|
netXConnect
Industrial Networking News for the Americas
|
|
|
|
|
Learn How the Industrial Raspberry Pi Solves Automation Challenges
With the Raspberry Pi microcomputer making waves all around the world, it’s not surprising that Hilscher has launched an industrialized version. Despite its modest beginnings the original Raspberry Pi has evolved into a world-beating product family with features such as Linux, Docker and Node-RED offering unprecedented openness, transparency and simplicity. Plant engineers and operators soon realized it could be used in automation. However, the standard Raspberry PI is not “industrialized.” It lacks real-time communications, is not hardened and, most importantly, does not have adequate security for critical plant use. Hilscher’s industrialized version changes all that by adding dual real-time ports, flexible I/O and IEC 62343-capable security. It can handle basic I/O yet it’s powerful enough for IIoT edge computing. It’s fully Raspberry Pi 3 compatible too. Download the Pi Whitepaper. READ MORE
|
|
Chip Life-Cycle Guarantee is Key to Vendor Confidence
No-one wants to keep redesigning products just because CPUs and memory chips are obsoleted. But that’s the continual risk when semiconductor fabs have a lifetime of roughly eight years. Up to one third of design resources can be used just keeping a product on the market. Subsequent price rises and delivery delays can be fatal. So, Hilscher’s policy for its netX chip family has always been to guarantee supply for a minimum of 10 years, with an End-of-Life strategy of structured buying opportunities and component upgrades in support. This guarantee is constantly under review with current netX chips reaching well beyond the 10 years of support. READ MORE
|
CIP Security Takes Center Stage
Cyber-attacks are becoming common, with some highly publicized examples (think Stuxnet) showing up in recent times. Yet often we turn a blind eye in the hope that risks to our plants are either non-existent or will go away! “That thinking must change,” says Hilscher North America CEO Phil Marshall. Fortunately, enabling technologies are available to help. EtherNet/IP is among the first industrial communications protocol to have critical features added with CIP Security. Says Marshall: “With IEC 62443 now a critical factor in product design, I believe that in as little as 12 months CIP Security will become a byword throughout our industry. I urge everyone to react quickly. Our netX 90 communications controller chip was designed with security in mind and can support CIP Security right down to the device level.” READ MORE
|
|
Hilscher a Founding Member of the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance
for Digital Transformation
At a Hannover Fair press conference in April, Hilscher and other founding members announced the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance, a neutral organization aiming to accelerate the delivery of IIoT/Industry 4.0 automation solutions. The OI4 founders include Beckhoff, Endress+Hauser Group, Hilscher, ifm, KUKA, MULTIVAC and SAP SE. The alliance, which is open to all companies, is committed to creating a standardized and open ecosystem for operating highly automated factories and plants, including logistics and services. Hans-Jurgen Hilscher, Hilscher CEO (standing at right in picture) said: “Our customers can expect an open approach. For example, Hilscher solutions must be able to process several fieldbus technology standards.” OI4 members are designing what is known as an Open Industry 4.0 Framework, based on existing standards such as IO-Link, OPC UA and RAMI. READ MORE
|
Automation’s Unique Demands Will Shape Next-Gen IIoT Systems
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) shows promise for the generation and use of “big data” in automation, but it is delivering little, as of yet. This is partly because deployment costs are high and the benefits are not clear cut. It’s also because the concept is not well defined. But importantly, the unique demands of automation are not easily solved with commercial IoT solutions. These demands include real-time communications, bullet-proof cybersecurity, and the adoption of new and emerging standards, such as TSN, OPC UA and MQTT. Solutions exist today to deliver the promised IIoT benefits. But a better understanding all round of automation’s needs will help produce results. READ MORE
|
|
|
|
Using Industrial Raspberry Pi as a Device-to-Cloud Solution
Hilscher’s Industrial Raspberry Pi offers network connectivity for both real-time Ethernet and conventional Ethernet. This makes it ideal for gateway applications at the boundary of IT and OT networks – known as the “edge” – so it can contribute to the intelligent networking of machines and devices around the world via the Internet and the cloud. In this new technology briefing, and with special reference to six leading cloud service providers, Hilscher Product Manager Armin Beck, explains how the Industrial Raspberry Pi can effectively help in the Device-to-Cloud hierarchies demanded by next-generation IIoT systems.
READ MORE
|
|
Hilscher Sponsors OPC UA Seminars
Yet another key technology for the future of automation is OPC UA. This open standard is a means of communicating data over multiple networks with ease. It has the global backing of major automation vendors and users. Hilscher supports OPC UA in its communications chips, modules and IIoT gateways. Hilscher is proud to be one of the sponsors of a new series of OPC UA One Day Seminars held at cities through the U.S, including Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Philadelphia, Greenville, NC, Houston and Boston. Get more information about OPC UA Technology; Get more information about OPC UA Events.
|
TSN “On Demand” Webinar Co-Hosted by Hilscher
Another technology vital to the future of automation is Time Sensitive Networking (TSN), which is under development by the IEC. TSN adds a series of sub-standards to the basic Ethernet specification to enable multiple networks to be synchronized horizontally and vertically across an automation hierarchy so that everything operates to the same time schedule. Major industrial protocols are supporting the TSN development and each will upgrade their protocols to take advantage of the opportunities it brings. Hilscher’s netX 90 and netX 4000 chips are already conformant to the first phases of the standard and will be fully TSN compliant once the work is complete. A webinar organized by Putnam was recently co-hosted by Hilscher CEO Phil Marshall. It’s a great introduction to the TSN concepts and worth watching. It’s available “on demand” HERE.
|
|
|
Subscribe here to receive netXConnect
|
|
|