Modular PLC

In a modular PLC, the control module is mounted in the enclosure and the required input/output modules are attached directly beside it via a side connector, forming a single mechanically integrated unit. Expansion is done with Kuhnke FIO Line EtherCAT input/output modules; when an additional expansion module is used, control of remote EtherCAT devices is also possible.

The devices are programmed with CODESYS V3 and run on RT Linux. On the field side there are EtherCAT master, CANopen, Modbus and OPC UA interfaces; depending on the model, PROFINET and EtherCAT slave options are also available.

Thanks to their interfaces (Industrial Ethernet, RS-232, CAN) and the fieldbuses they support, they can be integrated into existing control concepts. They have no display; if an operator interface is needed, they are used together with a separate HMI panel.

The two main housing types in the list differ in processing power: the 116 family is based on the i.MX6 SoloX, while the 328 family has a quad-core ARM Cortex A72 processor and more memory. The fan and shielding terminal at the end of the group is an accessory, not a control device.