The Italian multinational group specialised in the design and production of sensors, industrial process control systems, electric drives and automation components, Gefran, introduces GRP-H, the first range of single-phase solid-state relays with IO-Link digital communication protocol on the market. The GRP-H series, an evolution of the GRS-H series which belongs to the innovative GR platform dedicated to SSRs, extends the functions for the control of electrical resistance in industrial heating and integrates even more advanced diagnostics for the early detection of any partial load break.

“The GRP-Hs are the first solid state relays with an architecture based on the open IO-Link standard for sensors and actuators. Furthermore, like the GRS-H, they are characterised by a robust, ultra-compact design and modularity, ensured by current range from 15A to 120 A”, commented Paolo Buzzi, Gefran's Controllers & Power Controllers Marketing Manager.

In detail, the IO-Link protocol allows the integration of GRP-H relays in automation architectures and the exchange of multiple data, such as operating hours or current and temperature peaks, in favour of predictive maintenance. It also allows for simplified and foolproof wiring.

From a diagnostic point of view, the range stands out for its extreme accuracy in detecting partial breaking of the load, which guarantees the partial load break detection up to 1/8 of the total load. This is an essential requirement in certain fields of application such as packaging, where temperature is a fundamental parameter. The GRP-H SSRs also include a number of auxiliary control features, from the simplest linear resistive loads to non-linear resistive loads such as infrared (IR) lamps, with advanced firing modes: Zero Crossing, Burst Firing, Half Single Cycle and Phase angle. A further distinctive element of the series is the Soft Start function, useful for heating elements such as infrared lamps, which are particularly sensitive during the preheating phases.

The new range is completed by the NFC App (Near Field Communication), available for Android and iOS devices, for a quick set up of the main parameters even in the field. Service calls are thus simplified: the App allows to read the SSR's configuration and sends the file to the service which is able to analyse it and possibly modify it, remotely. The new version is then sent directly to the App for download on the relay, making connection cables and configuration software on a PC superfluous. Also, among the guaranteed advantages is the ability to quickly duplicate the same configuration on different GRP-Hs without errors.

"The market entry of the GRP-H series represents an important step in our path towards the development of a scalable Solid State Relay platform with incremental performance. This is a platform that will be further enriched in 2022 and that will allow us to be confirmed as a reference player in industrial automation thanks to a modular, complete in terms of architecture and data driven offer, by means of the IO-Link communication standard", Paolo Buzzi concluded.