IO-Link has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its ability to provide real-time data and diagnostics, its ease of use, and its compatibility with existing systems. It also streamlines and reduces cabling, improves data availability, and offers remote configuration and monitoring. Market research firm Infogence Global Research estimates that IO-Link will grow at a rate exceeding 20% annually, surpassing $34 billion by 2028. As a leader in industrial automation solutions, Renesas is committed to providing its customers with innovative IO-Link solutions.
Four-channel IO-Link master IC CCE4511
The new Renesas CCE4511 is the industry's first four-channel master IC for the IO-Link protocol, with a current of 500 mA per channel, offering numerous advantages over two-channel master devices. It saves energy, reduces the size of the printed circuit board, and requires fewer external components than competing products.
The CCE4511 provides a high-voltage interface along with overvoltage detection and overcurrent protection. To improve application performance, an integrated IO-Link frame manager is provided, which automates most lower-layer communication tasks. This significantly reduces the load on the microcontroller (MCU), freeing up more resources for other tasks and/or allowing designers to use a less expensive MCU. The CCE4511 has an operating ambient temperature of up to 125°C for harsh industrial environments. It also supports ready pulse detection from IO-Link devices, necessary to comply with the recently defined IO-Link Security System Extension.
IO-Link Ready Dual Channel Resistive Sensor Signal Conditioner IC ZSSC3286
The ZSSC3286 is a two-way sensor signal conditioning integrated circuit (SSC) for high-precision amplification, digitization, and targeted correction of sensor signals. It supports IO-Link connectivity with an integrated IO-Link stack that runs the IO-Link Smart Sensor Profile for digital measuring and switching sensors. The device is suitable for bridge and half-bridge sensors, as well as external voltage source elements. Digital compensation for sensor offset, sensitivity, temperature drift, and nonlinearity is performed by a 32-bit Arm-based math core that runs a correction algorithm with calibration coefficients stored in non-volatile, reprogrammable memory. The integrated, programmable sensor front end allows for optimal application of various sensors across a wide range of applications.
The ZSSC3286 is the first sensor signal conditioner with an integrated IO-Link-compatible stack. Traditionally, a separate microcontroller has been used to run the stack. The ZSSC3286 eliminates the MCU, saving board space and reducing costs. It also offers two parallel ADCs with up to 24-bit resolution, a measurement programmer to optimize performance, and advanced system diagnostic functions.
