12 reviews

IOLITE® Rack (R8, R8R, R12)EtherCAT Data Acquisition and Real-Time Control System

Data acquisition and real-time control front-end system with dual EtherCAT buses for industrial testing applications. All-in-one solution for real-time control and feedback monitoring. Watch the IOLITE presentation video.

High Voltage

High Voltage

Strain and Stress

Strain and Stress

Quarter Bridge

Quarter Bridge

Half Bridge

Half Bridge

Full Bridge

Full Bridge

Thermocouple

Thermocouple

Digital IO

Digital IO

IEPE

IEPE

Charge

Charge

Current

Current

LVDT

LVDT

RTD

RTD

Resistance

Resistance

DSI compatible

DSI compatible

TEDS compatible

TEDS compatible

EtherCAT

EtherCAT

IP40

IP40

-10°C to +50°C

-10°C to +50°C

IOLITE® Rack (R8, R8R, R12) highlights

Dual EtherCAT Bus

IOLITE is equipped with two EtherCAT buses in parallel. The primary bus is used for full-speed buffered data acquisition to a PC computer hard drive. The secondary bus is mainly used for the real-time low-latency data feed to any 3rd party EtherCAT-based control system.

High-End Signal Conditioning

IOLITE data acquisition systems feature high-quality analog and digital amplifiers that offer excellent signal quality. The amplifiers use 24-bit ADCs with up to 20 kHz sampling rate, freely software selectable.

Multiple Chassis Option

IOLITE R12 aluminum chassis is compatible with 19'' rack cabinets. It can fit up to 12 I/O amplifier modules. IOLITE R8 and R8R are rugged aluminum-compatible chassis for field use and can fit up to 8 amplifier module cards.

Redundant Power Supply

IOLITE main frame chassis feature an integrated redundant power supply. This provides maximum system reliability for mission-critical applications.

Wide Operating Temperature Range

While IOLITE DAQ systems are labeled to run at -10°C ... 50°C, certain configurations can operate in the -40°C ... +85°C temperature range.

Great Price/Performance

IOLITE offers a great price/performance ratio and is suitable for testbed integration and various industrial applications.

Dewesoft quality and 7-year warranty

Enjoy our industry-leading 7-year warranty. Our data acquisition systems are made in Europe, utilizing only the highest build quality standards. We offer free and customer-focused technical support. Your investment into the Dewesoft solutions is protected for years ahead.

Software included

Every Dewesoft data acquisition system is bundled with award-winning DewesoftX data acquisition software. The software is easy to use but very rich and deep in functionality. All software updates are free forever with no hidden licensing or yearly maintenance fees.

Redundant EtherCAT Bus Systems

IOLITE data acquisition system is equipped with two fully independent EtherCAT bus systems that work in parallel. 

The Primary EtherCAT Bus

The primary bus is used for perfectly timed and synchronized data acquisition via DewesoftX data acquisition software. It connects via EtherCAT RJ45 cable to any PC running DewesoftX DAQ software and is able to stream any number of input and output channels at high-speed to the PC's hard drive. 

The Secondary EtherCAT Bus

The  secondary IOLITE EtherCAT bus can be used in two ways:

  1. Low latency front-end interface for any 3rd party EtherCAT compatible real-time controllers.

  2. Additional bus for redundant 3rd party data acquisition system in critical DAQ applications.

Merging data acquisition and real-time control

Historically, data acquisition and real-time control existed in different worlds, and there was no overlap. Controllers, including PLC systems, prioritized rapid response to events, and data recording was a secondary function. At the same time, data acquisition systems focused on recording speed, neglecting real-time control completely.

However, many applications require both functionalities. For example, test benches require precise signal conditioning and signal processing, along with real-time control. Integrating DAQ instruments and PLCs required redundant cabling, each dedicated to a specific signal.

The introduction of the Dewesoft EtherCat-based systems like OBSIDIAN, IOLITE, and SIRIUS RT changed the landscape by offering dual independent EtherCAT data buses. With this innovation, one bus could be used for high-speed, buffered data acquisition and the bus could send low-latency data to third-party controllers. 

With today’s Dewesoft instruments, only one data bus is needed between the PLC and the DAQ, drastically reducing cable complexity. This not only simplifies installation but also avoids unnecessary analog-to-digital hardware on the controller side. Dewesoft systems elegantly merge control and data acquisition, solving the integration of DAQ and real-time control once and for all.

This feature is available to any third-party controller software with EtherCAT master enabled. Dewesoft systems can easily command and control actuators, for example.

The days of requiring two independent systems are gone - Dewesoft does it all.

IOLITE® R12
19-inch Rack Cabinet Mount Chassis

IOLITE R12 aluminum chassis is compatible and can be mounted in any standard 19-inch rack cabinet. This is perfect for test-bed installations and high-channel-count data acquisition applications.

The IOLITE R12 chassis height is 3U and can host up to 12 IOLITE I/O modules.

The chassis offers IP30 environmental protection and can operate at -10 to 50 °C temperature. Some configuration variations allow operating from -40°C to 85°C. Please contact our local representative for the wide temperature option.

IOLITE® R8
Rugged Boxed Chassis

In addition to a 19-inch rack cabinet compatible chassis, the IOLITE DAQ system is also available in standalone closed aluminum chassis compatible with SIRIUS data acquisition instruments. IOLITE R8 offers IP40 environmental protection.

The IOLITE R8 chassis provides 8 slots for IOLITE input and output modules.

The IOLITE R8 chassis offers IP40 environmental protection and can operate at -10°C to 50 temperature. Some configuration variations allow operating from -40°C to 85°C. Please contact our local representative for the wide temperature option.

IOLITE® R8r
Rugged Fanless Boxed Chassis

IOLITE R8r chassis is even more ruggedized with passive cooling (fanless). It offers 8 slots for IOLITE rack DAQ modules. IOLITE R8r is designed for use in harsh, dusty environments. It can withstand high shock and vibration conditions.

The IOLITE R8r chassis is rated with IP50 environmental protection and can operate at -10°C to 50 temperature. Some configuration variations allow operating from -40°C to 85°C. Please contact our local representative for the wide temperature option.

Perfect Signal Conditioning

IOLITE offers high-end signal conditioning. With its range of input and output slots, you can measure voltage, current, strain, stress, vibration, sound, temperature, digital, counters, and more.

Proven high-quality data acquisition hardware combined with award-winning DewesoftX data acquisition software performs data collection without losing even a single sample. It also provides great data visualization and processing capabilities.

Data can be stored in a time-series database, and served to SCADA systems using standard interfaces such as OPC UA or XCP to truly support Industry 4.0 applications.

Off-the-shelf DewesoftX data acquisition software with a series of supported industry-standard interfaces makes IOLITE the perfect choice for even the most price-sensitive measurement and control tasks.

IOLITE® amplifier modules

See the overview of the available multi-channel amplifier module cards for the IOLITE® Rack data acquisition systems. Amplifier modules are compatible with all IOLITE® Rack main frame chassis and can be installed with a simple slide-in mechanism. All analog modules feature 24-bit ADC (analog-to-digital converter) resolution and 20 kS/s sampling rate. All amplifier settings are software selectable per every channel.

ModuleVoltageCurrentResistanceStrainIEPEChargePTxThermocouplePotentiometerLVDTDigital inputDigital outputTEDSExcitation
Multi-channel amplifier modules
8xACC
6xSTGDSIDSIDSIDSIDSI
8xSTGS
8xLV
8xLVe
16xLV
4xHV
8xLA
8xTH
8xTH-HS
8xRTD
8xRTD-HS
8xRTDp
32xDI
32xDO
8xDI-4xDO
4xCNTTTL
16xAO

*DSI = Dewesoft Sensor Interface. Learn more about DSI adapters.

See full IOLITE rack technical specifications for detailed specs about the IOLITE data acquisition systems and its amplifiers.

High-Channel-Count Applications

IOLITE data acquisition and control systems offer perfect and cost-efficient installation for high-channel-count applications. Systems can be daisy-chained together and can reach hundreds or even thousands of I/O channels. The channel count is only limited by the bandwidth limit. 

With Dewesoft NET configuration, systems can even be dislocated and distributed into several locations and act as one DAQ system controlled from the central control room.

With 19'' cabinet compatibility, IOLITE R12 systems can easily be installed in your existing cabinet infrastructure. 

Redundant Power Supply

IOLITE R8 and IOLITE R12 data acquisition systems are equipped with a redundant power supply completing the feature set for the ideal and reliable front-end system. 

If the primary power supply fails, the system will be powered by a secondary power supply without any interruption or system shutdown/restart.

Feedback Monitoring

What is really amazing is that the IOLITE DAQ system gives the operator the capability to acquire and monitor the data in daily operation as well as while tuning the control systems.

Apart from monitoring the input channels on the data acquisition bus, the system can also monitor the outputs from the controller. Let's say we regulate the switch-off valve by monitoring the pressure. Dewesoft can easily show the pressure signal as well as the digital output signal coming from the controller, all fully synchronized.

This allows the operator to prove that the control system is operating correctly every time.

Real-Life Application Example - Durability Testing

Automotive durability test benches require hundreds of input channels for very precise data acquisition. They need to record force, torque, linear or angular motion, and more. Everything must be acquired with high precision and fast sample rates

Typically, the data acquisition devices are connected to PLCs which control the tests via analog outputs. Each analog output from signal conditioning is connected to the PLC inputs. Hundreds of signals … hundreds of cables … long set-up times and lots of work to connect everything.

With the IOLITE DAQ and control system, only a single EtherCAT digital interface is required to capture all of this data in real-time and then perform actions via its analog, digital, or CAN outputs.

As a final touch, DewesoftX DAQ software monitors the performance of the real-time controller, making sure that the controller and actuators are working flawlessly.

IOLITE is perfect for Industry 4.0 automation, automotive test benches, aerospace component testing, structural monitoring, and alarming - just to name a few applications.

The dual bus technology is already recognized and used in the testing of the most advanced systems in the world, including testing a new rocket propulsion engine for the most powerful European rocket ever built.

SOFTWARE

Award-Winning Data Acquisition Software Included for Free

Dewesoft data acquisition systems are bundled with award-winning DewesoftX data acquisition software. It is the world's most advanced and easy-to-use data recording and signal processing software. Software and hardware work together like magic. It offers simplicity as well as deep functionality to tackle any test and measurement task.

And the best part? You get lifetime FREE software updates and technical support. Software is evolving all the time. New major releases are released every 3 months constantly adding new features, optimizations, and other improvements. There are no hidden costs and will remain free forever.

Plug and Play

Connecting the DAQ system and sensors could not be faster or easier. DewesoftX software will automatically detect the connected DAQ systems and TEDS-equipped sensors will configure the channel configuration automatically. Features like:

  • Hardware auto-detection.

  • Smart sensors.

  • Sensor database.

  • Advanced TEDS sensor support.

  • Built-in unit conversion.

  • Real-time signal preview.

  • Wiring schematics.

will make you ready for measurement in seconds. Spend less time configuring your DAQ hardware and be more productive. Time is money!

Measure and Store

Powerful storing capabilities with more than 500 MB/s sustained stream rates mean you can always store data at full speed and never again worry about losing data that could compromise your tests. DewesoftX storing features offer:

  • Real-time data acquisition.

  • Synchronized acquisition of analog, counter, video, GPS, CAN bus, and many other sources.

  • Advanced triggering and alarms.

  • Single or multi-file storage.

  • Remote and distributed network storing.

  • Automated test sequences.

Even if you store gigabytes of data, our innovative data file format​​​​​​​ will ensure you can reload and analyze your data as fast as in a blink of an eye.

Analyse and Publish

NVH, structural testing, power analysis, and more. Forget about using several complex software solutions to record and analyze your data. DewesoftX offers one-stop shop for all test and measurement tasks. Our software offers:

  • Online and offline mathematics.

  • Flexible real-time visual displays.

  • Synchronized video support.

  • PDF and Word reporting tools.

  • Data export to many standard file formats.

  • Unlimited FREE license seats to view and analyze stored data.

DewesoftX is designed with the mindset of a test engineer and offers a complete testing solution in a single software package that is easy and joy to use.

Lifetime Free Updates

We are offering no-bluff or hidden cost licensing model for our data acquisition software. A new major version is released every three months bringing new features, performance boosts, bugfixes, with no additional cost to you. All updates for our existing users are free forever.

Unlimited License Seats

Our licensing model offers unlimited seats for analysing the recorded data. The recorded data file will bundle the license. Simply share data file with your colleagues and they can download software for free and ready to fully analyze the data. No additional licenses are needed.

Free Technical Support

We are putting our customers first. Free worldwide technical support is available for our DAQ software and hardware. Our technical support team is responsive and will attend to every support request and solve it in the fastest possible manner. Local technical support in our local offices is also available for you at no extra cost.

Lovedby Many Engineers

Again, thanks for all of the new features that are being included in DewesoftX. It is already a fantastic product and deserves to become the Microsoft Word of data acquisition software.

We absolutely enjoy using the Dewesoft data acquisition equipment and its software. I think of it as the Porsche 911 of data acquisition (my dream car/our dream test equipment).

We recommend SIRIUS data acquisition system as a great unit to anyone that asks how we like it.

I wanted to personally write to you and tell you how impressed I am with Dewesoft products. The whole Dewesoft team impressed me as extremely happy, smart, and dedicated.

FAQFrequently asked questions

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