Press Release

IO-Link Master Tester Rev. 1.1 launched by MESCO Systems

Based on the test specifications of the IO-Link Consortium MESCO Engineering developed the IO-Link Master Tester, a test system for IO-Link Master devices. Last week the new Revision 1.1 was approved by the IO-Link working group and is now available at MESCO Systems.

A manufacturer’s declaration is asked by the IO-Link Consortium for all IO-Link Masters and Devices in order to get IO-Link conformity. Therefore the IO-Link Master Tester is a necessary tool for all manufacturers. The test system supports all test cases that were defined and approved by the IO-Link working group. The IO-Link Master Tester may be customized for IO-Link Masters with different field bus interfaces. PROFIBUS DP is the first provided field bus version.

The device consists of a PC program and a hardware box.
The hardware simulates the IO-Link Device. Valid cases (correct IO-Link performance) as well as possible erroneous cases of Devices and the IO-Link confirm reaction on IO-Link Master errors (test item) may be analyzed. The IO-Link Master Tester is used for automated, reproducible and complex IO-Link Master tests. Furthermore a monitoring function for trouble-shooting is implemented and it is programmable via script.

MESCO was nominated as IO-Link Competence Center by the IO-Link Consortium and provides services for IO-Link, e.g. basic seminars, workshops, feasibility studies, realization concepts, hardware and firmware developments. Tested MESCO IO-Link Stacks for Device and Master may be used in order to realize cost-efficient developments. MESCO provides services for testing and support for manufacturer’s declaration, too.

MESCO is PROFIBUS International Competence Center and
offers acceptance tests in the fieldbus test center by using the multivendor plant for IO-Link with several Masters and Devices.

Lörrach, July 2011

Miniaturized field devices due to co-operation MESCO Engineering and HMT microelectronics

MESCO Engineering provides services for electronic and software engineering for factory and process automation. As a professional in the field of field device-, transmitter- and remote I/O-developments MESCO offers fieldbus interfaces, explosion-proof and functional safety according to IEC 61508, too.

The business unit process automation has been enlarged by the cooperation with HMT microelectronics AG from Biel, Switzerland. Active in the IC, ASIC and module design industry HMT is an expert in the field of miniature elec-tronic.

The combination of MESCOs engineering know-how and the skills of HMT allow competitive developments of very small-sized, efficient miniature electronic with explosion-proof and functional safety attributes. This is an important benefit in the market of sensor technology and for transmitter develop-ments.

Lörrach, March 2011

MESCO Systems GmbH presents new IO-Link EMC Tester

In January 2011 MESCO Systems GmbH presented the new IO-Link EMC Tester.
The IO-Link EMC Tester is a further product of MESCO’s IO-Link tool series. It is needed for EMC tests for IO-Link Master and Devices and is implemented according to the IO-Link specification.

The tool is equipped with a special test software and counts erroneous and missing telegrams during the realization of EMC tests. The corresponding error counters are indicated on the display screen.

The IO-Link EMC Tester consists of a handheld where different IO-Link output stages (SDCI Interfaces) may be plugged in.
Which output stage is needed depends on the question if a Device or a Master shall be tested.
The IO-Link test specification defines different requirements on the IO-Link physics depending on the baud rates. So there are in each case two interface boxes for device tests and master tests with baud rates COM1/COM2 and COM3 available.

Operating state, error counters and baud rates are displayed via duo LED and a LCD display. It is possible to supply the IO-Link EMC Tester with battery supply which allows a gal-vanic isolation of the SDCI interface and a high level EMC safety. Also the external 24V supply could be used.

Lörrach, january 2011
 

MESCO Engineering enlarges business division of customised electronic and software development for functional safety by certified “functional safety engineers”

In product developments according to IEC 61508, DIN EN 62061or DIN IEC 61511 engineers are faced with the prob-lem of valuation of costs, risks and the influence on the organization. MESCO supports the customers from safety concept to the implementation of the product.
„Our functional safety engineers transfer the customer’s ideas in the required hardware and firmware. And due to our cooperation with TUV our customers have an important ad-vantage“ says Peter Bernhardt, MESCO Sales Manager.

Lörrach, november 2010
 

MESCO Engineering nominated as IO-Link Competence Center

In September 2010 MESCO Engineering was nominated as “IO-Link Competence Center” by the IO-Link Steering Com-mittee. The MESCO IO-Link Competence Center offers consulting in IO-Link technology, quality management and support for master and devices development. In addition MESCO provides communication stacks for master and de-vices and offers customer specific services for electronic and software development.
As a fully accredited PI Competence Center for all technol-ogy areas (PROFIBUS PA, PROFINET, PROFIsafe, PROFIdrive) and as an IO-Link Competence Center we are engineering – wise always a step ahead.  

Lörrach, november 2010
 

Certified TÜV Functional Safety Engineers bolster up the R&D portfolio for client-specific development of safe hardware and software at MESCO.

Both in process and factory automation, the need for functionally safe components has been increasing over the last years. In turn, device manufacturers have to face the complex requirements for SIL components until being ready for market launch.
Engineers and management are challenged by the diffi-cult task of evaluating risks, costs and organisational impact of development projects compliant with IEC 61508, DIN EN 62061, DIN IEC 61511 and ISO 13849.
Recognising this problem, MESCO developed a con-cept for continuous support with each milestone from IEC standard to safety concept and its implementation to final product.

“Our functional safety engineers transfer our clients’ concepts into the required hardware and firmware. The close and well established cooperation with the TUV is a real benefit, there. Guiding our customer with the whole process, transferring MESCO’s substantial know-how, we shorten the learning curve”, says Peter Bern-hardt, marketing director at MESCO.

As an accredited PROFIBUS Competence Center for PROFIsafe, MESCO Engineering is co-exhibitor at PROFIBUS International’s booth at the HANNOVER MESSE (Industrial Automation, Hall 011, Booth A49).
 

Lörrach, April 2010

Atmel, HMT and MESCO Introduce Industry’s
Smallest IO-Link Reference Design

Partners combine expertise to provide ultra-small, turn-key, IO-Link solution based on Atmel AVR microcontroller family, HMT PHY IC, and MESCO IO-Link software stack

Read here the complete article>>
Lörrach, november 2009

Device Stack Update
Now supporting Service PDU, Interleave Mode and Event details

MESCO updates its IO-Link Device Stack to be fully compliant to IO-Link Specification V1.0 including all optional functions:

• Service PDU, for transferring large amounts of application specific data
• Interleave Mode (Frametype 1) for up to 32 byte process input and output data
• Extended Diagnostics / Event details

The package consists of well-documented Source Code written in ANSI-C, application example, detailed development documentation with hardware porting description.

Evaluationboards for Slave hardware and complete IO-Link StarterKit are available.

Lörrach, november 2008. 

IO-Link StarterKit update
Now supporting Service PDU, Interleaved Mode and Event Details

The MESCO IO-Link StarterKit contains all required components for the development, test and commissioning of devices with IO-Link communication. Key components are: Slave firmware stack, hardware modules plus schematics both for Master and Slave Device, IO-Link monitor and environment for test and commissioning.
Released in November 2008 for the SPS/IPC/DRIVES the updated StarterKit Slave Stack fully complies with
the IO-Link Specification V1.0 including the optional features:

• Service PDU, for transferring huge amounts  of application specific data
• Interleaved Mode (Frame Type 1), for up to 32 byte process input and output data
• Extended Diagnostics, for detailed event messages

The Service PDU is a dedicated data channel with a 8/16 bit address range for manufacturer specific data objects. Each data object with a length of up to 227 byte.

IO-Link Interleaved Mode distributes the process data bytes over multiple frames to support up to 32 bytes for input and output data.
The Extended Diagnostics supports up to six simultaneous events characterised by an 8 bit qualifier and a 16 bit code value, including manufacturer specific event codes.

Lörrach, august 2008

PROFINET IO Hardware Design Package

For a smart PROFINET implementation

An ideal solution adding PROFINET RT/IRT functionality to a product is provided by MESCO using the PROFINET IO Hardware Design Package.

It offers a PROFINET IO communication interface based on the powerful processor ERTEC200 by SIEMENS. Developed for industrial applications, it supports operating temperatures from -40 to +85 °C. The PROFINET IO Hardware Design Package contains a lot of resources to integrate complex signal conditioning or control algorithms.

The MESCO product includes schematics, detailed bill of material (BOM) for a lead free design, hardware design document incl. calculations, test documents and a detailed layout example for P-CAD.

Lörrach, november 2007