Belden Expands IT/OT Portfolio With New Connectivity Products

Belden has expanded its IT/OT connectivity portfolio with a broad range of new and expanded products spanning industrial networking, sensor connectivity, wireless management, fiber infrastructure, and life-safety systems. The additions include LioN-X IO-Link Analog Hubs for connecting existing analog sensors, new Hirschmann Ethernet switch configurations, ProSoft HART connectivity, centralized wireless network management, high-density fiber hardware, and Safe-T-Line fire and emergency communication cabling. Together, the releases address diverse infrastructure needs across manufacturing, energy, transportation, data centers, and other industrial environments.

Connecting Analog Devices to IO-Link

The new Belden LioN-X IO-Link Analog Hubs let you bring existing analog sensors onto an IO-Link network without replacing the sensors. Each hub has four configurable analog ports for voltage, current, resistance, or thermocouple inputs, plus eight digital inputs.

Belden LioN-X IO-Link Analog Hubs connect analog and digital sensors to IO-Link networks. Image used courtesy of Belden

The hubs are powered over IO-Link, eliminating the need for a separate power supply or M12 L-coded power connection. They are compatible with any IO-Link master and use an IP67/IP69K-rated zinc die-cast housing for operation from -40°C to +70°C. For machine builders, the main benefit is combining mixed analog and digital signals at the machine before sending the data through an IO-Link master.

More Options for Industrial Ethernet

Belden also expanded its Hirschmann switching portfolio. The GREYHOUND GRS2000 now has a low-voltage DC power option that can be configured with single or redundant supplies. This lets the switch run directly on the DC power available at substations, trackside installations, and process facilities without a separate converter.

Belden’s latest portfolio additions expand industrial Ethernet switching and IT/OT network connectivity with the GRS2000 platform and the MTS2608/MTS2708 switches. Images used courtesy of Belden

The GRS2000 platform supports up to 34 configurable ports and 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP uplinks. It also supports PTPv2 and HSR for zero-switchover-time redundancy. The new power option provides another configuration for existing GRS2000 applications and offers a migration path from Hirschmann MACH1000 and GRS1020/30 switches.

Belden is also expanding availability of the Hirschmann IT MTS2608 and MTS2708 switches to the Americas and EMEA. These eight-port Gigabit Ethernet managed switches target IT/OT convergence in manufacturing, energy, and transportation networks. Both include four 10G SFP+ uplinks and ERPS ring redundancy, while the MTS2708 adds 802.3at PoE+ with a 125 W power budget.

HART, Wireless and Fiber Additions

The ProSoft PLX51-HART-8I provides eight isolated HART channels and connects them to EtherNet/IP or Modbus networks. It can connect up to 64 field devices to a control system, allowing plants with larger HART installations to reduce the number of separate gateways installed in a control panel.

Belden’s latest additions include their ACX fiber panel for high-density fiber infrastructure, the ProSoft PLX51-HART-8I gateway for HART connectivity, and Belden Wireless Orchestration software for wireless network management. Images used courtesy of Belden

Belden Wireless Orchestration addresses another part of the network. The software-based WLAN controller provides a single dashboard to manage Belden enterprise and industrial wireless access points and apply common security policies across them.

For data centers, Belden introduced the ACX 4U Panel and 12 Port MPO Adaptor Strip for the APAC market. The system supports preterminated and splice applications and provides up to 384 fibers and 192 MPO-12/8 ports in a 4U enclosure.

Expanding Life-Safety Cabling

Belden's Safe-T-Line portfolio has also expanded to include CPR Cca (s1b, d1, a1) and EN 50200 PH120-certified cables. Shielded and unshielded versions are available for fire alarm, evacuation, and emergency communication systems that require circuit integrity during a fire.

Belden Safe-T-Line cables provide circuit integrity for fire alarm and emergency communication systems. Image used courtesy of Belden

Belden’s latest releases cover several parts of industrial infrastructure. The additions include new options for connecting analog sensors, managing wireless networks, expanding Ethernet networks, handling HART devices, increasing fiber density, and supporting life-safety systems. Overall, it’s a fairly broad update to Belden’s IT and OT portfolio, with each product addressing a different part of the network.