3
Product description
3.1
Product ID
3.1.1
Type labels
3.2
Product features and functions
3.2.1
Device view
4
3
1
2
6
5
Figure 1: FlexChain host
1
Port-A, pigtail M8, 4-pin, female
2
Port B, pigtail M8, 4-pin, female
3
PLC, pigtail M12, 5-pin / 8-pin, male
4
USB, pigtail M8, 4-pin, female
5
Control panel
Structure
A FlexChain system comprises a host and a number of guests (sensors). As shown in
the image below, the system components are connected sequentially (bus topology). A
system comprises a host and at least one guest. Up to 60 guests in total can be con‐
nected to a host.
Function
The FlexChain system operates similarly to a light grid. That is, each individual channel
in the system is processed sequentially. This principle means that only one channel at a
time is active. Consequently, there is no possibility of mutual interference within a sys‐
tem, and the guests can be installed arbitrarily close to one another without any inter‐
ference occurring. Due to this sequential processing, the scan time and the response
time of the system depend on the number of connected guests. The total times are
short, however, because the processing interval between two channels is in the µs
range (see also the technical data).
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
3
8023047/2018-11-15 | SICK
O P E R A T I N G I N S T R U C T I O N S | FlexChain
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Subject to change without notice
