Industrial Communication · IO-Link Masters

IO-Link Masters & I/O Modules

IO-Link masters turn IO-Link slave devices (sensors, valves, drives) into nodes on an Industrial Ethernet network. The Norgren NC-series masters provide a gateway to PROFINET and EtherNet/IP, with modular standard building blocks so the I/O configuration can be tailored to the application. Diagnostics can pinpoint faults in the whole network quickly. NorTrade distributes the IMI Norgren NC range — IO-Link masters, configurable I/O modules and the accessories that go with them.

Request a quote

Single cable, full diagnosticsIO-Link replaces parallel I/O wiring with a single standard (unshielded) cable per device. The master forwards setpoint, actual value and parametrisation in both directions, and surfaces device-level diagnostics — pinpointing faults in seconds instead of hours.

Gateway to PROFINET / EtherNet/IPStandard building blocks bridge IO-Link to PROFINET and EtherNet/IP. The PLC sees IO-Link slaves as standard fieldbus devices, with no protocol conversion work in user code.

Modular and configurableI/O modules can be configured to the input and output requirement of the station — no need for over-specifying or under-specifying the master. Common building blocks across multiple stations simplify spares and engineering.

Available series

NC MP 4A4B

NC series IO-Link master

Datasheet (PDF) →

NC HA 8A5F

NC series configurable I/O module (IO-Link)

Datasheet (PDF) →

Frequently asked questions — IO-Link Masters

An IO-Link master is the gateway between IO-Link slave devices (sensors, valves, drives) and the plant fieldbus (typically PROFINET or EtherNet/IP). It powers and addresses the IO-Link slaves over a single standard (unshielded) cable, forwards process data both ways, and exposes device-level diagnostics to the PLC.

The NC series covers both protocols with dedicated part numbers: order NC-MP-… for PROFINET and NC-ME-… for EtherNet/IP. The choice is dictated by the plant's installed fieldbus standard — usually PROFINET in European auto / general industry, EtherNet/IP in North-American / Rockwell-PLC plants.

The 4A4B is the IO-Link master: 8 ports (4× Class A + 4× Class B), acting as the PROFINET / EtherNet/IP gateway. The 8A5F is a configurable I/O module (IO-Link device) with 8 ports and 16 configurable I/O — it connects to a Class A master port to collect simple inputs/outputs. They complement each other rather than compete.

Yes — IO-Link is a vendor-neutral standard (IEC 61131-9). NC-series masters work with any IO-Link slave (sensor, valve island, drive) from any vendor that publishes a compliant IODD file. The IODD file describes the slave to the master, and the master exposes the data to the PLC.