November 2025 Product Roundup: Networking

Products from Pepperl+Fuchs, Yokogawa and more to help automation engineers with networking problems.

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Dec. 4, 2025

3 min read

Beckhoff EtherCAT Terminals

The new EL14xx and EL24xx EtherCAT terminals complement Beckhoff’s portfolio of digital I/O and combine proven core functions with a state-of-the-art circuit architecture. Recent hardware updates enable flexible configuration of logic in individual I/O terminals and add a configurable input filter. The EL14xx and EL24xx EtherCAT Terminal series have seven different I/O configurations: EL1409: 16-channel digital input, 24V DC, input filter 3 ms, positive switching; EL1489: 16-channel digital input, 24V DC, input filter 3 ms, ground switching; EL1429: 16-channel digital input, 24V DC, input filter 3 ms, positive/ground switching; EL1417: 32-channel digital input, 24V DC, adjustable, positive switching; EL2409: 16-channel digital output, 24V DC, 0.5 A, positive switching; EL2489: 16-channel digital output, 24V DC, 0.5 A, ground switching; EL2407: 32-channel digital output, 24V DC, 0.5 A, positive switching.

Pepperl + Fuchs Serial Gateways

The DeviceMaster serial gateways enable fast integration of serial devices into Ethernet-based fieldbus systems. With a single gateway, communication with many serial devices can be supported at the same time using a combination of RS-232, RS-422 and RS-485 serial communication protocols. An integrated web server allows easy configuration of network settings and port parameters while Windows and Linux drivers support PC-based applications. DeviceMaster servers and gateways are available with one to 32 serial ports with DB9 or terminal block connectors for DIN rail, panel and rack mounting. They support RS-232/422/485, Modbus RTU and ASCII for device connectivity and Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP and Profinet for interfacing with PLCs and industrial Ethernet networks.

SoftPLC Controller Communication Migration

Rockwell Automation has discontinued PLC-5, SLC-500, most MicroLogix and RIO/DH+ products. SoftPLC provides low-risk upgrade paths for machines with obsolete Allen-Bradley PLC controls. SoftPLC Gateways can interface a new Rockwell or other brand PLC with RIO/DH+ devices or interface an obsolete Rockwell PLC with new peripheral devices such as HMIs, drives, robots and scales. Users can decide which parts of the system to change and which to retrofit later.

Yokogawa Electric Information Server

Yokogawa Electric Corporation has released the latest version of its OpreX Collaborative Information Server (CI Server). This server brings together large volumes of data from various plant equipment and systems to enable the optimized management of production activities across an entire enterprise, and provide the environment needed to remotely monitor and manage operations from any location. Key features include: a CI Gateway component for the relay of plant data to assemble higher-level applications and to make it easier to deploy OpreX CI Server as a dedicated gateway; support for RESTful API for applications such as developing a general-purpose web browser-based KPI dashboard that aggregates and displays data from various systems; and an enhanced IEC 61850 communication driver, enabling users to select safer interactive operations in place of operations that previously were executed automatically.