Mr. Ganter, as Head of Product Management Remote I/O and Communication at Festo, you deal with the important topic of remote I/O. Can you briefly summarize what this means for automation?
Sebastian Ganter: Remote I/O is used in automation technology to record and control input and output signals from sensors and actuators that are located far away from the central control unit. They communicate with the PLC via a network, which reduces the wiring effort and considerably simplifies installation and maintenance. Remote I/O has become an integral part of modern automation systems.
What does the future of remote I/O look like, what is currently being discussed on the market and in companies?
Sebastian Ganter: Automation technology and the industry as a whole are developing in the direction of smart and networked solutions, so the future of remote I/O is very promising. We see four main topics that are currently being discussed on the market and in companies:
- Increased data availability: The demand for greater data availability and analysis is growing. Remote I/O systems enable the collection of more data points, which can then be used for predictive maintenance, fault analysis and optimization.
- Security: Networking also increases security requirements. Companies are intensively discussing security standards that need to be implemented for remote I/O systems in order to prevent cyber attacks. Therefore, advanced security protocols are becoming increasingly important to ensure data integrity and network security.
- Modularity and flexibility: Modular remote I/O systems that can be easily adapted or expanded are in greater demand. This enables companies to react quickly to changing requirements and save costs.
- Cloud connection: The connection of remote I/O systems with cloud services for centralized data analysis and management is becoming increasingly popular, as it enables better remote monitoring and control. In addition, remote I/O systems will benefit from the advantages of 5G wireless communication, such as greater flexibility in installation and maintenance as well as improved connectivity over long distances. And they will play a key role in the collection and transmission of data to edge devices.
Does this mean that artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) are also becoming important in modern machine architectures?
Sebastian Ganter: Definitely! IoT has long since arrived in the manufacturing and automation industry. The new compact and intelligent I/O modules enable connection to the cloud, making remote monitoring and diagnostics possible. Sensors and actuators are becoming increasingly intelligent and data exchange is becoming simpler thanks to interoperability and open standards such as OPC-UA and MQTT. Machine learning through AI also opens up new possibilities by enabling more accurate predictions and predictive maintenance of remote I/O systems. As already mentioned, this also makes cyber security and data protection increasingly important. Overall, the future development of remote I/O will be strongly influenced by innovations in digital technology and the requirements of the industry. Ultimately, this provides the customer with more flexibility, efficiency and security – and therefore also reduced costs.
What are the specific advantages of these new technologies?
Sebastian Ganter: The engineering team can massively reduce costs and effort, and become much more flexible. A remote I/O system makes a concrete contribution to minimizing downtimes and increasing efficiency in production. Possible faults and defects can be found quickly and directly thanks to a comprehensive diagnostic option. Finally, the integration of IoT (Internet of Things) will be further expanded to enable even more accurate and comprehensive data collection and analysis, leading to optimized decision-making in real time.
Modern machine architecture is becoming increasingly flexible – what exactly does that mean?
Sebastian Ganter: The simple scalability of modern machine architectures is important today in order to be able to react to market requirements. These are quasi-modular plug-and-play systems on the basis of Ethernet-based protocols such as EtherNet/IP (Modbus TCP), (EtherNet/IP™ | ODVA Technologies | Industrial Automation) EtherCAT, PROFINET, or CC-Link IE Field Basic. Remote I/O systems should therefore be easy to expand or adapt to support additional I/O points or new functions and products such as valve terminals or drives. At the same time, space is often limited, which is another reason why flexible remote I/O systems that are compact, space-saving and yet robust are in demand.
That sounds like a lot of challenges for the mechanical engineers and programmers!
Sebastian Ganter: Definitely! These challenges require careful planning, selection and implementation of remote I/O systems. It is important to consider the specific requirements of the application and select suitable solutions to ensure efficient, reliable and ultimately cost-effective machine control. Fortunately, there are already many good and innovative solutions available to users today that can be perfectly adapted to a wide range of requirements and, at the end of the day, can also significantly reduce overall costs.
