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Valve design and manufacturing company SMC has launched technology with benefits for complex control systems.

SMC’s EX600 serial interface offers flexibility and compatibility with a range of manifolds, as well as a full suite of diagnostics and programmable parameters to meet a range of requirements.

SMC Australia and New Zealand's sales and marketing director James McKew says recent design enhancements to the EX600 series allows for success in robotic applications where speed of communication is essential.

A new QuickConnect function has also been introduced.

This enables the machinery to power up efficiently and join the EtherNet/IP network.

“The EX600 is available in digital input, digital output and analogue input unit options, and available protocols include PROFIBUS-DP, DeviceNet, CC-Link, Ethernet I/P and EtherCAT,” McKew said.

Allowing for ease of maintenance and reduced labour time, the EX600 also offers reduced wiring and self-diagnosis functions.

The EX600 pairs with SMC’s SY series of valve manifolds, and it can achieve up to 200 million cycles when using a metal seal version.

SMC reports it has hundreds of these units currently in stock locally with thousands more in stock and available for fly-in from global inventories. Customers can expect same-day dispatch or next-day delivery from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Auckland, and a general overall delivery guideline of 48 hours on the EX600 Serial Fieldbus System.

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