UK companies join AS-Interface Expert Alliance

Wago and cable distributor Belcom have become the latest UK companies to join the AS-Interface Expert Alliance, which was launched to provide free support to the AS-Interface end user community.

Wago and cable distributor Belcom have become the latest UK companies to join the AS-Interface Expert Alliance, which was launched to provide free support to the AS-Interface end user community.

AS-Interface UK Chairman Geoff Hodgkinson said that the new members strengthen the value of the Expert Alliance concept.

"We now have two highly respected new companies on board", he said, "considerably extending the wealth of experience available to answer questions about choosing and using AS-Interface products".

He continued: "Wago is going to be a big player in the AS-Interface world because of its new slave I/O capability while Belcom represents Leoni Special Cables, which is one of the main suppliers of the new AS-Interface cabling system for cabinet wiring".

"That cable offers far simpler and tidier wiring of panel switches and indicators which conform to the latest AS-Interface SW format, reducing costs and improving commissioning times".

The AS-Interface Expert Alliance is focused on a free-phone number which can be used to pose questions about AS-Interface technology across a range of subjects including "core technology", "process automation", "connectivity", "machine safety" and "application/integration".

On receipt of the question, an expert from one of those areas will be delegated to provide an answer.

Anyone can take advantage of the number.

The service is entirely free and all advice and guidance is non-vendor-specific and free of obligation.

One subject that Expert Alliance callers are expected to want more information about is AS-interface Version 3, which extends the functionality of ASi devices in a number of directions, including slave parameterisation on the fly, synchronised output switching and better diagnostics.

Chairman Geoff Hodgkinson commented: "We have some of the world's best experts on AS-Interface as members in the UK".

"We also have a group of UK-based companies who know the market here extremely well, including connectivity, integration and application experts".

"The advice they can offer is uniquely focused on the UK market".

Members of the Expert Alliance are: Belcom, Burkert Flow Control, Bihl + Wiedemann, Fortress Interlocks, Functional Safety Engineeering, IMI Norgren, Johnson Mathey, Kinetrol, Manchester Metropolitan University, Siemens, Sigmapi, Tyco Valves and Controls and Wago.

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