
Ethercat fieldbus block in metal housing for field use (8 slots)
Connecting with fieldbus blocks
Every production machine in an industrial plant has a variety of signals. These signals are transported within a machine (between sensors/actuators/ and the PLC) or across the plant (between different PLCs) via fieldbuses.
The advantage of these fieldbuses is not only in the communication over great distances, but also in the diagnostic function. In addition, signal transmission with a fieldbus requires fewer wires than signal transmission using a junction block.
There is a variety of different fieldbus blocks:
They differ in their housing material, which is selected depending on the conditions where they will be used. If they are used, for example, in a welding environment, then a block made of fiberglass reinforced plastic is the right choice. Stainless steel is recommended for use in hygienic environments.
They also differ in their connection type, which depends on the bus system being used. Common systems include Profinet, Ethernet/IP or EtherCAT. The fi eldbus block is connected to the controller using a fieldbus cable.