Application Note
6 min read
December 2025
Eliminating the Field Cabinet: A Guide to IP67 Distributed I/O Architecture
Decowell Applications Team
Decowell Engineering
Quick answer
IP67 remote I/O can remove a local I/O enclosure when the selected block, sealed connectors, cables, power distribution and environmental conditions all meet the documented requirements. It does not eliminate engineering for washdown chemicals, mechanical protection, grounding, voltage drop or safe maintenance access.
Best suited for
- Sensors and actuators distributed over a machine where sealed M12 connectivity is practical
- Layouts where shorter field cabling and local diagnostics reduce cabinet wiring
Not recommended for
- Open connectors, unsupported cleaning chemicals or environmental exposure outside the manual
- Long power runs without voltage-drop and current calculations
Selection steps
- Survey the real environment — Record water, dust, cleaning agents, temperature, vibration and impact exposure.
- Map each connector — Define network, power, digital and IO-Link ports with caps for every unused connector.
- Calculate distributed power — Check current per port/segment and voltage drop to the farthest block.
- Plan service access — Place blocks where technicians can identify, isolate and replace them safely.
- Validate on the machine — Perform ingress, communication and fault-recovery checks under actual operating conditions.
Evidence and verification
SD IP67 product positioning and model options are checked against the published catalog.
SD Series IP67 IO-Link CatalogVerified 2026-08-26Valid until 2027-08-26
Installation and connector conditions are checked against the SD user manual.
SD Series IP67 IO-Link User ManualVerified 2026-08-26Valid until 2027-08-26
Technically reviewed by: Decowell Application Engineering Team2026-08-26v2.0
The traditional approach to industrial wiring involves large, centralized control cabinets. However, modern "on-machine" I/O solutions are changing the game.
### Why Eliminate the Cabinet?
Centralized cabinets require long cable runs, expensive enclosures, and complex thermal management. By moving the I/O directly onto the machine using IP67-rated modules like the Decowell SD Series, you can significantly reduce these costs.
### The SD Series Advantage
Our SD Series modules are fully encapsulated and resistant to dust, water, and mechanical vibration. They can be mounted directly on the machine frame, closer to the sensors and actuators. This reduces cable lengths, minimizes signal interference, and speeds up installation time.
### Impact on Maintenance
With distributed I/O, troubleshooting becomes much simpler. Status LEDs are visible directly on the machine, allowing maintenance teams to identify faulty sensors or modules without opening a single cabinet door.
#IP67#SD Series#Machine Design#Cost Reduction