Pepperl+Fuchs expands IO-Link Portfolio with a UHF RFID reader

With the IUT-F191-IO-V1, Pepperl+Fuchs says it is filling a gap in its portfolio and enabling customers to easily access UHF RFID.

In recent years, IO-Link has become a well-established interface on the market and its use is increasingly widespread. One reason for its popularity is the standardised interface, which enables customers to integrate a number of different sensors easily and in a uniform way. Additional advantages of IO-Link include quick installation and easy replacement in the field. The existing HF RFID portfolio (13.56 MHz) for IO-Link is now being expanded to include a UHF reader.

The IUT-F191-IO-V1 fills the gap between HF and RFID and the UHF systems already available from Pepperl+Fuchs. The IUT-F191-IO-V1 is used in situations where the detection range of HF systems is no longer sufficient or where customers prefer a UHF solution for other reasons, for example because a UHF solution is already in use and should be used consistently. In many applications, read/write distances of approximately 1 m are completely sufficient.

Furthermore, the IO-Link interface enables easy, cost-effective integration into any existing IO-Link networks, quick commissioning, and interchangeability. The Easy Mode – already familiar from the well-known HF RFID read/write devices with IO-Link – reduces the programming effort for the user and enables easy access to UHF RFID applications. In Expert Mode, advanced setting options are also available.

Applications include intralogistics, for example, where materials provided to machines need to be identified before further processing to avoid errors and therefore disruptions to the production process, and products must have continuous traceability throughout the entire manufacturing process.

Potential applications also include on conveyor lines or automated storage systems, where IO-Link is often already used to connect further sensor technology and components.