Banner Engineering: R95C Hybrid I/O Modbus Hub – Design More Efficient Systems with Analog and Discrete I/O in One Device
July 24, 2024
Able to connect both analog and discrete I/O to a single Modbus hub, controls engineers can now more efficiently design remote I/O systems with the R95C Hybrid I/O Modbus Hub.
It offers four analog ports and four discrete ports that reduce cost, wiring, and installation time in applications with a variety of I/O types in one area. Analog signals can be mirrored to other ports for retrofitting existing analog sensors or to add visual indication for efficiency. Up to four amps can be shared and passed through ports to power devices, such as lighting, without needing to inject extra power via splitter cables. Ports are conveniently located on the side, helping extend cable life.
KEY BENEFITS
Reduce System Cost and Installation Time
Using a combination of four analog ports and four discrete ports, the R95C reduces system cost and installation time by consolidating and sending both discrete and analog I/O via Modbus RTU to a control system. Controls engineers can use the four configurable analog inputs (voltage or current) and four analog outputs, plus eight configurable discrete inputs and outputs (PNP or NPN), for advanced application flexibility. Side ports on the hub reduce costs related to cables damaged by bending and kinking.
Have Greater Flexibility in Machine Design
The R95C can be easily mounted in tight spaces thanks to its compact, stackable form factor. Its design and small profile allow multiple hubs to be mounted on top of each other, letting machine designers place more hubs and locate more I/O in a smaller space close to sensors, lighting, and other devices. Because the housing is IP67- and IP68-rated, the R95C can be used on machines in challenging conditions rather than mounted elsewhere in a cabinet. Visual indication (via block LEDs) on the machine close to sensors, along with M12 QD cables that simplify wiring and installation, can shrink the size of the control cabinet.
Improve I/O Efficiency with Multipurpose Ports
Having both analog and discrete ports on the R95C offers many different I/O options. Port mirroring allows inputs from four analog devices to be mirrored to any of the four analog ports, ideal for retrofitting existing analog sensors for data collection without disrupting existing communication to a controller. The inputs for four analog devices can also be mirrored as PFM outputs to any of the four discrete ports. This ability can be used with Banner lighting products to visually communicate analog signals to operators, adding a visual factory element to applications that improves efficiency.
Four shared amps can pass through to any of the ports (pins 1 and 3) with a maximum of 200 milliamps per output (pin 2 or 4), powering lighting products which draw higher currents. This ability to share sufficient power for lighting or other higher-draw products without the need to inject extra power via splitter cables keeps the system design neat and clean.
