Looking to offer a reliable solution for connecting industrial controllers to I/O devices in harsh environments where liquids or vibrations may be present, Molex has introduced new Brad HarshIO Ethernet I/O Modules with QuickConnect (QC) and Fast Start-Up (FSU) technologies.

To meet the requirements for industrial applications in factory automation and complex machines such as in the printing, packaging or textile industries, QC and FSU technologies enable the module to start and operate in less than 500ms. The Brad HarshIO Ethernet I/O Modules from Molex bring exceptional speed to the market and versatility to all industries using robots for repetitive tasks with precision, with the introduction of the QC for EtherNet/IP and FSU for PROFINET, the company stated in a press release.

“As Ethernet flows from the office management level down to the factory floor, automation device manufacturers need to adapt products to the constraints of industrial applications,” says Eric Gory, global product manager, Molex. “When Ethernet is used to control sensors or actuators on robot tooling, it is sometimes necessary to perform a quick change of tools. In the automotive industry, for example, manufacturers have defined that the swapped Ethernet field devices must be able to start and operate in less than 500ms.”

Additionally, using separate power supplies to power the inputs (sensors) and the outputs (actuators); Brad HarshIO Modules support safety automation architectures. The HarshIO Ethernet power connector includes separate grounding isolation between the input/logic ground and the output ground. A scenario commonly used in safety applications, this feature allows powering the module with two distinct power supplies.

Recently, the company announced offering a selected series of core micro products , which will be available for purchase, replacement and technical support for up to ten years, in order to more accurately align with medical industry design cycles. Micro interconnect solutions, including Molex FFC/FPC, board-to-board , microminiature wire-to-board and memory card connectors , are used in a wide range of medical device applications.