Smart Factory: IO-Link Sensor/Actuator

Smart factory sensors and actuators facilitate better decision making to support flexible and readily optimized manufacturing processes. Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI)’s IO-Link® technology transforms traditional sensors into smart sensors to upgrade industrial facilities into real-time configurable smart factory floors. ADI’s IO-Link controller and device transceiver portfolio offers a powerful and flexible means of moving intelligence from the PLC closer to the sensors and actuators on the factory floor. In tandem with IO-Link, ADI’s high-precision analog converter, linear, and signal conditioning portfolio offers products to match all the performance, power, cost, and size requirements for smart sensor analog front ends.

Embrace the Digital Enterprise with Smart Factory Sensors
ADI’s IO-Link technology removes the need to retrofit new sensor technology to achieve a real-time configurable factory floor. By repurposing traditional sensors into intelligent ones, manufacturers can streamline the manufacturing process with new efficiencies like remote configuration, communication, and real-time sensor diagnostics. Explore ADI’s smart factory sensor solutions.

Overcoming the Power vs. Space Conundrum in Smart Factory Sensors
When designing industrial sensing systems for smart factory applications, power density is a critical challenge. Sensor enclosures are shrinking at the same time that customers are requiring them to deliver more features, and in this context, excessive power dissipation can lead to device failure. ADI’s IO-Link technology can enable sensor intelligence, and careful consideration can help you address the heat challenge when selecting which transceiver to use.
Interactive Signal Chains

Featured Products
Reference Designs
Evaluation Boards
Smart Factory Sensor AFE and Measurement
Industrial smart sensors with IO-Link communication are common across a broad range of measurement modalities such as pressure, temperature, angle, and position. With pre-selected technology combinations, tools, and expertise, ADI’s precision signal chains offer a simplified design journey, with optimizations for key smart sensor performance specifications such as noise, bandwidth, density, and power efficiency. Our analog front end (AFE) sensor signal chains can be quickly evaluated and tuned to exact application needs, with complete LTspice® circuits, technical articles, and power management solutions available for download.
Precision Low Power Signal Chains
ADI's precision low power signal chain platform is adaptable to support multiple sensing modalities, with a rich programmable feature set, all while minimizing power consumption and board space.


ADI’s Complete Precision Signal Chains for Easy System Solutions
Save time and deliver your solutions faster with ADI's precision technology signal chains allowing for ease of navigation between various design trade-offs to create the optimum tailored end-solution.

Learn the Fundamentals of IO-Link Technology
IO-Link is a standardized technology (IEC 61131-9) regulating how sensors and actuators in industrial systems interact with a controller. IO-Link allows for continuous diagnostics, enabling flexible manufacturing to improve factory throughput and operational efficiency.