Simple machine sections still run best on simple control. The 1.1 kW G115D Local I/O variant keeps the drive benefits — soft start, electronic protection, adjustable speed — and talks to the PLC the old way, through wires.

What does hardwired control cost today?

Roughly the same as a bus coupler, minus the coupler. The AB0 suffix takes 4 digital inputs and 2 DIO directly from PLC outputs, so the panel keeps one less network device and the commissioning checklist loses one network step. For fixed-speed or few-setpoint applications, the hardwired loop is the shortest path to a running motor.

Can it still protect the motor?

Better than a contactor can. Electronic overload, stall protection, overvoltage and undervoltage trips, and adjustable ramp times are all built in — and with 3.1 A rated output and 200% overload for 3 s, a 1.1 kW motor keeps its starting torque without oversizing the drive.