Pepperl+Fuchs Blog

Companies place more than product on their conveyor systems. They also rely on this technology to improve productivity and lower material handling costs. If conveyor technology remains outdated, however, the burden on maintenance staff increases as does energy consumption. The G20 ZPA motor control module from Pepperl+Fuchs provides the reliability and cost savings that companies depend on.

What do you need to get started?

• You will need the AS-Interface Toolkit for Rockwell Automation PLCs—it's a Zip file you can download from our website.
• This toolkit is intended to help a PLC programmer by providing ALL the necessary tools for integrating AS-Interface into a Rockwell Automation PLC.

AS-Interface gateways control the AS-Interface system and make the process data available to all higher-level networks of the PLC in a defined configuration. Pepperl+Fuchs offers AS-Interface gateways for all standard buses such as EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, PROFIBUS, DeviceNet and CC-Link. When considering EtherNet/IP or MODBUS/TCP gateways for AS-Interface networks, keep these benefits in mind:

This episode of Ask an Expert for industrial sensors examines and provides answers to interesting sensing questions we've received from customers just like you. We explore and answer these questions:

1. What load does a proximity switch need to sense for bench testing?
2. Does the SJ5-N inductive slot sensor need an intrinsic safety barrier?
3. Should I use a fiber optic sensor for injection molded parts detection?
4. Are the components in an AS-Interface circuit board module epoxy encapsulated or sealed?
5. Do you have a handheld solution to identify nonworking RFID tags?

AS-Interface gateways are the core of the wiring system.  They serve as the link between the sensor/actuator level of AS-Interface and the upper-level bus systems where PLCs (programmable logic controllers), PCs or other field bus systems reside.

This episode of Ask an Expert for industrial sensors examines and provides answers to interesting sensing questions we've received from customers just like you. We explore and answer these questions:

1. Do you have non-incendive inductive proximity sensors?
2. Diffuse mode photoelectric sensors - what are the adjustment ranges?
3. Do you have a steel-sensing sensor that can withstand temperature extremes, shock, and vibration?
4. Can the inductive sensor NJ8-18GK-SN be ordered with terminal connections instead of leads?

As an industry leader, Hilmot is constantly working to improve its innovative technologies in material handling applications. Hilmot turned to Pepperl+Fuchs, a pioneer in industrial sensors and factory automation systems. Leveraging the advantages of AS-Interface, Pepperl+Fuchs developed a motor control module compatible with Hilmot's motorized drive roller (MDR) applications—the H-20 line of MDR systems.

Conventional wiring of hardware components inside a control cabinet can be a complex task: Establishing separate connections of single modules eats up time and precious cabinet space. An effective way to minimize the effort is to interconnect multiple modules using a cable with pre-configured wiring links.

This episode of Ask an Expert for industrial sensors examines and provides answers to interesting sensing questions we've received from customers just like you. We explore and answer these questions:

1. Where can I find the add-on instructions for an industrial RFID controller?
2. How do I set the time delay function on a background suppression photoelectric sensor?
3. Is there interface software to view an AS-Interface network via a laptop or PC?
4. Can I swap out a photoelectric sensor for an ultrasonic sensor in a dusty paper mill application?

AS-Interface networks consist of three main categories:

• Gateways or scanner cards (masters)
• Power supplies and repeaters (infrastructure)
• Modules and sensors (slaves)