Product Description

ABB 2TLA020070R1100 — Pluto AS-i v2 Programmable Safety Controller, SIL 3 / PL e / Category 4

Safety PLCs occupy a specific and demanding engineering space. They are not general-purpose controllers with safety firmware bolted on — they are purpose-designed computing platforms where every input, output, and communication path is independently monitored, cross-checked, and certified under EN ISO 13849-1 and IEC 61508 at the highest achievable safety levels. The penalty for getting this wrong is not a process trip or a downtime event; it is a failure to stop a hazardous machine when a person enters the danger zone.

The 2TLA020070R1100 is ABB's Pluto AS-i v2 — a programmable safety controller from the Jokab Safety product family that achieves SIL 3, SILCL 3, Performance Level e (PLe), and Category 4 simultaneously. It integrates the Pluto safety peer bus, AS-i fieldbus (covering both safety and standard slaves in a single AS-i segment), Modbus ASCII communication, and 12 onboard I/O points into a compact 45 mm wide DIN rail housing. Programming is handled through ABB's Pluto Manager software using ladder logic with TÜV-approved safety function blocks.

Genuine ABB / Jokab Safety manufacture. New original, in box. In stock and available for immediate worldwide dispatch.

Technical Specifications

Parameter	Value
Catalog Number	2TLA020070R1100
Short Code	20-070-11
Product Name	Pluto AS-i v2
Product Family	Pluto (ABB Jokab Safety)
Function	Programmable Safety Controller (Safety PLC)
Safety Rating	SIL 3 / SILCL 3 (IEC 62061)
Performance Level	PL e (ISO 13849-1)
Category	Cat 4
Diagnostic Coverage	High
Supply Voltage	24V DC
Total Onboard I/O	12 (plus AS-i slave I/O)
Failsafe Inputs (I-type)	4
IQ Terminals (failsafe input or non-failsafe output)	4
Total Failsafe Inputs (max)	8
Failsafe Relay Outputs (Q0, Q1)	2 (individually switched)
Failsafe Transistor Outputs (Q2, Q3)	2 × 24V DC
Standard (Non-Failsafe) Outputs (max)	4
Analog Inputs	4 × (0–27V DC)
Counter Inputs	Up to 4 (shared with analog inputs; total analog + counter = 8 max)
StatusBus Inputs	4 (max)
AS-i Bus	Yes — safety slaves + standard slaves
Pluto Safety Bus	Yes — All-Master peer-to-peer
Modbus ASCII	Yes
Programming Software	Pluto Manager (PC-based, TÜV-approved function blocks)
Mounting	DIN rail (TH35)
Width	45 mm
Height	84 mm
Depth	120 mm
Weight	0.39 kg
Operating Temperature	–10°C to +50°C
Enclosure	IP20
Standards	ISO 13849-1, EN 62061, IEC 61508, IEC 61511-1, EN 50156-1, EN 60204-1, EN 50178, EN 61496-1
Customs Tariff Number	8536411090

The Pluto All-Master Concept: Why It Matters for System Architecture

Most safety PLC platforms follow a master-slave architecture: one central safety controller (the master) manages a network of remote expansion modules or safety I/O slaves that cannot make independent decisions and cannot communicate directly with each other. The Pluto platform takes a fundamentally different approach — every Pluto unit on the safety bus operates as a peer master, not a slave.

In a Pluto network, each controller continuously broadcasts the state of all its inputs and outputs onto the Pluto safety bus. Every other Pluto on the same bus reads and processes this data independently. The result is that any Pluto can see any other Pluto's input status, and can act on that information through its own outputs — without routing the command through a central master, and without the single point of failure that a central master architecture inherently creates.

For machine builders and system integrators, this has direct practical consequences. Multiple machines within the same production line can each have their own Pluto controller handling local safety logic, while simultaneously participating in a shared safety bus that allows one machine's emergency stop to propagate a controlled stop command to adjacent machines. Adding a new Pluto to the network does not require changes to the existing controller's program — it publishes its inputs to the bus, and existing Plutos can read them. The 2TLA020070R1100 Pluto AS-i v2 is fully peer-compatible with all other Pluto series units on the same bus segment.

AS-i Integration: Safety and Standard Slaves on One Cable

AS-Interface (Actuator Sensor Interface) is a two-wire bus designed for the lowest level of a control network — connecting binary sensors, actuators, emergency stop buttons, light curtains, and door interlocks back to a controller without the wiring costs of individual cable runs. The Pluto AS-i v2 integrates an AS-i master directly into the safety controller housing.

The critical distinction of the AS-i master in the 2TLA020070R1100 is that it handles both safety-rated AS-i slaves and standard AS-i slaves on the same AS-i segment. Safety AS-i slaves — for example, AS-i-connected emergency stop modules, safety mats, or two-hand controls — transmit their status using the AS-i Safety at Work (SaW) protocol, which provides the monitoring and cross-checking required for SIL 3 / PL e safety functions. Standard AS-i slaves — conventional sensors, pilot lights, solenoids — share the same cable at the same time, simply transmitting standard binary data without the safety protocol overhead.

This means a single AS-i cable from the Pluto AS-i v2 can carry both the safety signals from a guarding perimeter and the operational signals from status indicators and non-safety sensors, reducing cabling cost and cabinet complexity compared to running separate fieldbus segments for safety and non-safety devices.

I/O Architecture: I, IQ, and Q Terminals Explained

Understanding the three terminal types on the Pluto platform is essential for correct wiring and programming.

I-terminals (failsafe inputs) are pure input channels. They monitor the state of safety devices — emergency stops, safety switches, light curtain OSSDs, two-hand devices — using cross-channel monitoring to detect cable faults, short circuits between channels, and signal discrepancies. For two-channel safety devices, both channels are connected to individual I-terminals and the Pluto monitors both for consistent state. The 2TLA020070R1100 provides 4 dedicated I-terminals.

IQ-terminals are a distinctive feature of the Pluto platform. Each IQ-terminal can be configured as either a failsafe input or a non-failsafe output through Pluto Manager — the physical terminal is the same, and the role is defined in software at commissioning time. This flexibility allows the same hardware to adapt to different machine configurations without rewiring. When configured as an input, an IQ-terminal provides the same failsafe input monitoring as a standard I-terminal. When configured as a non-failsafe output, it provides a 24V DC switching output for non-safety actuation (indicator lamps, fans, solenoids). The Pluto AS-i v2 provides 4 IQ-terminals, giving up to 8 total failsafe inputs when all IQ terminals are configured as inputs.

Q-terminals (failsafe outputs) are dedicated safety-rated outputs for directly controlling safety-critical actuators. The 2TLA020070R1100 provides 2 failsafe relay outputs (Q0 and Q1, with individually switched contacts) and 2 failsafe transistor outputs (Q2 and Q3, 24V DC PNP). Relay outputs are used for final control elements such as contactor coils and safety valve solenoids. Transistor outputs are used for faster-switching applications and for driving safety relay modules. Both output types are individually monitored — the Pluto checks each output's actual state against the commanded state and generates a fault if they diverge.

Communication Architecture: Pluto Bus, AS-i, Modbus, StatusBus

Four communication channels operate simultaneously in the 2TLA020070R1100:

The Pluto safety bus connects Pluto controllers in a peer-to-peer safety network, broadcasting all I/O states between units at a cycle time fast enough to support SIL 3 safety functions. Up to 255 Pluto units can coexist on a single safety bus segment. Data transmission on the Pluto bus uses safety coding — each message is checked for integrity, and corrupted or missing messages cause the receiving Pluto to enter a defined safe state.

The AS-i bus connects distributed AS-i slaves — up to 62 standard slaves or 31 safety slaves per segment — using the two-wire AS-i cable. The Pluto AS-i v2 acts as the AS-i master, polling slaves and integrating their data into the safety program. Safety-relevant data from safety slaves is processed according to SaW protocol and is available to the Pluto safety logic at SIL 3 / PL e.

Modbus ASCII provides connectivity to supervisory systems — SCADA, HMI, or non-safety PLCs — that need to read Pluto status data, alarm states, or diagnostic information. Modbus ASCII is read-access only for safety-critical parameters; the host system can monitor but cannot override safety functions.

StatusBus is ABB Jokab Safety's proprietary data bus for connecting Pluto expansion modules and certain ABB safety devices that carry the StatusBus interface. Up to 4 StatusBus inputs are available on the 2TLA020070R1100, allowing selected ABB safety products to connect with simplified wiring while providing rich diagnostic data back to the Pluto.

Programming with Pluto Manager

Pluto Manager is ABB's PC-based development environment for the Pluto controller family. It operates on Windows and connects to the Pluto hardware via a USB or serial programming cable.

The programming language is ladder logic, consistent with IEC 61131-3 and familiar to engineers trained on conventional PLC platforms. What distinguishes Pluto Manager from standard PLC programming tools is the library of TÜV-approved safety function blocks — pre-validated logic blocks for common safety functions including two-hand control evaluation, safety gate monitoring, emergency stop with restart interlock, speed monitoring, and more. Using these validated blocks means the engineer does not need to independently calculate and document the safety function's PFH (probability of dangerous failure per hour) from scratch — the certification data is carried by the block itself.

Program download to the Pluto does not require a running PC connection during operation. Once downloaded, the program is stored in the Pluto's non-volatile memory and executes independently. Pluto Manager also provides real-time online monitoring — the logic can be observed live during commissioning with signal states visible in the ladder rungs, accelerating fault-finding and verification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between the Pluto AS-i v2 (2TLA020070R1100) and other Pluto models such as the Pluto B20 or Pluto B46?

A: The Pluto family shares the same safety bus and programming environment but differs in onboard I/O count and optional fieldbus interfaces. The Pluto AS-i v2 is specifically the model that includes the integrated AS-i master — it is the correct choice whenever AS-i-connected safety or standard devices need to be managed by the Pluto safety controller directly. The Pluto B20 and B46 are standalone Pluto units without a built-in AS-i master (though they can connect to an AS-i segment via a separate gateway if needed). The B20 has approximately 20 onboard I/O points; the B46 has 46 onboard I/O. For an application that combines local I/O and a distributed AS-i device network under a single safety controller, the Pluto AS-i v2 is the appropriate platform.

Q: Can the 2TLA020070R1100 connect to PROFIBUS, PROFINET, or EtherNet/IP?

A: Not directly — the 2TLA020070R1100's native communication is the Pluto safety bus, AS-i, Modbus ASCII, and StatusBus. For integration into PROFIBUS, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, CANopen, or DeviceNet networks, ABB provides separate Gateway units that connect to the Pluto safety bus and act as translation devices between the Pluto network and the target fieldbus. The Gateway approach maintains the integrity of the safety bus while making Pluto status and diagnostic data available to non-safety supervisory systems over the chosen industrial network.

Q: How many Pluto units can be connected on a single Pluto safety bus?

A: Up to 255 Pluto units can coexist on a single Pluto safety bus segment. Because the bus operates on the All-Master principle, each unit can read any other unit's I/O data — the system scales from a single standalone Pluto for a simple machine to a 255-node network covering an entire production line, all programmed through Pluto Manager and all operating at SIL 3 / PL e without architectural changes.

Q: What safety devices can be connected directly to the Pluto's I-inputs without any intermediate relay module?

A: Most market-standard safety devices connect directly. These include: two-channel emergency stop switches and mushroom heads, safety door switches with and without guard locking, two-hand control devices, enabling switches, safety mats and safety edges (two-channel), light curtain and safety light grid OSSD outputs, safety rope switches, and zero-speed monitors. The Pluto I-inputs accept both static contact inputs and dynamic OSSD outputs — OSSD signals from light curtains are filtered internally in Pluto, so no external OSSD compatibility module is required. Multiple safety devices can also be connected in series to a single Pluto input and still achieve the highest safety level, a feature that significantly reduces wiring cost on guards with multiple door points.

Q: What is the reaction time of the Pluto safety controller, and is it fast enough for Category 4 applications?

A: The Pluto safety bus cycle time is fast enough to support Category 4 / PL e / SIL 3 functions across the network. For safety functions that require the fastest possible reaction — for example, stopping a high-speed press — the local I/O on the 2TLA020070R1100 responds within one program scan cycle, which is typically well within the tolerable stopping time for most Category 4 machinery. For network-dependent functions, the Pluto bus adds one additional bus cycle to the reaction time. The actual achievable safety reaction time must be calculated for each specific application during the risk assessment and validated against the machine's stopping time, as required by EN ISO 13849-1.

Q: Does the Pluto AS-i v2 require any safety validation or certification beyond using the TÜV-approved function blocks?

A: The Pluto hardware is pre-certified to the stated safety levels, and the TÜV-approved function blocks carry their own validated PFH data. However, the complete safety function — from the safety sensor through the Pluto program to the actuator — must be validated as a system by the responsible person (typically the machine builder or system integrator). This involves calculating the achieved PL or SIL for the complete safety function using the PFH data for each component, documenting the validation in the machine's technical file, and functional testing of every safety function during commissioning. The Pluto platform and Pluto Manager are designed to simplify and support this validation process; they do not eliminate the responsibility of the safety engineer to carry it out.

Q: What programming cable and PC requirements are needed to program the 2TLA020070R1100?

A: Pluto Manager software runs on Windows PCs and communicates with the Pluto controller via a USB-to-serial or direct serial programming cable (available as a separate ABB accessory). No special licensed dongle is required for standard Pluto Manager use. The software is available from ABB's website and is updated periodically with new function blocks and hardware support. For on-site commissioning without a dedicated engineering PC, the Pluto can also execute a previously-downloaded program without any PC connection — the operational program is retained in non-volatile flash memory on power-down.

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