the controller in order to provide configuration, diagnostics and process data IO-Link
Master Industrial Network
from the devices beyond the switching states.

How It Works: Utilizing a standard sensor cable, the IO-Link slave device speaks point to point with
an IO-Link master. The IO-Link master then combines the data with other IO-Link slave
devices and communicates over an industrial network or backplane to the controller.

IO-Link
Slave Device

Three Gotcha’s Common Applications

Cable Type & Length Standard Sensor Inputs and Discrete I/O

Cable runs between Existing Industrial Network

master and slave

can be up to
20 meters in length
Standard 4-wire Sensor Cable - Unshielded
and typically utilize
standard automation
cables. Most cables,
but not all, are M12
20 Meters maximum A-coded, unshielded,
4-conductor DC
sensor cables.

128 Discrete I/O Points on One IP Address!

Star Architecture Measurement and Analog I/O

Since IO-Link utilizes Old Way

Network IO-Link Analog Output:
Master a point-to-point serial IP20 Enclosure – measuring signal
I/O – set points
communication, Star
Topology is the only Shielded 9 Conductors
PS
device architecture that Cable
can be constructed.
IO-Link Measurement Analog
to Digital
Master Conversion
Device

IO-Link
Sensors 3 Conductors
Non-shielded Cable

Port Class A vs Port Class B Devices Smart Devices with Diagnostics

While most devices Possible Diagnostics Provided:

Pin Port Class A Port Class B utilize IO-Link port ! Device Present
Device Powered

1 V+ Device V+
Class A, output devices
! Marginal Operation
BB_007 • What is IO-Link • 2015-03

Lens Dirty
like valves are now being Target Beyond Sensing Range
2 Vendor Defined Aux V+ Short Circuit Detection
offered as IO-Link port
Overload Detected
3 Common Device Com Class B. Be sure to Open Output Coil
M12 A coded know if the master
Female Port 4 IO-Link or I/O IO-Link or I/O
and/or slaves are
5 --- Aux Com Class A or Class B
type ports. Most Balluff
devices are IO-Link port
Class A.

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