Connectivity for custom I/O

Danaher's SQ10 interface board.

“SQIO provides increased design flexibility by allowing I/O points to be distributed around the network without sacrificing performance, even with high-speed capture inputs,” says Jeff Pike, Danaher’s senior product line manager. “It gives industrial OEMs increased machine reliability and safety by bringing customer-designed I/O products onto the SynqNet network. They’ll reduce time to market by speeding develop time with never before seen levels of motion and I/O visibility.”

The product line consists of an interface that allows machine builders to integrate SynqNet functionality into their own I/O hardware design, as well as modular, expandable, board-level SynqNet I/O, and a reference design kit that allows them to design their own SynqNet interface for their custom I/O hardware.

In addition to its value to customers requiring unique I/O timing or motion synchronization with their own custom I/O hardware, “it’s well-suited to those who want system-level software visibility of I/O, prefer custom packaging of I/O interfaces when compared to the more rigid style of slice I/O, and who desire standardized connectors for I/O interfaces such as ‘D’ Shell connectors,” adds Pike
SQIO takes advantage of the 100 Mbit specification of SynqNet to achieve its I/O performance. “Error reporting and diagnostic data for SQIO is supported through the motion programming interface (MPI), allowing error-recovery to be fully customized in the motion application,” explains Pike. “In addition, MotionConsole allows you to quickly scan, identify, and test all I/O associated with a XMP or ZMP-SynqNet type controller. You can graph motion parameters against any I/O bit with MotionScope, which is a powerful Microsoft Windows tool for motion analysis and real-time data graphing.”

For custom SQIO needs, SQIO Reference Design Kits are available for independent development of what Danaher calls “exact-fit” I/O solutions. “Users can customize their own I/O modules, and/or use a combination of existing SQIO I/O products to meet their I/O needs,” says Pike.

Touting SynqNet as the linchpin to this new I/O line, Pike says, “SynqNet is a high-performance motion network, and the SQIO family expands those benefits by bringing SynqNet connectivity to custom-designed I/O. Industrial OEMs that build their own custom I/O hardware now can build a better machine, faster, and with I/O points that can be distributed throughout the network for increased design flexibility and more robust machine operation compared to hardwired solutions.”

SynqNet uses the industry standard IEE 802.3 physical layer for electrical isolation and 100 m cable lengths with a deterministic protocol layer engineered by Danaher Motion.