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Industrial Communication
After several years already spent on Industry 4.0, Factory of the Future, Smart Factory, Digitalisation, you name it, we have learned that the added value we could offer our customers, to you, is to assist in finding the best eco-systems of solutions to fit your machines in the IIoT.
SMC works on industrial communication in two ways: supporting our customers in specific solutions and offering state-of-the-art products, such as our unique Wireless Fieldbus System and our wide variety of IO-Link solutions, thereby providing your factory with smart digitalisation and automation.
In today’s manufacturing, machines and devices communicate with each other and can be controlled remotely, being connected thanks to sensors and communication technologies. These are, for example, essential to the well-known industrial maintenance of any production process.
That’s why at SMC we are developing smart manufacturing. We help our customers to improve the efficiency and productivity of their processes by combining the advantages of industrial communication solutions with the ability to understand their needs. This allows us to tailor our solutions for the best customer value, while assuring global availability and supply, always keeping effective production going.
Wireless is priceless in any industry or application that makes regular use of motion applications with communication cables. Among these, one area where this is particularly valuable is in parts assembly, whether it be in automotive, electronics production or any industry where rotary tables and robotic systems are commonly used. SMC’s wireless unit allows you to achieve consistent, noise-free communication with fewer cables, reduced maintenance, as well as less breakage and disconnection on the factory floor.
With robots and cobots, SMC’s solutions are all based on two things. Firstly, optimising the size of a robot according to its payload and, secondly, speed and flexibility. We are always looking for ways to make robots lighter, smaller, more efficient and able to communicate smartly. We develop all our products based on feedback - our customer's actual requirements, based on the challenges they are facing to meet current and future requirements.
Electric actuators are, by definition, a flexible solution, at least in terms of speed, force or positioning. It is precisely such adaptability which is behind SMC’s range of electric solutions; where you decide, you choose, but you don’t adapt to them. They adapt to you. Our extensive variety of mechanics and controllers, and their great adaptability, allow us to say, without a doubt, that with them, you can perform any movement, anywhere, in any way you want.
SMC’s IO-Link products can help you improve your productivity and reduce your costs, ensuring dynamic production processes and leading to the smart factory the industry is seeking. Moreover, they will allow you to guarantee the continuous improvement of your company’s industrial maintenance strategy.
The use of Fieldbus in manufacturing processes has substantially improved the way we handle communications, providing us with considerable savings in terms of wiring, connectors, installation and setup time, electronic diagrams or documentation. For the development of our Serial Interface range, we have gone a step further and increased the number of possibilities in industrial communication, bearing in mind the flexibility and versatility that our customers demand.
Wireless
Serial interface
IO-Link
Mechatronic
End-effectors
EXW1/EX600-W Series Compatible protocols: EtherNet/IPTM, PROFINET, CC-Link
EX600-W Series Compatible protocol: IO-Link
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EX600-W / EXW1 Series Wireless Fieldbus System
EX260 Series Compatible protocols: PROFIsafe, Ethernet POWERLINK, PROFINET, EtherNet/IPTM, EtherCAT®, PROFIBUS DP, DeviceNetTM, CC-Link, IO-Link, CANopen, Modbus, AS-Interface
EX600 Series Compatible protocols: IO-Link, EtherCAT®, EtherNet/IPTM, DeviceNetTM, CC-Link, PROFINET, PROFIBUS, Modbus/TCP, POWERLINK
EX500 Series Compatible protocols: EtherNET/IPTM, PROFINET, PROFIBUS-DP, DeviceNetTM
EX250 Series Compatible protocols: DeviceNetTM, PROFIBUS DP, CC-Link, EtherNet/IPTM, CANopen, AS-Interface
EX245 Series Compatible protocols: PROFIsafe, PROFINET. AIDA compliant
EX Series Serial Interface solutions
Sensors, Unit & Actuators Enjoy IO-Link advantages with SMC
LE & JXC Series Digital I/Os or Fieldbus commands available
Mechanics & Controllers Perform any movement, anywhere, in any way you want and control it as suits you best
ZXP-X1 Series Compatible manufacturers: Universal Robots, OMRON Corporation, TECHMAN ROBOT Inc., FANUC CORPORATION, YASKAWA Electric Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
JMHZ2-X7400B Series Compatible manufacturers: Universal Robots, Omron, Techman Robot and Mitsubishi Electric, Yaskawa, Fanuc and Kawasaki Heavy Industries
MHM-X7400A Series Compatible manufacturers: Universal Robots, OMRON Corporation, TECHMAN ROBOT Inc, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Yaskawa Electric Corporation and Fanuc Corporation
End-effectors Solutions for robotics
By Alejandro Molinero, Product Manager, SMC Spain
SEPTEMBER 2022 Wireless technology is seeing rapid uptake within the industrial sector, particularly on shop floors where a degree of mobility and freedom is required, such as in robot, automated guided vehicle (AGV) and RFID tracking device applications. But there remain plenty more areas where this technology could make a real difference to operations in terms of reduced costs and increased reliability.
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By Bruno Salami, Product Manager Electrical Axis & Fieldbus, SMC France
SEPTEMBER 2022 Despite the many advantages of an IO-Link system - such as standardised and reduced wiring, increased data availability, remote configuration and monitoring, simple device replacement, and advanced diagnostics – we know that some of you are reluctant to adopt this technology due to the belief that configuration and programming is complex. Well, today SMC has the product solutions and in-house expertise to make your transition to this cost-effective communication protocol far simpler and quicker than you could ever imagine.
By Massimo Gazzaniga, Technical Support Engineer Mechatronics & Network Manager, SMC Italy
SEPTEMBER 2022 Although there are many bigger advantages to the adoption of industrial communications, one of the benefits you can tap into very quickly is the enablement of remote assistance. By implementing a system such as the SMC webserver, our remote teams can access your historical data and easily analyse the possible causes of your failure or malfunction. Our webserver offers short ROI for both users and machine builders as they can avoid expensive travel costs and provide an extremely reactive service.
