Turck has released a new series of passive junction boxes – including an active IO-Link variant for simplifying the connection of binary signals to the control cabinet.

Turck has extended its range of passive junction boxes. As well as standard junction boxes with 4, 6 and 8 input connectors and a multi-pole cable output, the customer will also be able to find two active IO-Link variants. The IO-Link junction boxes combine 16 switching status elements in a 16-bit IO-Link signal, thus bringing 16 switching signals from the machine to the control cabinet via a single standard cable.

Instead of assigning each signal to the individual wire of an M23 master cable, terminating and routing them into the control cabinet with expensive multipole cables, the IO-Link junction box only requires a single standard M12 cable. The signals can come for example from proximity switches, pushbutton actuators, optical switches or also temperature sensors with a switch output. The use of the junction boxes is particularly recommended when a large number of signals have to be routed from the machine to the control cabinet.

Like the other standard passive junction boxes, the IO-Link junctions are provided with LEDs that indicate the switching status of each individual input. The junction boxes can be connected to PNP or NPN LED circuits. The passive junction boxes are available from Turck as 4, 6 and 8 channel versions. The outputs of the devices are available with a straight female connector, side female connector or fixed cable output in 2 or 10 m lengths.