FEATURE SIGNAL CONDITIONING Turck has developed a compact interface series that meets customer demands for
safety, size and performance, while having global approval for use in different locations worldwide. Here the company looks into the requirements faced, how the new devices meet application demands, and why longevity of design is important
A design for the future
based on state-of-the-art technology in order to provide customers with investment security for the next decade. So, to meet demands, the company has developed a new generation of interface technology: the IMX series.
The devices of the IMX12 series can be used in a 10 to 30VDC range – opening up the possibility of use in new applications that are supplied from batteries, solar collectors or small wind turbines
F
or a number of years, Turck has been offering interface devices which have
Right:
The IMX series is compact, fast and accurate
been developed and adapted over time to meet customer demands and to include the latest technological developments. In fact the company has over forty years of experience in developing signal handling, encompassing point-to-point and point-to-bus systems. This means it can offer solutions ranging from a few I/O to those that meet complete plant requirements, as demonstrated recently with the development of the Excom bus system which features a hot-swapping capability. Equally, the company recognises the importance of point-to-point systems. Following a study of the development
of interface technology, it was found that customers increasingly have three key requirements: • Safety, especially with regard to Ex separation and functional safety (SIL) • The space requirement on the DIN rail • Performance, particularly in relation to the speed and accuracy of the devices. However, while existing interface
devices can meet these requirements to a certain extent, the possibility of their further development is normally limited due to the original circuit design and construction. According to Turck, it is only with a
completely new electronic platform that a manufacturer can offer longevity in design
24 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2017 | INSTRUMENTATION
WORLDWIDE SAFETY With functional safety a high priority today, the development of the IMX series was carried out in complete compliance with the requirements of IEC 61508. Another challenge is Ex approvals – and unfortunately Ex approval is not as uniformly harmonised worldwide as it is in Europe, where the ATEX directive is applicable in all countries. Device manufacturers therefore need to cover the different requirements of all relevant Ex approvals combined, preferably in one device. Meeting such demands, the IMX series has been comprehensively approved for Europe, North America, South America, China and Asia, and is provided with UL, FM, ATEX, Nepsi, Kosha, Imetro and IEC-Ex certification.
THE DESIGN The company’s MK series required almost 3cm in width in order to process one temperature signal; and the current IM series requires 18mm. The new IMX series, however, only requires 6.25mm per temperature signal. Thanks to the 12.5mm housing width, and up to four terminal banks per side, these devices achieve a channel density that is said to be unrivalled. Added to this, the space requirement on the DIN rail for the isolating switching amplifiers with a relay output (2-channel 4-wire resistance temperature sensors) has been reduced to half of that required by the IM series. Four separate removable terminal banks facilitate ease of connection as only actively used terminals need to be unplugged. Further advances have been made
in both speed and accuracy, and this is highlighted particularly by the IMX12-AI EX analogue signal isolator. Its electronic design makes it considerably less sensitive to external factors such as temperature
or voltage fluctuations, so the effect of the interface device on the overall performance of a complete measuring circuit is thus considerably reduced. However, the linearity error of the
devices is not the only factor to consider with regard to accuracy. Many other error factors, which often only appear in the small print of the manufacturers’ data sheets, should not be ignored. Data sheets cannot be used as the sole
basis of device comparisons. Ambient influences such as temperature, power supply fluctuations or changes in the connected load can have a considerable effect on the performance of devices. Turck recognises these errors and field conditions, and includes effects such as repeatability and hysteresis in the total error calculation. Thus the total performance is calculated from this together with the temperature coefficient. Quoted figures therefore reflect performance in the field. It has been verified that the
analogue signal isolators and temperature measuring amplifiers of the IMX series have the best overall performance in terms of accuracy of all 12.5mm interface devices, the company explains. The IMX12-DI isolating switching
amplifier offers maximum processing speed. Input frequencies up to 15,000Hz, which were previously only possible with special frequency transducers, can be processed, allowing precise measurement without the negative effect of signal conversion.
APPLICATION AREAS The process industry,
particularly the chemical, pharmaceutical, and oil and gas sectors, are traditionally the principal target markets for interface devices.
The devices of the IMX12 series can,
however, be used in a 10 to 30VDC range – opening up the possibility of use in new applications that are supplied from batteries, solar collectors or small wind turbines. This possible use in smaller mobile and autonomous installations makes the IMX devices particularly interesting for manufacturers of small to medium- sized plants.
Turck Banner T: 01268 578888
www.turckbanner.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
