How to simplify industrial process automation using IO-Link
Industry 4.0 continues to gather pace as more manufacturers are looking to benefit from the ever-expanding array of automation tools and products available. At the heart of every system are network and communication protocols that connect sensors and devices to controllers; sites often combine industrial ethernet with fieldbus systems such as CANopen, AS-Interface, Profibus, CC-Link or DeviceNet, so where would a new I/O solution sit? Kieran Bennett, Field Segment Manager for hygienic - Food and Beverage at Burkert, looks at IO-Link and the advantages it offers for industrial process control.