The industry is suffering an increase of production demands. That is why the evolution of companies is to obtain information in real time to make smarter decisions. What happens if the devices you use are able to tell you what they are doing, how well they are doing and alert you of problems in real time?

Smart devices are electronic elements, generally connected to other devices or networks, which, to a certain extent, can work in an interactive and autonomous way.

IO-Link is an open standard serial communication protocol, which allows bidirectional data exchange of sensors and devices that support IO-Link and are connected to a master. Those IO-Link devices will be smart devices.

The set of capabilities of the IO-Link devices can be translated into the following advantages: cost reduction in general, greater process efficiency and greater availability of the machine.

For all these reasons and knowing the evolution of the industry, it is important to be trained and know how to use this type of device. Where can we find IO-Link devices within the SMC International Training equipment?

In the SIF-400, the training system for Industry 4.0, you will find three stations that include different IO-Link elements (sensors and actuators): SIF-402, Container filling station - solid, SIF-403, Container filling station - liquid and SIF-407, Container labelling and dispatching station.

In addition, SMC International Training has developed two customized FMS-200 systems that include IO-Link Smart devices: the special FMS-200 system with Industry 4.0 technologies and the Customization of FMS-200 with extra safety elements.