The power supply is placed at a central nodal point in the system. There is more than just the current flowing. A power supply records a significant amount of real-time information that is of particular interest to the operating firm as well as the system manufacturer.
This data can help increase system availability and reduce maintenance and operating costs. This means the power supply has the potential – in parallel with its function as a converter – to also act as a sensor and therefore make a significant contribution to the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT).
The DIMENSION QT40.241-B2 sees PULS bringing to market the first 3-phase DIN rail power supply (24V / 40A) that makes this system data available to users via an I/O port.
The Manufacturing Leadership Council of consulting firm Frost & Sullivan looks for innovations that contribute to digitalisation in the production industry.
With that in mind, PULS submitted the QT40.241-B2 to the panel in the first quarter of 2018. The panel members conducted intensive tests to examine the added value that the power supply offers production companies and was impressed by the user-oriented strategy of PULS.
The result was the QT40.241-B2 being awarded the respected Manufacturing Leadership Award even before its official market launch.
The acyclical parameters include static and dynamic device information as well as input and output parameters that can be queried via the master at any time.
The output current is included in the cyclical process data and is communicated to the IO-Link master by the QT40.241-B2 every 2ms.
Events can be warnings or error messages, such as an input voltage that is too low or too high, an overload or excessively high temperatures.
The user can set the output voltage of the QT40.241-B2 via the configuration software and switch the device on and off remotely.
The component requirements for an IO-Link port in the power supply are relatively low when compared to more complex communication protocols. This offers several advantages: thanks to the low number of additional components, the MTBF value (Mean Time Between Failures) of the QT40.241-B2 remains constantly high. The MTBF stands at 678,000 hours and is indicative of the reliability and thus the fault tolerance of the device.
IO-Link was designed as a user-friendly plug-and-play solution. Installation and operation are easily and cost-effectively implemented. The port can be cabled using standard, unshielded IO cables. In addition, compatibility with all standard Fieldbus and automation systems is provided, ensuring flexible usage options.
IO-Link is very robust and also offers a high level of safety. Industrial power supplies are often exposed to the harsh environments of the lower automation level and also need to be protected against external manipulation. Data transmission via IO-Link has been field-tested for these applications. More information on IO-Link.
IO-Link was designed to retrieve the signals of the sensors and actuators (IO-Link devices) from the field level. Via an IO-Link master, these are fed into the respective Fieldbus system and transmitted to the automation system.
The combination of Fieldbus and IO-Link thus enables continuous communication across all levels. IO-Link is an open standard that is compatible with all common Fieldbus and automation systems. This allows flexible use.
The integration of the QT40.241-B2 into an existing IO-Link system requires only a connection to the IO-Link master. For this purpose, standardized, unshielded IO cables are used. The installation and operation are thus uncomplicated and can be implemented cost-effectively.