Digital factories require a surprising amount of analog and power technology. Exemplifying that trend, Maxim Integrated Products offers its new programmable logic controller (PLC) reference design called Go-IO. Go-IO embeds 17 configurable I/Os in a space one-half the size of a credit card and enables productivity-enhancing self-diagnostic capabilities in automated factory subsystems. System designers are striving to bring greater intelligence into Industry 4.0 digital factory equipment while meeting the stringent size and power demands of PLCs.
Digital factories can dynamically adjust the manufacturing line on the fly based on new or changing requirements. To fully realize industrial convergence, automated equipment must also possess self-diagnostic and optimization capabilities. Go-IO pushes intelligence closer to the edge, enabling active monitoring and communication of equipment health and status information as well as higher throughput and productivity. The reference design also meets increasingly stringent size and power requirements of PLCs, providing a 10x smaller solution with 50% less power consumption compared to its predecessor, the Pocket IO.
The flexible, rugged, open-source Go-IO reference design is ideal for industrial automation, building automation and industrial robotics applications. It has 12 highly integrated ICs, 17 IOs supporting multiple digital IO configurations, a 4-channel IO-Link master to provide a universal IO interface to both analog and digital sensors, and a robust 25 Mbps isolated RS-485 communications channel that provides a reliable, multi-drop data network for uploading time-sensitive health and status information into a local data lake or the cloud.
Go-IO contains the following technologies:
- MAX14819 low-power, dual-channel, IO-Link master transceiver with sensor/actuator power-supply controllers.
- MAX22192 8-channel octal digital input with isolated Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), wire break detection and accurate input current limiters in a 6 mm x 10 mm package. The MAX22192 was announced today as part of Maxim’s expanded Digital IO portfolio. (Read today’s digital input press release)
- MAX14912 8-channel digital output driver featuring 640mA high-side switches or push-pull configurable outputs, capable of achieving 200 kHz switching rates while providing proprietary fast, safe demagnetization inductive kickback protection.
- MAXM22511 integrated 2.5 kVRMS isolated power and digital isolated RS-485 transceiver module supporting 25 Mbps data rates with ±35 kV ESD protection in a compact 9.5 mm x 11.5 mm package. (Read the October 31, 2018 press release)
- MAX14483/MAX14130 6-channel, 3.75 kVRMS galvanic low-power digital isolator in a compact 20-pin SSOP package/4-channel 1 kVRMS galvanic digital isolator in a small 16-pin QSOP.
- MAXM15462 Himalaya uSLIC voltage regulator ICs and power modules for cooler, smaller and simpler industrial power supplies.
The Go-IO is available as MAXREFDES212# at Maxim’s website for $495. The reference design consists of an application processor, baseboard and the Go-IO module.
Maxim Integrated | www.maximintegrated.com
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