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Keep Pace With I/O Demands

March 8, 2011

Meet Advantech's Adam-6100 Series. A New Line of Industrial Ethernet Remote I/O Modules

A reliable blend of digital and analog I/O devices is necessary to meet the wide-ranging performance and data acquisition requirements of machine builders, system integrators and their customers across many industries.

However, technology requirements in the field continually change, and those customers invariably require product performance enhancements that change with it.

Advantech's Adam-6100 series is a new line of industrial Ethernet remote I/O modules that continues the long tradition of the Adam I/O module series. Advantech reports that it recently sold the 1 millionth Adam module in the series.

"As new technologies have become available, we have continued to upgrade the Adam series with new features and greater capabilities,” says Mark Lochhaas, product manager at Advantech. "We continually upgrade the series to keep pace.”

For more informationCall 800/205-7940, email [email protected], or browse to www.advantech.com/eautomation.Lochhaas adds, "Two of the most significant customer requests have been for us to offer the most prevalent protocol in North America, EtherNet/IP, on an ODVA-certified module and allow it to be connected in a daisy-chain style over Ethernet. We listened to what they said, and so we're introducing the Adam-6100 series of I/O modules to satisfy those requests."

Adam-6100PN supports the Profinet fieldbus protocol. "When equipped with the EtherNet/IP protocol, Adam-6100EI allows daisy-chain connections, making it possible to transfer data much faster during process control and other industrial automation applications," Lochhaas says.

Each Adam-6100 module has two built-in Ethernet switches to allow daisy-chain connections in an Ethernet network, making it easier to deploy, helping improve scalability. Using fewer wires helps avoid interference that can be common in factory settings, Lochhaas adds. An isolated design helps prevent the I/O module series from breaking down, and helps it to resist harmful field interference.

The new I/O module series is available in multiple configurations, including Adam-6117EI/PN eight-channel isolated analog-input module, Adam-6118EI/PN eight-channel thermocouple-input module, Adam-6124EI/PN eight-channel analog-output module, Adam-6150EI/PN 16-channel digital-input/output module, Adam-6151EI/PN 16-channel digital-input module, Adam-6156EI/PN 16-channel digital-output module, and Adam-6160EI/PN eight-channel relay module. Each of the modules can be supplied with either EtherNet/IP or the Profinet protocol.

"Adam.Net Utility comes bundled with each Adam-6100 module so users can configure, set and test Adam-6100 modules through the unit's Ethernet connections," Lochhaas adds. "The modules provide triple isolation, including the power supply, input/output and Ethernet communication. This ensures I/O data can be controlled correctly and prevents devices from breaking down."

Lochhaas says that, like all Adam I/O modules, the 6100 series is compatible with a wide range of PLCs, PACs and controllers—those made by Advantech as well as all of the most commonly used PLC/PAC combinations available. "By supporting industrial Ethernet and Profinet, Adam is able to cover more than 80% of the market for I/O," Lochhaas adds.

Advantech says it provides a variety of mounting methods for the Adam series to fit various demands in the field. The Adam-6100 series supports DIN-rail mounting, wall mounting and piggybacking. As with all the Adam series modules, the 6100 has a wide -40 to 85 °C temperature range.