From electronics housings to the control cabinet module for AS-Interface
Dr.rer.nat. Konrad Kern (left) and Dipl.-Ing. Frank Ebert
Requirement
The journey from the development of a new device to its practical application by the end user is often a long one. That is why it is by no means usual for the detailed device requirements of the end user to be passed onto the component developers.
“With Phoenix Contact specializing in electronics housings and PCB connection technology, we were able to break down our requirements from systems manufacturing for the beverage industry into specific components,” recalls Dr. Konrad Kern, Product Manager for Factory Automation at Pepperl+Fuchs GmbH in Mannheim.
“AS-Interface (AS-i, Actuator Sensor Interface) plays an important role for leading manufacturers of bottling plants,” states Kern. Developed as a standard for fieldbus communication to connect actuators and sensors, nowadays AS-i not only offers an optimum price/performance ratio, it has also gained a lot of popularity as a distributed interface system thanks to its simplicity and flexibility.
Summary
User-oriented solutions are achieved through close cooperation between the project partners at an early stage. This is demonstrated by Phoenix Contact, as an expert in electronics housings and connection technology, and Pepperl+Fuchs, as a driving force for innovation with respect to AS-i.
It was possible to develop an innovative control cabinet module for bottling plants that met the requirements from systems manufacturing. The innovative connection technology on the housing is especially efficient, and the Push-in spring-cage connector enables convenient and tool-free wiring. For maintenance-friendly device replacement, the codable male connectors can be released swiftly via a locking system. A DIN rail connector is used for communication between the modules.
Multifunctional ME-IO electronics housings
The electronics housings from the ME-IO series are particularly suitable for applications with a limited amount of installation space and high function requirements. Tailor-made modules, such as controllers and I/O modules, can be easily assembled thanks to their modular design.