In its annual survey of newly installed nodes, PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) measured the number of IO-Link applications and found that IO-Link applications in industrial plants have grown significantly over the past year.

IS200AEPAH1BKE According to the latest data, the new installation of IO-Link devices in 2023 reached 15.9 million units, compared to 8.4 million units in the previous year, an astonishing 89.17% increase, setting a new record in history. This increase brings the total number of IO-Link nodes installed to 51.6 million by the end of 2023.

In 2023, the new installation of IO-Link devices reached 89%, setting a new record

Image source: IO-Link

As a digital communication protocol in the field of industrial automation, IO-Link was originally proposed by Siemens and has now risen to an international standard. Its core value is to promote the seamless connection and communication between industrial equipment and control systems, and support the two-way data transmission between industrial equipment such as sensors and actuators and controllers (such as PLCS) to ensure real-time and efficient information flow and accurate transmission of control signals.

PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) is an organization focused on technology standardization and interoperability promotion. The PROFINET technology introduced by PI represents a new era of industrial Ethernet communication, providing a comprehensive network solution for the field of industrial automation. PROFINET not only supports real-time Ethernet communication, but also covers key functions such as motion control, distributed automation, fault safety and network security, providing solid technical support for the stable operation of industrial automation systems.

IS200AEPAH1BKE In industrial automation systems, PROFINET and IO-Link each play an indispensable role. As a communication hub at the network level, PROFINET ensures the smooth transmission of data within the system; IO-Link, on the other hand, focuses on the device level to optimize production efficiency and reliability by enabling intelligent interconnection between devices. The two complement each other and jointly promote the vigorous development of industrial automation technology, which has injected a strong technical impetus into modern manufacturing industry.

The number of EtherCAT nodes increased by 18 million

At the end of April, the EtherCAT Technology Association (ETG) released the latest statistics for EtherCAT nodes worldwide.

According to official data from ETG, the number of EtherCAT nodes worldwide has jumped to a staggering 77 million, with 18 million new nodes added in 2023 alone. This statistic is based on the actual number of EtherCAT chips sold, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the data.

In 2023, the new installation of IO-Link devices reached 89%, setting a new record