AS-Interface

AS-Interface - simple, efficient, innovative

AS-Interface (Actuator Sensor Interface) is a system and manufacturer-neutral technology. As a worldwide standardized bus system, it connects sensors and actuators to a host controller over a common data transmission path.

Technology

AS-Interface (Actuator Sensor Interface) is a standard for fieldbus communication which replaces parallel wiring. AS-Interface comprises four components: the ASi master, an ASi power supply, the yellow ASi cable and the ASi nodes. The master exchanges data cyclically with the (up to) 62 connected devices. Typically, each device can have four inputs for reading sensors, and four outputs for controlling actuators.

Advantages

AS-Interface enables simple installation, configuration and maintenance. The simplified cabling minimizes wiring mistakes while at the same time offering free selection of network topology, along with added flexibility and ruggedness. The significantly reduced installation effort and expense make AS-Interface a very cost-effective technology.

Functional safety

The Safety at Work concept also allows the safety components – safe sensors and actuators – to be directly controlled in the safety monitor and seamlessly integrated into virtually any common automation system. Since the safe and non-safe signals are sent on the same cable, significant savings compared with conventional safety technology using parallel wiring can be realized in terms of cost and installation time, as well as increased safety, thanks to the transparency of the installation.

Facts & data

With 36 million installed nodes and over 20 years of market experience, AS-Interface is one of the most successful bus systems in the world. The success of AS-Interface is based on the system-specific properties and the high level of cooperation among the companies involved with its development.