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Control Design-Engineer's Guide To As-Interface

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TECHNOLOGY REPORT

Engineers’
Guide to
AS-Interface
SPONSORED BY
www.controldesign.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is AS-Interface? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
ASi-5: automation reinvented . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The next generation of AS-Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Cyclic data and sensor integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 2


AS-Interface
A complete solution for
your automation needs
ASi-5 Drive Technology IO-Link using ASi-5 ASi Profile Cable ASi-5 Drive Technology ASi Safety

Yellow: for data and power ASi-5/ASi-3 Fieldbus Gateway


ASi Motor Module BWU4212 IO-Link distance sensor Black: for additional SEW Module
with OPC UA interface and BWU4068 E-STOP button module Safety Light Curtain
for Interroll EC5000 IO-Link stack light auxiliary power (AUX) ASi Safety Analog Input Module

Call us for more information

🌍🌍 www.bihl-wiedemann.com
Or visit us on our homepage
� 616-345-0680
www.controldesign.com

What is AS-Interface?
By Bihl+Wiedemann

ASi network 1 ASi network 2

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 4


www.controldesign.com

DATA AND POWER THROUGH SIMPLY A POWERFUL SYSTEM


ONE SINGLE CABLE ASi allows you to freely choose your topol-
The abbreviation ASi stands for Actuator- ogy. For example:
Sensor Interface. This interface connects
the modules in the lowest process level in Controller
> Star topology
automation systems with each other. The Master

usual cable trees are replaced by a single Slave

electrical cable—the ASi cable. This cable Slave Slave


carries both data and power. Slave Slave Slave
Slave Slave
THE FOUR ASI COMPONENTS
Slave Slave Slave Slave
Leading manufacturers around the world
support this simple wiring system. It con-
sists of four components: the master, the
Controller
slaves, a power supply and the yellow ASi > Tree topology
Master
cable. Each slave has a unique address
assigned to it which the master uses to
Slave Slave Slave Slave
exchange in- and output data. Piercing
Slave
technology means the modules can be Slave Slave

quickly and easily attached or moved on


the ASi cable. Slave

Slave Slave

QUICKLY IDENTIFY AND


FIX ERRORS
Diagnostic units or masters with built-in SAFETY— SO
diagnostic functions make troubleshooting PROBLEM-
easier. Failed slaves can be quickly identi- FREE
fied, replaced and automatically re-ad- AS-Interface lets
dressed by the master. you allow safety-
relevant (EN ISO
AN ALL-AROUND GOOD IDEA 13849) and noise-
In short: ASi is a system requiring little immune installa-
installation and maintenance effort, saving tions.
time and money. Additionally it is one of the
simplest field busses, making its use pos-
sible without special knowledge.

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 5


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INSTALLATION—SO SIMPLE COSTS — SO LOW


AS-Interface pioneered a clever installation AS-Interface drastically reduces wiring and
technology with its unique flat cable. Simply installation costs and makes expansion or
insert cable, tighten down and you’re done. retrofitting very simple.

AS-INTERFACE:
MARKET AND FACTS
• There are more than 40 million active ASi
devices worldwide
COMPATIBILITY—SO OPEN • 7 million of these are safety devices
Operate with virtually any bus system: • Over 2.000 certified products
PROFIBUS, PROFINET, CC-Link, EtherNet/ • Safety relevant units with around 70%
IP and others. growth rate

COMPONENTS OF THE
ASI NETWORK
AS-Interface
Master
The AS-Interface
Master connects
sensors and actua-
tors through the ASi
slaves to the higher-
level controller.

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 6


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AS-Interface Slave VERSATILITY


The AS-Interface Slave
reports to the master, FACTORY AUTOMATION
has its own address
and up to four in- or
outputs.

The Cable
The cable
sends data
and power
over two
conductors. BUILDING AUTOMATION

The Power Supply


The power supply
supplies the ASi network with
30 Volts.

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 7


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valves—controlled by eight ASi Masters


VEHICLE AUTOMATION from Bihl+Wiedemann. The ASi network
also links together instruments and sensors
that record the process data from each fer-
mentation tank, such as the pressure, level
and temperature.

OVERVIEW OF ASI BENEFITS


• Simple, low-cost commissioning
• Just one cable for data and power
• Noise-immune—ideal for safety-relevant
equipment
• Cost-saving
PROCESS AUTOMATION
• System- and manufacturer-neutral
• Simple to configure and expand
• Free topology—each slave can be located
at any desired point

AS-INTERFACE—SIMPLE,
EFFICIENT, INNOVATIVE
AS-Interface is a system and manufacturer-
neutral technology. As a worldwide stan-
dardized bus system it connects sensors
USE CASE OF ASI USING PROD- and actuators to a host controller over a
UCTS FROM BIHL+WIEDEMANN common data transmission path.
The brewery, which recently opened in
April 2019, was designed and built by the AS-Interface is a standard for fieldbus
brewery experts GEA Process Engineering communication which replaces parallel
A/S. All the brewery’s processes including wiring and is based on the master-slave
ASi Masters and motors are controlled via principle. The master exchanges data cycli-
PROFINET by two Siemens PLCs. All the cally with the (up to) 62 connected slaves.
tanks, kettles and plant components can be Typically each slave can have four inputs
mutually connected by means of a system for reading sensors, and four outputs for
of 744 pneumatically activated process controlling actuators.

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 8


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AS-Interface enables simple installation, AS-Interface is one of the most successful


configuration and maintenance. The simpli- bus systems in the world. The success of
fied cabling minimizes wiring mistakes while AS-Interface is based on the system-specif-
at the same time offering free selection of ic properties and the high level of coopera-
network topology, along with added flexibili- tion among the companies involved with its
ty and ruggedness. The significantly reduced development.
installation effort and expense make AS-
Interface a very cost-effective technology. PIERCING TECHNOLOGY
The transmission medium is an unshielded,
The Safety at Work concept also allows non-twisted pair, two-conductor flat cable
the safety components—safe sensors and which carries power and communications
actuators—to be directly controlled in the to the slaves, with a low current require-
safety monitor and seamlessly integrated ment. For consumers with a higher power
into virtually any common automation sys- requirement, such as motors or valve
tem. Since the safe and non-safe signals are terminals, a separate flat cable is used for
sent on the same cable, significant savings carrying supply voltage.
compared with conventional safety technol-
ogy using parallel wiring can be realized in The sensors and actuators are generally con-
terms of cost and installation time, as well nected using piercing technology. Here the
as increased safety, thanks to the transpar- insulation of the reverse polarity protected
ency of the installation. flat cable is pierced using two insulation
piercing contacts—with no prior preparation
With more than 40 million installed nodes necessary. This means slaves can be easily
and over 20 years of market experience, moved or added in the segment at any time.

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 9


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Bus
Termination

Repeater Repeater

Slave Slave Slave Slave Slave


Repeater Bus Repeater
Termination

Bus Bus
Termination Termination

200 m 200 m 200 m 200 m 200 m

1000 m

ADJUSTABLE CIRCUIT EXTENSION advantages. Learn about AS-Interface and


ASi permits any bus topology. The total cable discover how you too can benefit from the
length is limited, but can be increased using AS-Interface technology.
repeaters, bus terminators or extenders.
Advantages of AS-Interface:
When errors occur, diagnostic devices
or masters with built-in diagnostics func- Just one cable for data and power
tions help to locate them in the network. If Parallel wiring, the geometry of the flat
a slave fails it can be easily replaced. The cable also prevents polarity reversal.
slaves can then be automatically re-ad-
dressed by the master. Simple cable piercing technology
Secure and errorless installation of the
AS-INTERFACE. EFFICIENT BUS components is possible without any train-
COMMUNICATION ing. The installation cost and effort are
AS-Interface has established itself as a markedly reduced. ASi modules are also
standard for bus communication. This easy to add and move.
modern alternative to parallel wiring was
developed for connecting actuators and Freeform technology
sensors. It has proven itself not only in The network topology is completely cus-
a wide range of industries, sectors and tomizable. Tree, star, ring or line structures
applications, but also with its numerous are all possible configurations.

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 10


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High productivity, efficiency and allow for simple integration of new slaves
safety—advantages of AS-Interface and compared with parallel wiring, AS-
The ASi technology is compatible with Interface saves you an enormous amount of
virtually any common fieldbus system. It time in planning, installation, expansion and
features not only fast and flexible installa- service. Certified products ensure manufac-
tion that allows new nodes to be connected turer-neutral compatibility.
without cumbersome cable assembly, but is
also simple to expand. The user friendliness FUNCTIONAL SAFETY
of AS-Interface ensures that the system can Safety aspects are playing an increasingly
be operated and maintained without addi- important role in automation solutions
tional training or specialized service person- – especially where the safety of person-
nel and because it is compatible with any nel is impacted by hazardous movements.
topology, you can implement cable struc- Development in Safety at Work are there-
tures that correspond to the mechanical fore always state-of-the-art. This pertains
layout of your system. Standardized profiles to the various safety monitors and their

Small Systems with Fieldbus Interface

2 wires
2 wires AS-i 1 AS-i 2

AS-i

Safe Coupling

SWITCH

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 11


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software for controlling the safety technol- AS-INTERFACE SYSTEM DATA


ogy, as well as the connected safety slaves, • Master-Slave principle
regardless of whether these are e-stop but- • No limitations for the structure
tons, photoelectric barriers or safe speed • Data and power on one,
monitors. Customers are always benefitting two-conductor cable
from the newest innovations and highest • Medium: unshielded ASi cable
level of safety. 2 x 1.5 mm2, transports signals,
data and power (up to 8A)
Speed monitors monitor stopped condi- • Typically, four inputs and four outputs per
tion, speed, speed range and direction, as module, other combinations possible
well as shaft break, belt drift and slip. AS- • Products with various enclosure ratings for
Interface products are also used to safely any application, from control cabinet instal-
monitor the brake ramp, end position and lation to use in harsh industrial surroundings
position ranges. • Cable length can be extended using re-
peaters, bus terminators or extenders
SAFE LINK • Simple commissioning
Technologies such as Safe Link, for safe • Electronic address setting over the bus
coupling between safety monitors, are used • Fully downward compatible
to simply and flexibly connect multiple
ASi networks and even safe controllers. In FIELDS OF APPLICATION
contrast to conventional links which require More and more companies from a wide
complex wiring, are error-prone and hard to range of sectors are profiting from auto-
manage, these technologies enable safe and mating their plants using AS-Interface. This
simple linking over Ethernet. open bus system is widely used in industrial
automation, material handling and in ma-
Controlling the safety technology directly chine engineering.
in the gateway relieves the burden from the
fieldbus and enables free choice of sensors Simple to install, configure, operate
and actuators. and expand

The benefits to you: Efficient — it’s rugged, noise immune,


• Cost savings from simple wiring diagnostics-friendly and cost-effective
• Elimination of an additional safe controller
• Relieves the fieldbus Innovative — just one cable is used for
• Significantly less likelihood of mistakes data and power, can be configured to any
compared with conventional parallel wiring topology, highly compatible

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 12


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MANY PRODUCTS FOR MANY USES


The product scope of AS-Interface includes masters/gateways and non-safe modules and
slaves as well as numerous safety components, bus couplers, software, accessories and
high-performance services. Clicking on the respective product type in the product descrip-
tions takes you to examples of products offered by Bihl+Wiedemann.

Masters/Gateways Bus Couplers / Master Simulators

Modules/Slaves Software

Safety Components Accessories

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 13


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ASi-5: automation reinvented


By Bihl+Wiedemann

A SIMPLE ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE


ASi-5 is the latest innovation stage of AS-Interface (ASi), a globally standardized fieldbus
system for the first automation level. ASi connects sensors and actuators with a controller
via a single two-conductor profile cable. The yellow ASi cable transmits power and data at
the same time.

The proven main benefits of ASi are, among others, dramatically less wiring, free choice of
topology and cost-efficient integration of safety on the same infrastructure. In addition, com-
pared to other fieldbus systems, ASi needs no connectors for data and power integration.

ASI-5: GREAT DATA BANDWIDTH, SHORT CYCLE TIMES


ASi-5 now enables you to transmit larger data volumes significantly faster. Great data band-
width and short cycle times – comparable to Ethernet systems – allow for many new possibili-
ties with AS-Interface. For example, ASi-5 now transmits analogue values much faster and it is
easier than ever to integrate smart sensors, e.g. IO-Link sensors with up to 32 bytes.

PROVIDES VALUABLE INFORMATION


More than anything, Industry 4.0 and increasing digitalization require a good data layer. As
they supply additional data, smart sensors are becoming more and more important. This
makes ASi-5 a key building block for your journey to the digital future, because there was

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 14


www.controldesign.com

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one prevailing reason for evolving AS-Inter- COMPATIBLE WITH ALL


face: being able to transport more and more ASI GENERATIONS
data, without restrictions, to where they can ASi-5 is compatible with all ASi devices and
yield valuable information. Using the inte- components therefore you can easily use
grated OPC UA servers of our ASi-5/ASi-3 ASi-5 slaves together with ASi slaves of any
Gateways, you can even do this directly and previous generation – in existing as well as
in parallel with the fieldbus. in new ASi networks because all ASi genera-
tions work in parallel on the same cable.
AN AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE
Another benefit of the significantly higher To use ASi-5 slaves all you need is a
performance: Our new ASi-5 modules en- Bihl+Wiedemann ASi-5 / ASi-3 Gateway.
able the cost and time-efficient collection of If you already use ASi there is no need to
numerous inputs and outputs in one place, replace existing ASi slaves. Simply connect
making the modules an affordable alterna- additional ASi-5 slaves, for example in
tive to other fieldbus solutions. system sections with additional demands on
speed, data volume or I/O density.

Currently, the Gateways are already avail-


able in different versions, e.g. for EtherNet/
IP, PROFINET or EtherCAT. We offer them
either as Single Master or as Double Master
version with or without integrated Safety
Monitor. For the ASi-5 launch, this gateway

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 15


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is available in two versions: ASI-5: YOUR ADVANTAGES AT A GLANCE


for PROFINET and EtherNet/IP. • B
 enefit from all well-proven ASi strengths ...
Both gateways have a double • Transmit data and power in a single two-core flat cable
master and an integrated safety • Freely choose your topology without costly switches
monitor. An OPC UA server is (tree, ring, star, line)
integrated into each version • Cost-efficiently integrate safety on the same
indicated above as well as in infrastructure
other ASi-5 gateway protocols, • Easily install and expand your system using ASi
making it possible to easily piercing technology
transmit data directly from the •C
 ertified products for manufacturer-independent
field level to Industry 4.0 ap- compatibility
plications. •A
 ffordable noise-resistant system that does not
require shielding
Without ASi-5 slaves, the new
ASi-5 / ASi-3 gateways retain …and from the new powerful ASi-5
all the same operations as ear- • 1.27ms cycle time for up to 384 input and
lier Bihl+Wiedemann gateways 384 output bits
because the ASi-3 part remains • 16-bit I/O data and profiles with up to 32 bytes
unchanged. of process data for each slave
•E
 asy integration of smart sensors and actuators
By the way, compatibility has such as IO-Link
been an AS-Interface trade- •A
 Si-5 is compatible with all earlier ASi generations
mark for over 20 years. This for combined use of different ASi slaves
protects not just your invest- • ASi safety and ASi-5 easily work together
ments but each new ASi gen- •H
 ighly economical because of reduced costs per
eration also makes you more input / output
future-proof. •A
 dvanced diagnostics for predictive maintenance

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 16


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The next generation


of AS-Interface

S
ince the 1990s, AS-Interface (ASi) has become an integral part of modern industry,
with more than 40 million installed notes worldwide. Customers can benefit from
the economically reasonable fieldbus/wiring system for the first automation level,
used to easily, reliably and economically connect sensors and actuators and attach them to
the higher control level.

The yellow ASi cable transmits power and data at the same time. The easy wiring process is
doable even without training. Now a new generation of the ASi standard has been present-
ed for the new requirements in times of Industry 4.0. ASi-5 easily enables faster transmis-
sion of larger data volumes and effortless integration of intelligent IO-Link sensors.

Fabricio Granados Fabricio Granados, direc-


Director of
tor of international sales at
International Sales,
Bihl+Wiedemann Bihl+Wiedemann, shares his
candid thoughts about the
advantages of ASi-5 and how
easy it is to use ASi-5 slaves
together with ASi slaves of
any previous generation.

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 17


www.controldesign.com

Q: Why is it time for the next gen- power and data, the ability to connect
eration of AS-Interface? slaves to any desired location of the yellow
A: The main reason for evolving ASi was the profile cable and the high flexibility due to
changed situation for our customers. With the use of application-specific slaves.
the rise of a connected digital industry, more
data needs to be transmitted. ASi-5 now al- ASi-5 offers both a high bandwidth—pro-
lows us to transfer larger quantities of data cess data size from 16 bits to 32 bytes per
at higher speed, while making integration of slave—and short cycle times—up to 384
intelligent IO-Link sensors easier than ever. digital inputs and 384 digital outputs in just
1.27 ms—making it possible to transport
Intelligent sensors and actuators are re- more and more data, without restrictions, to
sponsible for an increasing number of con- where they can yield valuable information.
trol functions in distributed systems. ASi-5
was developed by seven renowned automa- Q: In what way does the higher
tion companies, including Bihl+Wiedemann. data bandwidth influence the
usability of ASi-5? Is it more
The complete project took more than complex now for the users?
200,000 developer hours. Bernhard Wi- A: The main advantages of AS-Interface are
edemann, CEO of Bihl+Wiedemann, was incorporated in the new generation. Long sto-
the technical leader of this cross-company ry short, our products are still as easy to use
development group. as before. Each network is controlled by one
ASi-5 master that transmits data via fieldbus-
Q: Is ASi-5 a completely new es such as EtherNet/IP or Profinet to a central
technology? control system or via OPC UA to the cloud.
A: No, ASi-5 is the evolution of the well-
proven AS-Interface standard. ASi-5 offers The connection technology, such as con-
all the advantages that have already made nectors and wires, stays the same. Addition-
ASi so special in the past. ally, to the same usability, the user benefits
from increased diagnostics; for example, a
The greatest challenge during the develop- channel diagnostics is possible now.
ment of ASi-5 was to keep all the known
advantages of ASi. AS-i 5 had to be at least This is a new generation of AS-Interface,
as good as ASi-3 in every aspect. which means that the technology still needs
to prove its usefulness. When are the first
Customers still benefit from the simple ASi-5 products available?
wiring scheme with just one cable for both

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 18


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IO-LINK
ASi-5 now allows us to transfer larger quantities of data at higher speed, while making integration of
intelligent IO-Link sensors easier than ever.

Bihl+Wiedemann is already offering the the AS-Interface, which was worth all the in-
first ASi-5 gateways and modules. Our vested effort. Many of the new features will
goal is to develop quickly a wide product be playing an increasingly important role
range to meet all of our customers’ needs. as digitalization continues. This is an itera-
The all-rounders in our portfolio are three tive process, which I am very much looking
new gateways that run on ASi-5 and ASi-3 forward to see what will come out of it.
and thus are able to communicate on both
networks. If you want to read more on the Q: Can customers use their existing
technical specifics you can find the informa- AS-Interface devices together with
tion on our website. ASi-5 products?
A: The greatest advantage of ASi‑5 is that
As with all new technologies, it will take it’s completely compatible with all earlier ASi
some time to develop all products that are devices and components. ASi-5 slaves can be
available on ASi-3. ASi-5 enables a more ef- combined with ASi slaves of any generation
ficient incorporation of intelligent sensors in in existing as well as in new ASi networks.

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 19


www.controldesign.com

All ASi generations work parallel on the Q: In what applications is it worth-


same cable—intelligent slaves, standard while to switch to ASi-5 right now?
slaves and safety slaves on one network. A: From our perspective that would be,
In an existing ASi network, you can simply above all, applications characterized by
connect additional new ASi-5 slaves and high transmission speeds or elevated data
easily continue to use existing ASi slaves. quantities—for example, at locations where
To use ASi-5 slaves all you need is a new much I/O data needs to be collected in a
Bihl+Wiedemann ASi-5 / ASi-3 gateway. tight space. ASi-5 also makes incorporating
intelligent sensors, such as IO-Link sen-
Here’s another advantage: As before, AS- sors, much easier. And the new, high-per-
Interface in its ASi-5 expression remains a formance standard modules with up to 16
standard that guarantees compatibility be- inputs can replace one or another expensive
tween components of any manufacturer, not fieldbus solution in the field.
just the development partner. Any product
with the ASi logo can work together with all For more information about Bihl+Wiedemann and its AS

the others in a common network and com- interface (ASi) devices for automation

municate seamlessly. Thus, for each problem and safety equipment, visit

there continues to be an ASi solution. www.bihl-wiedemann.de/us/asi-5.html.

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 20


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Cyclic data and sensor


integration
ASi-5 Slave/IO-Link Master with four ports integrates sensors
and actuators where needed

“T
he bus system AS-Interface (ASi) and IO-Link with its point-to-point wiring
are ideal partners on the field level,” says Jan Melter, head of marketing at
Bihl+Wiedemann. “ASi is a simple, robust and cost-efficient way to connect
sensors and actuators in the field with just a single profile cable. With the ASi-5 Slave/IO-
Link Master with four ports, intelligent IO-Link sensors and actuators can now also be inte-
grated into ASi networks, right where they are required.”

The yellow ASi cable transmits power and data at the same time. Important benefits of ASi
are drastically reduced wiring effort, free choice of topology and cost-efficient integration
of safety on the same infrastructure, as well as other things. In addition, ASi doesn’t need
any plugs for the connection of data and power.

ASi-5 is the latest generation of the globally standardized fieldbus system for the first level
of automation. “It replaces centralized solutions with complex parallel wiring, as well as field
devices with expensive Ethernet-based fieldbus interfaces,” explains Melter.

As former generations, ASi-5 was again jointly developed by multiple manufacturers. The
result is an extension to the sophisticated ASi technique with high data bandwidth and the
short cycle times. This opens up new options, such as transmitting analog values faster and
making it easier to integrate IO-Link sensors with up to 32 bytes.

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 21


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E-STOP

ASi-5 ASi-5 Slave /


Digital Module IO-Link Master
Passive
Distributor

ASi IP20 Light button

AS-5/ASi-3 Gateway
ASi IP67 ASi-5
Counter Module
ASi network 1 ASi network 2
Passive
Distributor

“IO-Link is a perfect way to give sensors gives the ASi-5 Slave/IO-Link Master power
and actuators some kind of intelligence, as to transmit the rising amount of cyclic data,
it provides the interface for giving addition- as well as acyclic diagnostic data,” explains
al diagnostic data,” says Melter. “In order Melter. “We are talking about up to 16-bit
to connect the sensors and actuators in a cyclic data per port in 1.27ms.”
simple, robust and cost-efficient way, ASi is
the perfect match.” ASi-5 also is backward- The ASi-5 Slave/IO-Link Master is available
compatible, so slaves of multiple genera- rated IP67 with M12 connectors and IP20
tions can be combined in existing or new with terminals. Both offer two Class A and
ASi networks by using the Bihl+Wiedemann two Class B IO-Link ports in one housing,
ASi-5/ASi-3 Gateways. including power supply of IO-Link ports out
of the auxiliary, as well as passive-safety
The ASi-5 Slave/IO-Link Master with four with a performance level up to PLe.
ports allows intelligent IO-Link sensors
to be integrated in the ASi network, right Configuration of IO-Link sensors and ac-
where they’re needed. The ASi-5 slave can tuators is easy and convenient using the
cyclically transmit up to 32 bytes of I/O ASi Control Tools360/ASIMON360. With
data. In default mode, the Bihl+Wiedemann the live view the parameters can be set
ASi-5 Slave/IO-Link Master transmits 8 and changes observed directly over the
bytes—2 bytes/port—in 1.27 ms. network. Even in case of a sensor fault the
system is easy to use, as a new sensor will
“The all-new ASi-5 as the latest generation be parametrized automatically exactly like
of the globally standardized cabling system the replaced one.

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 22


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“With the extended diagnostic informa- In 1995, the first ASi Master certified by the
tion coming with most IO-Link modules, the AS-International Association was introduced
industry has the base of data available for by Bihl+Wiedeman. ASi-5 products were
what one could call Industry 4.0 or digitaliza- introduced by Bihl+Wiedemann in 2018.
tion,” says Melter. “Most of the Industry 4.0
applications rely on these data, for example, FOR MORE INFORMATION
big-data analysis and predictive mainte- Call 616/345-0680, email [email protected] or

nance. With the integrated OPC UA server, browse to www.bihl-wiedemann.com.

the Bihl+Wiedemann ASi-5/ASi-3 Gateway


also comes with the perfect interface to eas-
ily have access to all the collected data.”

Engineers’ Guide to AS-Interface 23

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