IO-Link Masters

AY1020

AY1020 - 8-Port IO-Link Master EtherNet/IP IP20 | ifm

The ifm AY1020 is an IO-Link master with EtherNet/IP interface, featuring 8 IO-Link ports, 10 digital inputs, and 2 configurable digital inputs/outputs in a DIN-rail-mounted IP20 control-cabinet housing. It operates from 18-30 V DC (24 V DC nominal) with PNP switching, supports two Ethernet ports with switch-mode capability for line topologies, and embeds the LineRecorder Agent for IO-Link diagnostics. The screw-terminal I/O layout and IP20 rating position it strictly for protected control-cabinet installation rather than field mounting. Background: An IO-Link master is the gateway device that sits between a fieldbus / industrial Ethernet network (PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, etc.) and one or more IO-Link sensors or actuators. IO-Link itself is a point-to-point, IEC 61131-9 standardized, single-drop digital communication protocol (SDCI) designed to bring intelligence down to the sensor level. The master acts as a hub: each port exchanges process data, on-request service data (ISDU), and diagnostic events with the connected IO-Link device (typically a v1.0 or v1.1 sensor), and forwards them upstream as cyclic and acyclic EtherNet/IP assemblies. IO-Link masters are categorized by fieldbus protocol, port count, IP rating (IP20 control cabinet vs IP65/IP67 field), and mounting style. The AY1020 belongs to the IP20 EtherNet/IP class with 8 ports. Key features include 8 IO-Link ports (A and B ports are configurable as standard IO-Link or 4-port neutrally switchable), 10 dedicated digital inputs, 2 configurable digital inputs/outputs, an integrated 2-port Ethernet switch for daisy-chaining, and a PNP (sourcing) input configuration. The device supports IO-Link v1.0 and v1.1 devices with COM1/COM2/COM3 baud rates and is suitable for use in PLC-controlled assembly lines and process-control machinery. Configuration is performed via the ifm monexplorer or LR Agent software, and integration with Allen-Bradley/Rockwell PLCs is via the ifm-provided EDS/AOI for EtherNet/IP. Typical applications include factory automation control cabinets, automotive body-shop IO-Link sensor hubs, packaging machinery sensor networks, and process-control cabinets in semiconductor fab. Plant engineers designing the equipment must allocate DIN-rail space, ensure 24 V DC power budget (including sensor current draw from each port), and use only ifm and only IP20 control-cabinet IO-Link masters in protected enclosures. Field-side IO-Link masters with IP65/IP67 ratings and M12 connectors belong to a different product family (e.g., ifm AL1xxx). When designing with this device, plan the EtherNet/IP network so the integrated switch supports linear topology without an external switch, but ring topologies require an additional managed Ethernet switch. The AY1020 ships with ifm LineRecorder and monexplorer tools for device parameterization, and provides per-port short-circuit and wire-break diagnostics via IO-Link event flags.