AS-i Safety
How does the bus system AS-Interface work?
The AS-i system is distinguished by its special yellow profile cable. The cable connects all sensors, transducers and actuators on the network to a master system. The component parts of a system can include both non-safe and safe products. This means that both operational and safety related products can be mixed in a network. The bus system drives a Master-Slave (node) configuration where each I/O module corresponds to a common master.
After commissioning the system can always be expanded by adding branches or extensions to the cable. In a similar way, more products can be added, moved or replaced.
Why is the AS-i Safety so good from a safety perspective?
The simple connection to a cable also applies to safety components. The risk of incorrect wiring is thereby minimised. Each safety node, i.e. safety product, has its own address on the AS-i bus along with a unique safety code.
The additional requirement for an AS-i system to cope with safety products is that there must be extra safe monitoring. The control ("Master") does not need to be safe, but is complemented with a safety Monitor (however, safety PLC Pluto AS-i can act as both Master and/or Monitor).
The advantage of safety within AS-i is that it is easy to introduce changes without significant costs compared to traditional safety systems that require new cable running from the electrical cabinet for each new protection.
Sensors with integrated AS-i safety nodes
Some of our products can be ordered with integrated AS-i node. These are connected to the yellow cable with a M12 contact directly to the yellow AS-i cable
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