Product Description:

The KL6001-0000 is a serial interface terminal manufactured by Beckhoff within the KL Analog Input Modules series. Mounted in a KL terminal string, it connects to the K-bus of a Bus Coupler or Embedded PC and forms an RS-232 node for sensors, barcode scanners, or metering instruments. By translating incoming and outgoing serial telegrams into the controller’s process image, the terminal allows legacy point-to-point devices to participate in the same deterministic scan cycle that serves conventional digital and analog I/O, an advantage when older equipment must be retained in automated lines.

At power-up the terminal operates at a default speed of 9600 baud, matching many common field instruments. The preset frame of 8 data bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit eliminates additional configuration before communication begins. Data flow moves through two channels (TxD and RxD) in a Full duplex scheme, so transmission and reception proceed concurrently. Hardware flow control is handled by RTS/CTS handshaking, which pauses the sender when the receiver’s queue nears capacity. Internal memory supports deterministic servicing; the receive FIFO stores 128 bytes, while the transmit buffer holds 16 bytes. Together these resources prevent character loss during bursts and reduce interrupt overhead for the host CPU.

For cabinet installation the terminal sustains reliable signaling over cables up to 15 m. Its housing measures 12 x 100 x 68 mm and snaps onto a 35 mm DIN rail alongside other KL modules without exceeding standard slot width. With a protection rating of IP20, the unit is intended for enclosed panels and draws only 55 mA from the backplane, minimizing load on the power budget. K-bus feed provides both logic voltage and communication; three 8-bit status bytes plus a single 8-bit control byte are exchanged each cycle, ensuring the PLC has immediate access to the latest serial data without auxiliary wiring.