Evaluation Tools help develop IO-Link master/device applications.
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Press Release Summary:
Offered in Starter and Lab kits, ZIOL2401 evaluation tools help designers reduce time to production by enabling them to develop and test both the master (controller) and sensor end of link. Starter Kit, comprised of USB stick, MCU board, and ZIOL2401 IC, lets designers implement serial interfaces and control basic I/O and switching functions, while Lab Kit, comprised of 3 boards, offers partitioned design that helps engineers develop complex applications.
Original Press Release:
ZMDI Presents IO-Link Master and Device Evaluation Tool for Rapid IO-Link Application Development
High-voltage line driver IC with two independent IO-channels meets the physical layer requirements of sensor and actuator systems that are used in factory automation applications.
Dresden, Germany - ZMD AG, a global supplier of analog and mixed-signal solutions for automotive, industrial, and medical applications, announced today the availability of two new evaluation tools which will allow customers to quickly and easily develop IO-Link master applications as well as device applications. The evaluations and development tools are built around the company's ZIOL2401 IO-Link high-voltage driver which supports IO-Link master ports, IO-Link device ports, and standard I/O applications. The ZIOL2401 evaluation tools help designers to reduce the time to production by enabling them to develop and test both the master (controller) and the sensor end of the link.
IO-Link is a point-to-point connection system for sensors which is widely used in industrial and commercial sensor interface applications. With ZMDI's evaluation tools, engineers can develop and test IO-Link master and device designs quickly and thoroughly. Design prototypes can be installed in actual systems for further test and evaluation. Since the ZIOL2401 also supports conventional serial I/O, the same evaluation tools, and the same ZIOL2401 IC, can be used in all sensor interface designs.
"Using the same IC and development tools for all serial I/O saves design time and shortens time to market," says Bernhard Huber, Business Line Manager Standard Components at ZMDI. "Furthermore, it allows designers to apply a proven design to a new product."
The ZIOL2401 Starter Kit consists of the ZIOL2401 USB stick, a board with a microcontroller, ZIOL2401 IC and USB interface. It also includes an extension board consisting of a control cable connector, protection circuit and a simple test interface. The Starter Kit allows designers to implement serial interfaces and control basic I/O and switching functions.
The ZIOL2401 Lab Kit consists of three separate boards: a microcontroller board, a cable-board and the ZIOL2401 prototyping board. The partitioned design gives engineers the ability to develop complex applications with greater ease, because the prototyping board can be transferred into their existing system design.
The heart of both evaluation systems is the ZIOL2401 device, today's sole available IO-Link controller on the market that can support master interfaces as well as device interfaces. The device, and the evaluation tools, are compatible with both 3.3V and 5V logic levels. An adjustable on-chip DC/DC converter generates up to 15V to power application circuits. Complete schematic and wiring details for both kits are included in the documentation.
The development software for the Starter Kit and the Lab Kit allows designers to individually program bit-level functions via a graphical interface, or use a command-line interface to run complex evaluation procedures. The software runs under Windows XP and Vista, as well as Windows 7.
The ZIOL2401 Starter Kit is priced at 49.00 (69.00 USD), and the Lab Kit at
99.00 (139.00 USD). The evaluation tools are available now from ZMDI.
More information is available at: www.zmdi.com/products/io-link/io-link-tools.
About ZMDI
Zentrum Mikroelektronik Dresden AG (ZMDI) is a semiconductor company focused on energy efficiency. The company is a leading supplier of innovative, highly-precise, robust and cost-efficient analog and mixed-signal semiconductors which allow for a maximum of energy efficiency and environmental protection in the automotive, mobile medical, industrial automation, and consumer markets. The company designs and markets application-specific standard products (ASSPs) and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) which are known for their robust, cost-effective performance in demanding environments characterized by high temperature, high voltage, and the need for ultra-low power. Headquartered in Dresden, Germany, ZMDI has 280 employees worldwide and serves customers from its offices in Dresden, Stuttgart, Germany; Milan, Italy; Pocatello, ID, Melville, NY, USA; Tokyo, Japan and Taipei, Taiwan. ZMDI has design centres in Dresden, Stuttgart, Munich, Germany; Varna, Bulgaria and Madison, Wisconsin. See more at www.zmdi.com.
Contacts:
Gabriele Taschler, ZMDI Marketing Communications Manager, +49.351.8822.668, gabriele.taschler@zmdi.com
Barbara Kalkis, Maestro Marketing & PR, T: +1 408 996 9975, kkalkis@compuserve.com
Zentrum Mikroelektronik Dresden AG, Grenzstrasse 28, 01109 Dresden, Germany
