IO-Link and IO-Link Wireless
Helmholz supplies IO-Link Wireless masters and bridges that bring IO-Link sensors and actuators on moving and hard-to-reach machine parts into PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and EtherCAT, and an edge IO-Link master that sends sensor data straight to MQTT and your own applications, plus design reviews and on-site troubleshooting.
- IO-Link Wireless according to IEC 61139-3, the standard of the IO-Link Community within PI
- IO-Link Wireless master for PROFINET, EtherNet/IP or EtherCAT: up to 16 devices on two tracks, from 5 ms per device
- Wireless bridge that turns a wired IO-Link Class A device into a wireless one
- sensorEDGE FIELD: 8 IO-Link ports, sensor data as MQTT messages and room for your own containers
- IP67 throughout, for mounting directly on the machine
- Design review, troubleshooting on site and advice
Go straight to: Wireless masters · Wireless bridge · Edge IO-Link master · Services · FAQ. Or see all infrastructure components.
Selection
Into the controller or alongside it?
Into the controller – the IO-Link Wireless master is an IO device in your PROFINET, EtherNet/IP or EtherCAT network. Sensor values and parameters arrive in the I/O area of the PLC, just like a wired IO-Link master. What you want when the sensors are part of the machine control.
Alongside the controller – the sensorEDGE FIELD connects to the Ethernet IT network and makes IO-Link data available as MQTT messages, without changes to the PLC program. What you want for condition monitoring, predictive maintenance or retrofitting existing machines.
IO-Link Wireless masters
An IO-Link Wireless master connects IO-Link devices by radio to your controller, where cables wear out or get in the way: on robots, grippers, rotating tables and tool changers. It works in the 2.4 GHz ISM band with frequency hopping and reaches up to 16 devices on two parallel tracks, with a cycle time from 5 ms per device.
IO-Link Wireless is an open standard, not a proprietary radio link. The IO-Link Community of PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) published the specification “IO-Link Wireless System Extensions” in 2018, and in November 2023 the IEC published it as international standard IEC 61139-3:2023, next to wired IO-Link in IEC 61131-9. Planning, commissioning and maintenance use the standard IO-Link tools and IODD files. Sources: PI press release · IO-Link Community.
The master is available in three versions with the same hardware and functions: choose the one that matches the network of your controller.
netFIELD IO-Link Wireless Master
Two tracks for up to 16 devices, 2x M12 D-coded, IP67, −25 to +70 °C. OPC UA server and MQTT client on board.
IO-Link Wireless bridge
The wireless bridge connects a standard wired IO-Link device to the IO-Link Wireless master and supplies it with power. Your existing IO-Link sensors and actuators stay as they are: the bridge sits directly on the device and only needs 24 V.
netFIELD IO-Link Wireless Bridge Class A
1912.103. For IO-Link Class A devices (IO-Link 1.1, M12 A-coded), pairing by push button, firmware update over the air, IP67, −25 to +60 °C.
Before you build
What we check when planning an IO-Link Wireless cell
- Range – point-to-point up to 10 m. Place the master centrally, for example on the robot base or the machine frame, with every bridge within that radius.
- Free view – the master is IP67, so it can be mounted outside the cabinet with a clear path to the devices, away from metal guards and cabinet doors.
- Other 2.4 GHz users – Wi-Fi and Bluetooth share the band. IO-Link Wireless uses frequency hopping; list the other radio systems in the cell before you start.
- Update time – compare the update time each device needs with the minimum of 5 ms per device.
- 24 V at every bridge – wireless replaces the data cable; plan a 24 V supply at each bridge, which then also powers the IO-Link device.
Edge IO-Link master
The sensorEDGE FIELD connects up to eight IO-Link sensors directly to an Ethernet IT network and publishes their data as MQTT messages. It recognises the connected sensors, fetches their IODD files from the IODDfinder and starts sending data, while the machine control keeps running as it is.
sensorEDGE FIELD
1915.231. 8 IO-Link Class A ports (M12 A-coded), Ethernet 10/100 Mbit/s (M12 D-coded), IP67, −25 to +60 °C. Quad-core 1.6 GHz ARM with containers for your own applications; IO-Link web configurator and IO-Link to MQTT converter included.
MQTT
Data already in the PLC?
Couplers and gateways that publish PLC data to an MQTT broker, plus the basics of MQTT.
Gateway selection tool
Find the right gateway or coupler
Choose two protocols and see which products connect them.
Services for IO-Link and the network behind it
Our network engineers see the whole chain: from the IO-Link device and the wireless link to the master, the PROFINET, EtherNet/IP or EtherCAT network and the controller.
Before you build
Network design review
We check your IO-Link Wireless layout and the network it connects to, give neutral advice or a second opinion, and explain the consequences of each choice.
When it fails
Troubleshooting on site
We measure the network, fix the cause and leave a report on what went wrong, the state of your network and how to keep it reliable.
Quick question
Advice by phone or online
Unsure whether wireless fits your application, or how to get IO-Link data to MQTT? Schedule a call with one of our engineers.
See all network services and our trainings.
Frequently asked questions
Your question not listed? Ask us directly. For questions about the network behind the master, see our PROFINET FAQ. The IO-Link and IO-Link Wireless specifications are available from the IO-Link Community of PI.
Planning and installation
What is IO-Link Wireless?
IO-Link Wireless is the wireless extension of IO-Link, specified by the IO-Link Community of PI and published by the IEC as international standard IEC 61139-3:2023. It transmits IO-Link communication by radio in the 2.4 GHz ISM band, using frequency hopping, and replaces the cable where cables wear out or get in the way, such as on robots, grippers and rotating tables. Devices keep working with standard IO-Link data, parameters and IODD files.
How many devices per wireless master?
Up to 16. The netFIELD IO-Link Wireless Master has two parallel transmission tracks and communicates with up to 16 IO-Link Wireless devices at the same time, with a minimum cycle time of 5 ms per device.
What range does IO-Link Wireless have?
Point-to-point communication reaches up to 10 m. Mount the master centrally, for example on the robot base or the machine frame, with a clear path to the devices.
Can my wired IO-Link sensors go wireless?
Yes. The netFIELD IO-Link Wireless Bridge Class A (1912.103) connects a wired IO-Link Class A device (IO-Link 1.1, M12 A-coded) to the wireless master and supplies it with power. The bridge needs a 24 V supply and is mounted on or near the device.
Does IO-Link Wireless work next to Wi-Fi?
IO-Link Wireless uses frequency hopping in the 2.4 GHz band, which it shares with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. List the other radio systems in the cell during planning, so the layout takes them into account. We check this in a design review.
Operation and integration
Which networks does the master support?
The netFIELD IO-Link Wireless Master is available as PROFINET IO-Device (1912.102), EtherNet/IP Adapter (1912.122) and EtherCAT Slave (1912.112), each with two M12 D-coded Ethernet ports. All versions also have an OPC UA server and an MQTT client for configuration and diagnostics.
How do I pair a wireless device?
The master has a scan mode that finds discoverable IO-Link Wireless devices. On the wireless bridge, pairing is started with a push button. Firmware updates for the bridge are installed over the air.
How do I configure IO-Link devices?
The wireless master is configured from your controller and its integrated web server, and the IO-Link devices with the IO-Link configuration tool IO-Link ET using their IODD files. The sensorEDGE FIELD fetches IODD files automatically from the IODDfinder and includes a web configurator.
How do I get IO-Link data to MQTT?
With the sensorEDGE FIELD (1915.231). It connects up to eight IO-Link sensors directly to the Ethernet IT network, recognises them automatically and publishes their data as MQTT messages, while the machine control keeps running as it is. Your own applications run on the device in containers.
Help with your IO-Link application
Taking IO-Link wireless on a robot, or bringing sensor data from existing machines to MQTT? Tell us which controller and devices you work with, and we will help you choose the right components or find the cause on site.