Product Description:

The 8AC114.60-2/PL3 is a communication expansion created by B&R Automation for the 8AC Powerlink Modules series. As a modular network hub, the unit links distributed I/O, drives, and controllers over deterministic Ethernet so that motion axes and process stations remain synchronized within an industrial installation. By embedding the module in a machine cabinet, a POWERLINK segment can be extended without external switches while maintaining real-time behavior between master and slave nodes.

The module provides one network interface equipped with 2 × RJ45 sockets, and each port uses eight conductors with eight pins for data and supply lines. Communication takes place over POWERLINK V2, and the data channel sustains a continual throughput of 100 Mbit/s, enabling cyclic telegrams to arrive in step with the controller scan. A cabling structure arranged in a star or tree layout lets nearby devices branch without external repeaters. During operation, the unit draws a maximum of 3 W, preserving enclosure thermal budgets in tight panels. The interface operates strictly synchronous to the POWERLINK cycle, so message timing is tied to the network slot issued by the managing node. Diagnostic visibility is supplied by one status LED plus two link LEDs that show frame activity and node state.

For plant-wide layouts, the embedded switch supports up to 10 hub levels between the managing node and the farthest device, and each copper segment may span 100 m without violating signal integrity. Its internal logic operates as a two-port hub, forwarding frames in hardware to keep jitter low. System availability is guarded by a hardware and software watchdog that forces a port shutdown or module reset if frame timing or internal state moves outside preset limits.