AS Interface Bus Communications

The Kinetrol AS Interface Card

The Kinetrol AS Interface card is fitted inside the Kinetrol VLS Limit Switch box, thus combining the industrial quality robustness of the box with the advantages of digital serial communication. The AS interface bus cable can be routed in through the conduit entries and connected to the internal terminal blocks. Alternatively, an M12 connector plug facing outwards from the conduit entry can be supplied to allow quick connection from M12 sockets or with clip on adaptations for ribbon type yellow AS interface cables.

AS Interface Bus

The Actuator Sensor Interface card allows easy digital serial communication for your sensors and actuators, allowing your actuators to be controlled and monitored when they are in the field, via a single 2 wire cable.

AS interface devices are used to make up control systems based on a two-wire communication cable known as a bus. These can be controlled or monitored by means of a digital signal sent via the bus to and from a "master" device (which can be a computer or a PLC).

The slave devices will always function in response to commands sent by the master device, either to actuate or to return a message reporting the value of a sensed variable, or both.
The AS Interface specification allows 31 or fewer slave devices to be powered by a DC voltage fed into the same two wire cable used as the communication bus, with allowed power consumption adequate to drive the slave plus a standard pneumatic solenoid valve.

An AS Interface bus can be used as the final field link in a more complex hierarchy of devices making up a large plant-wide control system. Actuators and sensors must often be installed in unprotected environments where conditions can be demanding; the AS Interface bus can be used as the link between these field devices and the "indoor" equipment making up the upper part of the control system.

The AS Interface bus is designed for on/off control and monitoring. It is a good choice when a simple, economical, reliable and robust solution is required for controlling and monitoring a series of actuators and sensors in a process control or machine application.