Pepperl+Fuchs Blog

Industrial monitors and operator workstations are installed in process plants and hazardous areas to safely monitor processes. To support and simplify input, a selection of keyboards is available. The EXTA2 industrial keyboards from Pepperl+Fuchs are specially designed for use in hazardous areas. They are ATEX and IECEx certified for Zone 1/21 and have UL Class I/II, Division 2 approval for use in the USA and Canada.

In early 2011, Pepperl+Fuchs released its first Data Matrix positioning system, the PCV absolute positioning read head. This 2-D camera system uses multi-redundant Data Matrix code tape to provide position data with submillimeter resolution. Along with position, it provides information on the Y-offset (movement up or down) and speed. Since its debut, the PCV has become a sought-after solution for accurate and reliable positioning in a variety of applications.

Industry 4.0 applications require sensors that do more than just deliver process data to the PLC. Sensors must also be able to communicate with PLCs and higher-level SCADA or cloud systems. Pepperl+Fuchs IO-Link masters make this possible.

The safety integrity level, or SIL for short, is an indicator that makes risk reduction quantifiable. Plant and machinery can pose risks that are so dangerous that people and the environment should not be exposed to them under any circumstances. If such a hazard exists, the associated risks must be mitigated to meet the need for safety.

SIL is a core element of functional safety and simultaneously the object of many misconceptions. Pepperl+Fuchs clarifies three of the most common misunderstandings.

Digitalization can be daunting. But with the right technologies, you can take the following steps to prepare your factory for Industry 4.0:

Double sheet sensors are used to monitor layers of materials as they are fed into machines. While the default settings for Pepperl+Fuchs’ double sheet sensors are suitable for over 90% of all usable materials, it is important to consider the following factors before choosing which settings to use: environmental conditions, material characteristics, and alignment accuracy. Each of these can affect measurement accuracy in double sheet detection and must be accounted for.

What does it mean to have an OPC UA server combined with an IO-Link master with MultiLink™? And, more importantly, what can you DO with it?

Pepperl+Fuchs mobile equipment connectivity products must withstand the world’s toughest environments. In many applications, extreme temperatures, heavy contamination, aggressive substances, and mechanical stress play a major role. Connectors have to be sufficiently rugged and resistant and are tested above and beyond these requirements. But how can Pepperl+Fuchs maintain the promised quality of its products? In this blog post, we explain which tests our mobile equipment connectivity products go through to meet our high quality standards.

Networking different systems from diverse manufacturers—all of which feature different interfaces, profiles, and communication mechanisms—is the challenge of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). This is where OPC UA comes in. It creates a uniform basis for continuous information exchange from the field to the cloud.

Safe Switch-On with Line Fault Transparency

Highly automated systems in sensitive areas of the process industry must ensure that pumps, valves, and active cooling systems are switched on safely at all times. All signal circuits must be monitored for possible line faults on the field side to ensure that all installed safety functions operate correctly if there is a fault. In this blog post, we explain the advantages plant operators have with using line fault transparency (LFT) modules from Pepperl+Fuchs ...