AS-Interface (abbreviation for Actuator/Sensor-Interface) is an internationally accepted standard for fieldbus communication and is the world market leader on the sensor/actuator level, now with more than 16 million installed nodes.
The simple wiring system consists of four components: the AS-i master, an AS power supply, the yellow AS-i cable and the AS-i slaves. The sensors and actuators are directly connected to the AS-i cable by means of piercing technology. This is a two-core, unshielded cable via which both the power as well as the function and safety signals are transmitted. This eliminates the need for complex parallel wiring. The AS-i Master organizes the data traffic on the network and establishes the connection between the AS-i circuit and the higher-level control as a gateway. It is treated by the higher-level fieldbus as a slave. Thus, the integration of an AS-i network in an existing fieldbus or Ethernet system is no more complicated than the integration of a standard slave.
AS-Interface offers the following advantages to the user:
Safety technology with AS-i Safety at Work
Safety-related aspects play an important role in more and more automation solutions – above all where the safety of persons is affected by dangerous movements. Relevant guidelines can be found in the EU Machinery Directive (Directive 2006/42/EC) or in the industrial safety regulations of the respective countries.
With the Safety at Work-concept from AS-Interface, it is even possible to seamlessly integrate safety-related components – safe sensors and actuators as well as safety monitors - in nearly all common automation systems. The advantage of AS-i Safety at Work compared to conventional safety solutions is that both safe as well as non-safe signals can be transmitted on one and the same line. The previously required double infrastructure is, thus, as unnecessary as the costs that were associated with the complicated individual wiring.
The safe AS-i components can be used exactly like any standard slave at any position in the AS-i network and together with standard-AS-i-components without restriction. The safety components are likewise handled by the AS-i master as regular AS-i slaves. Between one another, however, the safe sensors, safe actuators and the safety monitor maintain a special communication connection.
AS-i Safety
at Work is approved for applications that satisfy safety requirements SIL3 in
accordance with
Engineering development services
On top of its large product range, Bihl+Widermann GmbH also offers its clients individual hardware and software solutions in the sector of automation technology – from the initial concept of product development to the full-scale production or, selectively, at each intermediary stage.