In the field of process industry automation, the reliability, flexibility, and usability of the I/O subsystem directly affect the performance and return on investment of the entire control system. Emerson's DeltaV ™ The M series traditional I/O modules have become the core components of many process control systems due to their modular design, on-site installation capabilities, and high availability. This article is based on DeltaV ™ A comprehensive interpretation of the technical characteristics, hardware specifications, selection, and system integration of the M-series traditional I/O product data sheet.
Product Overview and Core Advantages
DeltaV ™ The M-series traditional I/O subsystem is designed for flexible on-site installation and can be directly deployed in areas close to on-site devices, significantly reducing the length of signal cables. Its core design philosophy revolves around modularity, plug and play, and investment protection, with specific advantages reflected in the following four aspects:
Reduce capital expenditures: The fully modular architecture allows users to gradually add I/O cards, carriers, and power supplies in increments of 4, 8, 16, or 32 channels according to actual needs. This' on-demand expansion 'model avoids overinvestment in the early stages. In addition, the I/O interface carrier can be directly installed in the on-site junction box, significantly reducing the equipment footprint and freeing up valuable control room space. By eliminating the need for intermediate terminal cabinets, cabinet and wiring costs have been further saved.
Shorten installation time and cost: All traditional I/O components adopt a plug-in design and can be installed with power on. Users can pre install I/O interface carriers and insert I/O cards when needed to achieve phased deployment. The unique I/O function key mechanism ensures the correct matching of the card with the corresponding terminal block, eliminating the possibility of incorrect insertion and greatly improving installation efficiency and safety.
Improve productivity: The system supports adding new I/O interfaces online without interrupting the running process. The DeltaV browser can automatically recognize new hardware and allocate basic configurations, simplifying the system expansion process.
Improve process availability: Supports 1:1 redundant configuration, and redundant and non redundant use the same type of card without the need for additional spare parts. The system automatically recognizes redundant pairs and switches to the backup card without disturbance when the main card fails. The switching process has minimal impact on the on-site execution mechanism (when switching between analog outputs, both cards are driven simultaneously<5ms). The hardware alarm mechanism will automatically report the health status and switching events of the primary and backup cards, facilitating timely response by operation and maintenance personnel.
System composition and hardware structure
DeltaV ™ The M-series traditional I/O subsystem consists of the following core components:
I/O interface carrier: installed on a DIN rail as the basic platform for all I/O components, providing power bus and communication backplane.
I/O interface: composed of I/O cards and I/O terminal blocks. The two ensure a unique match through function keys.
I/O cards: covering various signal types such as analog and discrete signals, adopting a unified external packaging and hot swappable. The card panel clearly identifies the type and is equipped with LED indicators for power, internal errors, and channel status. All cards are made of high-quality electronic components and coated with three proof paint, meeting the ISA G3 corrosive gas standard.
I/O terminal block: Provides on-site signal wiring interface, supports multiple wiring methods (such as 2-wire, 3-wire, 4-wire) and fuse options. Some terminal blocks have built-in cold junction compensation (CJC) for thermocouple signals.

Detailed Explanation of I/O Card Technical Specifications
DeltaV ™ The M series offers a wide range of I/O cards to meet different application requirements. All cards support wide temperature operation from -40 to 70 ℃, with high precision and high isolation characteristics.
3.1 Analog input card
8-channel 4-20mA HART input card: Each channel is optically isolated and tested for a voltage resistance of 1500V DC. Accuracy of 0.1%, resolution of 16 bits, support for transparent transmission of HART protocol, convenient for AMS device management. Optional 2.0A fuse.
16 channel 4-20mA HART input card (Plus type): With higher channel density, it also has optical isolation and HART communication. Accuracy 0.2%, supports redundant configuration, maximum on-site power supply 500mA@24V DC。
8-channel RTD input card: supports 2/3/4 wire RTD (Pt100, Pt200, Pt500, Ni120, Cu10) and resistance measurement. Excitation current of 100 μ A, 16 bit resolution. User defined RTDs can be linearized using the Callendar Van Dusen equation.
8-channel thermocouple/mV input card: supports B, E, J, K, N, R, S, T-type thermocouples and millivolt signals. Each channel is isolated with built-in or external cold end compensation. Open circuit detection current<70nA.