November 12, 2013, Issaquah, Washington, USA DATA-LINC GROUP presented its new license-free, short-range wireless PlantLinc Family protocol to I/O solution at Rockwell's Automation Fair 2013 held in Houston, Texas, on November 13th and 14th.

The solution combines a 900MHz PLR6435 Master with Ethernet and serial connectivity and a PLR6430 I/O Remote with connections for discrete and analog inputs and outputs to provide protocol to I/O data transfer system without complicated programming (also available for the 2.4GHz band) for quick, easy installation and trouble-free operation. All PlantLinc Family modems, which include Ethernet and serial modems, were developed for short-range in-plant to medium-range installations, in direct response to customer requests for a license-free radio modem that could replace less reliable short-range wireless technologies and compete on price.

Using the same robust FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum) data transfer method as the Data-Linc premium SRM and CIX families, but at a shorter range, the PLR modems offer the same key CIX (Communication Interface I/O Expander system) wireless protocol to I/O features, providing a particularly robust alternative and outperforming 802.11 options that employ Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) technology. The PLR data transfer method is significantly more immune to RFI/EMI and the crowding in the 2.4 GHz band caused by, for example, areas of existing wireless infrastructure. Thus, the PLRs can offer confidence in unsurpassed data communication integrity even in harsh industrial environments.

In addition to data integrity and reliability, another great advantage of using the PLR is the ease of connecting PLCs to I/O devices in otherwise challenging circumstances. The PLR System is a straightforward way to interconnect devices that do not share the same communication protocol or do not have a communication port. When using the Protocol to I/O system network, all the I/O points at the PLR Remotes are accessible via the Ethernet port of the PLR Master unit through Ethernet/IP or Modbus TCP/IP, or via the serial port using DF1 or Modbus RTU communication protocols. This solution increases the capacity of the wireless network by supporting up to 384 I/O points, spread over a maximum of 16 Remote units. These options are user selectable via the included configuration software, which also allows the user to define the desired or default state for the discrete outputs in case of a communication failure. An I/O wired version is also available to extend the discrete and/or analog points at a given wireless I/O unit location.

For information regarding features, benefits, pricing or for Lunch and Learn webinar overviews or to request information regarding hands-on technical training sessions on any, or all, of these new product, please contact Data-Linc via or call (425) 882-2206 Pacific Coast Time.