Modern smart factories need to quickly and remotely adjust a sensor’s electrical characteristics to minimize downtime and maximize throughput. The MAXREFDES177# IO-Link® reference design from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc., demonstrates the flexibility of the MAX22515 IO-Link transceiver, seamlessly configuring all modes of the MAX22000 software-configurable analog IO. This chipset provides flexibility with faster reconfiguration to reduce factory downtime.

Maxim Integrated’s chipset solution of MAX22000 and MAX22515 builds upon the benefits of IO-Link’s two-way universal interface. The IO-Link interface allows every IO-Link sensor, actuator, or IO expansion module to be interchangeable to a standard hardware interface. It also provides software-defined performance parameters and selectable analog input or output performance modes. These software-selectable capabilities are combined and demonstrated in the MAXREFDES177# IO-Link reference design.

IO-Link & Software-Configurable IO Products:

MAX22000: The software-configurable analog IO provides up to more than half the power savings and approximately half the size compared to the closest competitive solutions on the market. Key functions integrated include a 24-bit ADC analog input mode and an 18-bit DAC analog output mode, as well as operations over either a single 2-wire interface or a 4-wire resistance temperature detector (RTD)/thermocouple temperature measurement.

MAX22515: The MAX22515 is the industry’s smallest ±1.2kV/500Ω surge-protected, single channel IO-Link transceiver. It features high integration with protection diodes, auxiliary digital input, I²C or pin control, integrated oscillator, and selectable 3.3V or 5V LDO which help to provide high configurability and reduce SKU. It enables half the power dissipation due to low 2.2Ω or 2.65Ω (typ) C/Q driver on-resistance compared to the closest competitor, in the smallest 2.5mm x 2.0mm WLP package. It cuts the solution size up to 67 percent compared to the closest competitor and fits into small, space-constrained IO-Link sensors, or actuators.

Key Advantages

• Flexibility: Software-configurable IOs and the ability to adjust device parameters on-the-fly provide ways to dynamically optimize machine performance and reduce factory downtime.
• High Efficiency: MAX22000 and MAX22515 are optimized for power savings, using up to more than half the power savings for MAX22000 and half the power dissipation for MAX22515.
• Small Size: The MAX22515 provides the smallest IO-Link single channel footprint at 5mm² while the MAX22000 footprint is 86mm².

Availability and Pricing

• The MAX22000 is available at Maxim Integrated’s website, as well as authorized distributors; Pricing available upon request
• The MAX22515AWP+ and MAX22515AWP+T are available at Maxim Integrated’s website for $1.45 (1000-up, FOB USA); also available from authorized distributors
• The MAXREFDES177# reference design is available at Maxim Integrated’s website for $65
• The MAX22000EVKIT# evaluation kit is available at Maxim Integrated’s website for $135