New Products 1/2 – June 2024

Softing Industrial announces the presentation of its new “aplSwitch Field”. This state-of-the-art 16-port Ethernet-Advanced Physical Layer (Ethernet-APL) Field Switch with optional PROFIBUS PA proxy is designed for use in Zone 2 hazardous areas, and establishes seamless connectivity down to the field level. The “aplSwitch Field” offers easy integration into leading Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and Asset Management Systems (AMS) with 16 Ethernet-APL spur “2-WISE” ports, supporting PROFINET with Media Redundancy Protocol (MRP) ring topology.

Softing Industrial presents “plantPerfect Monitor”, an innovative solution for comprehensive condition monitoring of industrial communication networks and installed systems. “plantPerfect Monitor” provides centralized access to real-time and historical data. Through live inventory, it provides an overview of all installed PROFIBUS devices and monitors the status of all connected PROFIBUS devices, including PROFIBUS diagnostic messages. Version 1.00 is designed for use with Softing’s “smartLink HW-DP”. An extended version of the “plantPerfect Monitor” for status monitoring of PROFINET devices will launch in the fourth quarter of 2024, compatible with Softing’s “smartLink HW-PN”.

With the new PROmesh B16, Indu-Sol presents a new managed switch in the PROmesh series that has been specially developed for the requirements of modern industrial environments. This switch combines compactness and outstanding robustness in one device. With its 16 RJ45 ports, it is suitable for use in medium-sized fieldbus systems, such as those found in machine tool manufacturing. The switch is specially designed for international use and offers optimum support for PROFINET. The PROmesh B16 fulfills all the standard functionalities of a managed switch. These include port statistics, QoS, VLAN support and security functions such as port alerting.

In the field of automation, connecting different network protocols often presents a challenge, especially when robust, established systems like the CAN Bus are to be integrated into modern PROFINET environments. The PROFINET-to-CAN Gateway CAN-PN/2 from esd electronics is a key solution that allows these two worlds to be connected seamlessly, efficiently, and future-proof. The GSDML file is imported into the PROFINET configurator allowing users to configure the gateway easily and efficiently within their usual software environment. This seamless integration not only promotes easy handling but also a quick commissioning and a robust and version-secure connection between PROFINET and CAN networks.

u-blox has announced u-locate, a complete indoor positioning solution, based on Bluetooth LE AoA (Angle-of-Arrival). u-locate delivers positioning accuracy levels down to 10 centimeters while ensuring extended tag battery lifetimes at an affordable price point. u-locateHub, a positioning middleware, complies with the omlox global interoperability standard. By joining omlox, u-blox recognizes the importance of contributing to a growing ecosystem, and promoting global interoperability of positioning solutions.