Product Description:

The EP2624-0002 is a field-installable relay I/O module from Beckhoff that belongs to the EP Digital Input Modules series. It is intended to sit close to sensors and actuators and forward status information or switch commands directly over the machine network, reducing cabinet wiring. In industrial automation lines, the module forms a rugged EtherCAT node that combines a sealed housing, standardized connectors, and integrated power distribution so production equipment can be expanded with additional digital points without adding separate terminal blocks or enclosure space.

Communication occurs through the EtherCAT protocol and reaches the module via two shielded M8 sockets that form the bus interface, enabling a daisy-chain topology. The electronics operate from a control circuit at 24 V DC and demand 200 mA of current during normal service. With outer dimensions of 30 × 126 × 26.5 mm, the block fits on narrow machine beams, yet its enclosure achieves IP65/IP66/IP67 ingress protection so water jets or airborne particles do not impair operation. These characteristics allow the module to be mounted directly in the process zone rather than inside a control cabinet.

Four relay channels provide the switching function, each implemented as 4 × make contacts accessible through an M12 × 1, 5-pin, A-coded output connector. Every contact can carry up to 0.5 A AC / 2 A DC for ohmic loads and is rated for a minimum load of 10 µA at 10 mV DC, so low-level sensor circuits can be handled without contact bounce. Nominal line levels of 25 V AC / 30 V DC are supported, and energy for the field side can be forwarded to subsequent modules by the integrated 4 A power feed-through. Durability is characterized by 2 × 10⁵ electrical cycles at 1 A / 30 V DC and 1 × 10⁸ mechanical cycles for ohmic, inductive, or lamp loads without additional contact conditioning.