Seriplex Control Bus, developed in 1987 by Automated Process Control Inc., is a control network specifically intended for simple industrial control applications. Seriplex is most favored for simple devices such as push buttons, valves, contactors, and limit switches to the network. A single cable connects all the devices to save considerably on cabling costs. The total cable run is about 1500 m, while for other networks that is about 300 m.
Seriplex control schemes employ intelligent modules that provide a link between inputs and outputs, much like logic gates. This obviates the need for a supervisory processor. For supervisory control systems, the network is to be connected to a host processor via interface adapters.
Various topologies are available for connecting the intelligent modules to the Seriplex network via cables that provide for power for data and clock signals. Without address multiplexing, Seriplex can support 255 input bits and 255 output bits; sixteen 16-bit analog inputs and sixteen 16-bit analog outputs. With address multiplexing, the system can support 3840 input bits and 3840 output bits; two hundred forty 16-bit analog inputs and two hundred forty 16-bit analog outputs.
Seriplex bus can be configured to operate in both master–slave and peer-to-peer versions.