Small, smart, SLIO - The new decentralized I/O system made by VIPA

The automation market increasingly demands more compact and flexible solutions with substantial profitability. VIPA GmbH who is well known for its innovations has developed SLIO - an expedient and contemporary system extension that fully meets the customer’s requirements. With this novelty, VIPA sets another milestone as a full-line provider of innovative automated solutions.

Consequently, SLIO can be combined and applied with each of the established VIPA systems 100V, 200V, 300S, 500S. Thus, the customer can select from the entire system variety in order to optimize his individual applications. In addition to the common field bus interface connections, such as CANopen, PROFIBUS, Modbus, etc. VIPA will from now on also present the SLIO which provides connection options for Industrial Ethernet bus systems such as EtherCAT and PROFINET.

SLIO is one of the most effective and modern decentralized I/O systems available on the market. It combines high functionality with a clever mechanic concept in an extremely compact design.

Focus on the user benefit - Easy to use – easy to work with

Uncompromising user benefit to the smallest detail was the focus of the development regarding the modularity and the handling of the SLIO. The conceptual separation of electronic and installation layer stands out at first sight. The basic terminal block with backplane bus connection and the electronic constructed with a reverse polarity protection are set up modularly with a slide and plug mechanism. In the event of a maintenance problem, this enables a simple and cost-effective exchange of each electronic module without the disconnection of the wiring. Users know that this eliminates a very common cause of error – incorrect wiring.
They will also appreciate the innovative staircase-shaped design of the connection layer including the spring clamp connector technology and a permanent wiring which has proved to be of value for a long time. The wiring itself simply requires a conventional screw driver.

One of the big challenges during the conception and the development of the SLIO was to master the highest expectations on the readability and the diagnostic capability as well as the labeling options and to combine these with the compact design.
The case of the standard I/O module has been designed extremely thin. Although it is only 12,5 mm wide, it is possible to connect two to eight sensors and/or actuators (2,5mm² wires). The labeling concept stands out compared to similar products of other competitors: The clearly arranged labeling and diagnostic field enables a definite allocation and readability of the channel states even under bad visibility conditions.
„Reference designator labels“ for a clear identification of the operational equipment can be applied directly on the terminal block. Thus, the labeling will remain on an exchange of the electronic module. Each module is factory-provided with a diagram of the corresponding connector pin assignment; this simplifies the installation and maintenance considerably.

Not only the labeling and wiring of the SLIO is strictly user-oriented. The individual system modules can be combined to complete stations via the integrated backplane bus. Thus it is possible to quickly combine up to 64 modules by simply plugging them and without any wiring.

The new I/O system was planned and developed by VIPA GmbH in close co-operation with LENZE AG from Hameln. For VIPA, SLIO is the consequent system expansion which is expected from an innovative solution provider within the automation technology. Furthermore, the future users and customers notably benefit from the co-operation with LENZE. The know-how of both development partners combined within one product provides the utmost user benefit and profitability as well as technical innovations that are one of a kind.

Conclusion and Prospect

SLIO emphasizes the position of VIPA GmbH as an international, future oriented solution provider within the automation technology. After the HMI in Hannover the company is constantly going to expand its portfolio step by step by further I/O modules and bus connectors. This device has already been designed for the integration of safety functions and the connection of intelligent head stations which will contribute to a guaranteed future of this system.