Optical Data Couplers for 100Mbit/s Transfer
Pepperl+Fuchs LS680

Data transfer with full fast Ethernet bandwidth of 100 Mbit/s.

LS680-DA series optical data couplers from Pepperl+Fuchs are the first couplers on the market that can achieve a full fast Ethernet bandwidth of 100 Mbit/s, even over distances up to 150 m. They are up to fifty times faster than all other devices currently available on the market.

For the first time , it is possible to transfer data via a fast Ethernet connection using an optical data coupler and actually utilize the full bandwidth. With the protocol-free transfer, the devices are suitable for both TCP/IP as well as industrial Ethernet dialects, such as PROFINET or EtherNet/IP.

Pepperl+Fuchs introduces LS680 Series Optical Data Couplers which offer speeds from 33 up to 50 times faster than before!

The Pepperl + Fuchs LS680 is capable of transmitting signals, such as live video and other communication information, that were previously unavailable in material handling applications. Additionally, the LS680 has no operating controls such as push buttons, switches, or potentiometers, and requires no programming, making it a true tamper-proof, plug-and-play solution.

The LS680 optical data transmitter transmits protocol-free, meaning various industrial Ethernet topologies such as Ethernet IP, PROFINET, and TCP/IP can all be transmitted on the same product without changing a thing. It transmits signals from 0 meters to 150 meters, with a 180 meter threshold distance. It transmits data consistently at a rate of 100 MBit/s via a 100 Base-TX interface.

The Pepperl + Fuchs LS680 optical data coupler acts a “virtual cable” that replaces a physical Ethernet cable, which has inherent mechanical limitations such as inflexibility and wear and tear, and electrical limitations such as susceptibility to noise.

Quick-disconnect connectors enable faster set-up than terminal-type connectivity. Diagnostic and status LEDs, such as a bar graph LED display, simplify troubleshooting and indicate the quality of the optical signal. The LS680 also features a wide and forgiving beam angle, and two built-in alignment LEDs, making alignment quick and easy.

The LS680 is designed to aid in the positioning of moving stacker cranes / vehicles in Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) by relaying placement information from the stationary control system to the mobile vehicle controls. The LS680 can also send images from a camera on a high-bay stacker crane, retrieve the location of pallet pick-ups on pallet transfer vehicles, and can also be used to transmit data in overhead monorail systems, mobile transport units, automated guided vehicles and carts, and material transfer systems.