Application of Solidot's IO-Link Bus I/O in Logistics Box Conveyor Lines

The logistics box conveyor line is an automated logistics transport system based on standardized box carriers. It efficiently handles material flow requirements of multiple specifications, high frequency and high precision, enabling full-process automation from product inbound, storage and sorting to outbound, and is widely used in e-commerce logistics, pharmaceutical distribution, food processing, automotive manufacturing and 3C electronics industries.

Solidot products used in this case study

IOL7-PN01B-8A (IO-Link Master, PROFINET 8-channel class-A interface, IP67)

IOL7-16CB-M12 (IO-Link Hub, 16-channel configurable input/output, PNP, IP67)

1. Production process overview

[Inbound conveying and information binding]

After boxes (products) are transported to the platform by vehicle, they enter the logistics center via the logistics conveyor line. On the conveyor line, photoelectric sensors detect the box-in-position signal in real time, triggering the QR code scanner to read the box information, which is bound to the warehouse management system (WMS) to complete data entry and provide data support for subsequent management and sorting.

[Transfer station to designated rack]

The box that has been information-bound is then conveyed to the storage area, where its movement path is monitored in real time by position sensors and it docks precisely at the designated rack transfer station. At the transfer station, workers or AGV carts move the box off the conveyor line and, following the system's scheduling instructions, transport it to the designated storage rack for storage.

[Outbound conveying]

When the system receives an order or a delivery requirement, workers or AGV carts retrieve the goods from the storage rack and transport the boxes to the sorting line. On the sorting line, the system sorts the boxes according to preset rules, classifying the labeled boxes by delivery area or order. After sorting is complete, the boxes are conveyed to the packing area for packing, and finally loaded onto trucks for dispatch, completing the outbound flow.

2. I/O module application mode

In this case, the logistics box conveyor line uses the PROFINET communication protocol. A Siemens PLC is connected to 17 Solidot IO-Link Master modules IOL7-PN01B-8A, and each IOL7-PN01B-8A master module is in turn connected to 8 IOL7-16CB-M12 hub modules, forming an efficient bus I/O system.

The IOL7-16CB-M12 hub modules connect various field devices, such as photoelectric sensors, electric rollers, solenoid valves and frequency converters, implementing signal acquisition from the field devices and execution of control commands. In the inbound conveying and information binding phase, the photoelectric sensors connected to the hub modules detect the position and speed of the boxes, while the boxes are conveyed by the electric rollers; in the transfer station to designated rack phase, the hub modules transmit commands to control the solenoid valves that drive the lifting diverter, implementing box diversion, while the conveying speed is regulated by the frequency converters; in the outbound conveying phase, the photoelectric sensors detect the box positions, and the hub modules transmit commands to control the actions of the electric rollers and solenoid valves, ensuring that the boxes can be sorted and conveyed according to the preset rules.

All field signals acquired above are transmitted by the IOL7-16CB-M12 hub modules to the IOL7-PN01B-8A master modules via the IO-Link protocol, and the master modules transmit them to the PLC and issue the PLC's control commands to the hub modules, which then assist in controlling the actions of the field devices according to the commands, ensuring efficient and stable operation of the entire conveyor line.

3. Solidot IO-Link bus I/O

Solidot's IO-Link bus I/O can be adapted to bus protocols such as EtherCAT and PROFINET, and features diagnostics, IP67 protection rating, shock resistance and vibration resistance. Solidot's IO-Link bus I/O is widely used in various industrial automation scenarios, enabling fast device connection, efficient data transmission and intelligent system management, thereby improving production efficiency.