Alfa Laval ThinkTop® IO-Link boosts real-time data exchange and valve performance

Alfa Laval is introducing the Alfa Laval ThinkTop IO-Link, a new version of the company’s second-generation Alfa Laval ThinkTop V50 and V70 sensing and control units for hygienic valves. Inside the ThinkTop IO-Link is the Industry 4.0-ready communication protocol to enhance point-to-point communication between smart hygienic valves and advanced automation systems. This enables smarter, more agile valve control due to real-time data exchange, improved diagnostics and simplified configurability and control.

The new ThinkTop IO-Link valve sensing and control units support intelligent manufacturing as industries like the dairy, food, beverage industries through to home-personal care and pharmaceutical industries start to leverage Industry 4.0 technologies to improve quality, efficiency, safety and competitiveness.

“Suddenly it’s easier to capture, store, analyze and act upon meaningful data,” says René Stietz, Alfa Laval. “You get all the finesse of the newly reengineered Alfa Laval ThinkTop—and valuable benefits like more data, higher productivity and higher yields.”

As always, Alfa Laval brings evolutionary thinking to its valve sensing and control units and the ThinkTop IO-Link is no exception. Notable new features include: faster installation time due to convenient M12 connectors and automatic recording of the hygienic valve stroke duration; smarter time adjustments because priority can be assigned to critical data; data and process parameters can easily be changed from a remote automation system; and enhanced data storage, availability and analytics help improve operations.

Like the ThinkTop V50 and V70 series, the ThinkTop IO-Link covers all valve requirements and fit the Alfa Laval DV-ST, butterfly, single seat, double seat and special valves.

Find out more about the Alfa Laval ThinkTop IO-Link here.

About Alfa Laval 

Alfa Laval is active in the areas of Energy, Food, Water and Marine, offering its expertise, products and service to a wide range of industries in some 100 countries. The company is committed to optimizing processes and creating responsible growth. We drive progress, always going the extra mile to support customers in achieving their business goals and sustainability targets.

Alfa Laval’s innovative technologies are dedicated to purifying, refining and recycling material. They contribute to enhanced energy efficiency, improved heat recovery, responsible use of natural resources, better water treatment, and reduced emissions. Thereby not only accelerating success for our customers, but also for people and our planet. Making the world better, every day. It’s all about Advancing better™.

Alfa Laval has 17,200 employees. Annual sales in 2018 were SEK 40.7 billion (approx. EUR 4.0 billion). The company is listed on Nasdaq OMX.

www.alfalaval.com