The C-TOP S is INOXPA's intelligent control head for automating hygienic process valves in food, beverage, dairy, and pharmaceutical production. It mounts directly onto the valve actuator and provides decentralized position feedback, solenoid actuation, and visual status indication — eliminating the need for separate sensor arrays, junction boxes, and PLC wiring for each valve on a skid.

How does the contactless Hall sensor position feedback work?

A linear array of Hall effect sensors embedded in the control unit detects the position of a magnet mounted on the valve stem. Because the measurement is contactless and magnetic, there is no mechanical wear, no coupling drift, and no sensitivity to condensation or product residue — common failure modes for mechanical limit switches in washdown environments. The system provides continuous position tracking across a stroke of up to 80 mm with ±0.8 mm accuracy on shafts up to 22 mm diameter, and the AUTOTUNE function automatically learns the valve's end positions with a single button press during commissioning.

Which communication protocols are available?

The C-TOP S is offered in three interface variants to match different control architectures. The 24 V DC digital I/O version provides PNP outputs and is compatible with any standard PLC discrete input card. The AS-Interface v3.0 variant connects directly to an AS-i bus with A/B addressing for up to 62 nodes, transmitting valve position and solenoid command bits over the same two-wire cable that supplies power. The IO-Link version adds bidirectional parameter access, diagnostics, and firmware update capability via the IO-Link protocol through an M12 connector — enabling condition monitoring and predictive maintenance integration without additional hardware. All three variants use push-in terminals for tool-free wiring and share the same mechanical footprint.

What visual feedback does the operator get at the valve?

A 360° LED ring encircles the control unit, visible from any angle on the production floor. Colors are configurable via DIP switch across blue, green, yellow, and orange, and can be mapped to valve position (open/closed), maintenance status, or fault conditions. This means an operator walking the line can assess the state of every automated valve at a glance without opening a control cabinet or checking an HMI screen.

How many solenoid valves can it accommodate?

The C-TOP S houses up to three integrated 3/2-way solenoid valves with manual override push-buttons, supporting single-acting (1 solenoid), double-acting (2 solenoids), and mixproof (3 solenoids) valve configurations. The compressed air supply connects via a G 1/8″ port for 8 mm tubing, individual service ports use G 1/8″ for 6 mm tubing, and exhausts route through a common G 1/8″ silencer. This integrated manifold eliminates external solenoid cabinets and the associated pneumatic tubing runs between the cabinet and each valve.