New On-Machine Distributed I/O Solution Announced by Rockwell Automation Improves Operational Agility

Rockwell Automation announced the release of its new Allen‑Bradley ArmorBlock 5000 I/O blocks. Integrated with IO-Link technology, the on-machine distributed I/O solution offers smart capabilities that can help industrial manufacturers to improve operational productivity with minimal cost.

Manufacturers can deploy and maintain smart automation more efficiently with the ArmorBlock 5000 I/O solution. With highly integrated IO-Link capabilities, machine design complexity can be reduced through simpler device configuration and better integration with Allen‑Bradley controllers. Users can help to speed up project development with a common tag structure and configuration workflows in an intuitive Studio 5000 Logix Designer environment.

Optimized by design for On-Machine use, the ArmorBlock 5000 I/O blocks can help to enable quicker installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting, which can reduce downtime. The I/O blocks can operate in a wide range of temperatures and offer up to IP69K protection for high-speed applications in harsher environments. The blocks are available in three industry-standard power variants to meet different regional needs.

The IO-Link master blocks are the first released product from the ArmorBlock 5000 I/O portfolio. These scalable blocks provide a higher degree of flexibility with up to eight IO-Link channels that includes four IO-Link Class A and four Class B ports. The ability to control high current devices and improve connectivity can help to drive machine performance and productivity.

Additional offerings will be released in the future to complement the ArmorBlock 5000 I/O solution. The upcoming configurable I/O blocks will deliver smart capabilities, such as sequence of events (SOE), scheduled output, input timestamping, and event trigger.