Secure wireless routers for remote sites.

Compact, rugged, secure wireless routers for demanding utility, infrastructure and transportation applications

A new range of industrial cellular wireless products designed to provide resilient data communications for remote sites has been launched by Westermo. The Merlin range of compact, rugged and secure cellular solutions has been specifically developed to support industrial IoT (IIoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions in demanding utility, infrastructure and transportation applications.

“An increasing desire to implement IIoT and M2M solutions at remote facilities creates a greater reliance on the availability of resilient, reliable and secure data networks,” explained Dermot Mannion, Product Manager,, Westermo. “The Merlin range of cellular wireless products will meet this requirement, supporting the most demanding industry applications, while providing the advanced functionality needed to maximise connectivity and reduce installation time without affecting security.”

The first Merlin products to be released are the 4600 series, which further strengthen Westermo’s existing range of industrial wireless routers. These four compact and feature-rich devices provide high-speed data network connectivity for demanding industrial, smart grid, and rail trackside applications. The routers meet the requirements of IEC 61850-3 Class 1 Medium Voltage substation and railway trackside EN 50121-4 standards.

The Merlin range has been designed to be easy to install and maintain. When coupled with Westermo’s zero touch deployment software Activator, the Merlin devices provide cost-effective, reliable and consistent onboarding within large-scale projects.

To achieve best-in-class cybersecurity, the Merlin 4600 series is equipped with a TPM (trusted platform module) chip that keeps cryptographic keys secure, while Secure Boot ensures that the routers boot using only software signed and trusted by Westermo. A set of cybersecurity tools is available as standard, including virtual private network (VPN) and stateful firewall support for data security and user authentication.

A built-in industrial gateway enables multiple devices, using different protocols, to be accessed via a common interface. For example, in a substation application with IEC-101, Modbus and DNP (distributed network protocol) devices, all three types can be presented via the SCADA system by a single IEC-104 or MMS (multiple messaging service) interface.

The Merlin 4600 series also supports six inputs and two outputs for local monitoring or control. The number of digital and analogue inputs and outputs can be increased using external I/O modules and the status of the internal or external I/O is accessible via the supported industrial communication protocols.

@WestermoUK @Westermo @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #IIoT #Communications

M2M wireless modules.

Anglia has significantly strengthened its M2M wireless offering with the signing of a Britain and Ireland distribution agreement with SIMCom Wireless Solutions *, suppliers of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) wireless modules and solutions.

Commenting, John Bowman, Marketing Director of Anglia, said, “SIMCom allows us to improve support for customers who are looking for cost effective, basic M2M or IoT functionality especially those still using the popular 2G networks. They also have products supporting access to the high performance 4G and 5G networks. This is a great addition to Anglia’s line card and complements our existing activities and portfolio of products. The engagement with a company of SIMCom’s stature and position in the market underlines Anglia’s commitment, strength and credibility in the M2M and IoT space”

Mr Nikola Balj, Business Development Director Western Europe at SIMCom added, “SIMCom is keen to offer customers in the UK and Ireland market the best possible access to our industry leading wireless technology platform modules and terminal level solutions. We believe that Anglia will be a great partner for us. They have shown an excellent understanding of our solutions and their customers’ needs and have very strong and well-established relationships with key accounts. We are looking forward to a successful partnership.”

* SIMCom is one of the world’s largest IoT wireless module manufacturers by number of units shipped according to ABI Research Inc. It has a range of modules covering 2G, 2G+GNSS Combo, 3G and 4G in standard form factors with sizes down to 17.6mm x 15.7mm allowing customers an easy migration path as they require more functionality or need to specify different modules for each territory. SIMCom also has modules to cover global network requirements and the new 5G standards as well as GPS and GNSS modules for tracking applications.

#PAuto #M2M #Wireless @angliaLive @simcom_m2m @NeeshamPR

Communications buyout to benefit IIoT.

HMS Industrial Networks has acquired all shares in the German company Beck IPC GmbH located in Wetzlar (D). Beck IPC is a leading provider of technology and solutions for embedded control and industrial M2M communication, including solutions for the Industrial Internet of Things, IIoT.

The base technology IPC@CHIP® is the core of Beck IPC’s product offering for industrial OEMs. With IPC@CHIP®, Beck offers a compact embedded programmable platform solution in the form factor of a chip. Tailormade for embedded IIoT applications, IPC@CHIP® can be used as a PLC, a communication controller or a combination of both, enabling OEMs to create IIoT solutions with reduced development efforts and fast time to market.

Beck IPC’s portfolio also includes the comprehensive com.tom® gateway series and the associated cloud portal. The com.tom® gateways form an extensive line of industrial networking and Edge gateways for IIoT applications, targeting factory and process automation. The cloud portal provides all elements needed to easily set up an industrial IoT application, where the com.tom® cloud broker manages all inbound and outbound data, including all configuration and security aspects.

“Beck IPC’s knowledge, hardware and software products for IIoT, especially within the embedded offering, are important building blocks to strengthen HMS’s strategy within IIoT,” says Staffan Dahlström, CEO of HMS Industrial Networks. “Beck IPC´s product and service portfolio complements our existing Anybus®, IXXAT® and eWON® solutions, and strengthens our position as a leading supplier of communication solutions for industrial applications.

“We are excited to be joining HMS. Thanks to our complementing technologies we will together be able to offer some really attractive solutions within IIoT, and HMS’s worldwide sales organization will ensure a global market reach,” says Thomas Schumacher, Managing Director of Beck IPC GmbH.

#IoT @hmsnetworks #PAuto 

Agreement fosters embedded and enterprise IoT devices.

Mouser Electronics has announced a global distribution agreement with VIA Technologies, Inc., a global leader in the development of highly integrated embedded platform and system solutions for machine-to-machine (M2M), Internet of Things (IoT), and smart city applications.

“We are excited about this agreement with Mouser Electronics, a company well-known for its worldwide distribution and support system,” said Richard Brown, Vice-President of International Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “By partnering with Mouser, we can capitalize on their expertise in delivering the newest technologies to engineers to expand our customer base around the world.”

The VIA product line, now available at Mouser Electronics, consists of a series of powerful, highly integrated boards and modules that enable the rapid development of embedded system designs based on industry-standard PicoITX and ETX form factors. The VIA EPIA-P910 integrates the advanced performance of a 1.2GHz VIA Eden® X4 processor with a media system processor (MSP), and a rich set of inputs and outputs (I/O) and connectivity features, including two USB 3.0 ports, one Gigabit Ethernet port, one Mini HDMI port, and one VGA port. The VIA EPIA-M910 is available with a 1.2GHz VIA QuadCore E-Series (with fan) processor, 1.6GHz VIA Nano® X2 E-Series processor, or a fanless 1.0GHz VIA Eden X2 processor. The board also includes an MSP, onboard HDMI and VGA ports, two 18/24-bit LVDS connectors, dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, and support for up to eight USB 2.0 ports and eight COM ports. The VIA ETX-8X90 is a highly-integrated embedded multimedia module with native ISA/PCI support for legacy expansion cards and applications. Powered by a 1.2GHz VIA Nano X2 E-Series dual-core processor and VIA VX900 MSP, the board offers exceptional processing and multimedia performance and provides an easy upgrade path for existing ETX devices. The VIA VAB-600, VAB-820, and VAB-1000 Pico-ITX boards combine rich I/O connectivity with low power consumption to offer a choice of ultra-reliable, cost-efficient ARM platforms. The VAB-600 features an 800MHz processor, the VAB-820 a 1.0GHz quad core NXP system on chip (SoC), and the VAB-1000 a 1.0GHz dual core VIA Elite E1000 SoC. “VIA’s highly integrated solutions provide the flexible and reliable platforms that design engineers need to quickly create robust prototypes and speed time-to-market for embedded and enterprise IoT devices,” said Andy Kerr, Vice President, Supplier Management for Mouser Electronics. “Through this partnership, Mouser can bring VIA’s innovative platforms to an even broader range of customers worldwide.”  @MouserElecEU @VIAmkt #PAuto #M2M #IoT

Gateways/Routers for remote installations!

Westermo has expanded its range of industrial M2M 3G Gateways/Routers with the introduction of the MRD-305-DIN. This new cost effective device provides access to remotely located machines, SCADA systems, PLCs and HMIs using a wide variety of communication methods, eliminating the need for time-consuming site visits and providing a network infrastructure suitable for today’s 'always-on' society.

The MRD-305-DIN is suitable for a broad range of M2M applications ranging from securely connecting simple devices to each other or a server via a virtual private network, to simply providing a gateway to the internet for more intelligent systems. The MRD-305-DIN is designed for remote access across mobile networks, supporting many mobile standards including GSM, GPRS, 3G, EDGE, HSDPA and HSUPA, and compatible with any type of SIM card, such as static IP SIM, M2M SIM, or an off-the-shelf SIM. The MRD-305-DIN features a powerful connection manager that automatically, and without user-interaction, reconnects to the carrier network to ensure a constant connection to any remote asset.

As with all Westermo solutions, this compact device is suitable for demanding industrial applications that require reliable and resilient data communications. The device has a power input range of between 10 and 36 VDC and an operating temperature range of -40C to 70C. A built-in two-port Ethernet switch meets the majority of typical applications such as connecting a PLC and accompanying HMI, and enables easy integration.

The unit offers network protection from malicious eavesdroppers via encrypted communication tunnels (VPN), and features a simple, yet powerful, packet inspection firewall to prevent unauthorised access. Configuring the unit is very easy with the built-in web-interface. The device can also provide both management and monitoring via SMS. For example an SMS could be sent to start a VPN.

A lesson in communication!

European Automation publishes industry report on OPC UA

European Automation has published a special industry report about the importance of the machine to machine (M2M) communication protocol OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) in achieving Industry 4.0 goals. A comprehensive look at the benefits, achievements and future prospects of the industrial communication protocol, the report is available for download on European Automation’s website in the special reports section.

Developed by the Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control (OPC) Foundation, OPC UA is a set of industrial standards for the exchange of data between automation products from different vendors.

In the midst of Industry 4.0 - a revolution based on the rapid and automated communication between physical systems and virtual networks - the OPC standard is helping facilitate interoperability. This stems from the factory floor up to the office network.

European Automation's report looks at the benefits to end users, including reduced implementation costs, better security, scalability, platform independence and interoperability.

"OPC UA has been around for a while now, but it’s far from falling by the wayside of the rapidly advancing juggernaut that is the industrial automation industry,” explained Jonathan Wilkins, director at European Automation. "OPC UA is helping support industry trends, such as Industry 4.0, big data and the Internet of Things (IoT) by offering end users plug-and-play communications solutions.

"As we look at the ways in which industrial automation is rapidly advancing manufacturing systems, there is still a lot that the standard has to offer. Not to give too much away from the report, but we see OPC UA playing an essential role in the development of how products make their way through a production line and the ordering of replacement parts."      

Driving innovative business ideas and technologies in the IoT environment.

ADLINK Technology has been an active member of the globally represented M2M Alliance, a key driver for innovative business ideas and technologies in the IoT environment, since the beginning of last April (2015).

About M2M Alliance
With its 76 members in eleven countries M2M Alliance is the globally largest machine-to-machine industry association. The M2M Alliance regards itself as a platform and voice for vendors and users of M2M solutions. M2M Alliance’s primary objective is the promotion of M2M technologies and solutions. The association organizes the M2M Summit and publishes the annual yearbook M2M Journal and an email newsletter.

Since its foundation as the largest association of the machine-to-machine (M2M) industry, M2M Alliance regards itself as a platform and voice for vendors and users of M2M solutions. M2M Alliance’s primary objective is the promotion of M2M technologies and solutions. The alliance actively engages in the economic and technological concerns of its members and supports cooperation, networking and information exchange between industry sectors and enterprises. It helps members find ideal partners for hardware, software, integration and consulting in the M2M growth market.

According to Dirk Finstel, CEO EMEA at ADLINK Technology, the M2M Alliance offers its members a unique platform to exchange ideas and to present themselves to market leaders and trade visitors from around the world.

“Workshops and developer forums give participants the opportunity to learn about the latest developments and make valuable contacts to create the basis for new product and business ideas,” explained Finstel. “We see this as an essential platform to jointly promote M2M and the Internet of Things (IoT) to generate new possibilities for the industry and end users, as well. ADLINK and our customers will benefit from these new international resources.”

Eric Schneider, chairman of the M2M Alliance is pleased with this latest accession.

“We warmly welcome ADLINK Technology, another leading supplier of innovative M2M products and solutions in the embedded environment, as a new member of the M2M Alliance,” said Schneider. “It underlines the importance of our association and enhances the internal and external exchange of experience.”

Driving M2M sales in Europe!

New appointment brings 2G, 3G and GNSS module technology

Avnet Memec has been appointed as European distributor for Quectel, experts in M2M wireless modules. Quectel is expanding its sales channel network in Europe to drive growth of its M2M and Internet of Things business in the region.

Patrick Qian, CEO of Quectel said, “At Quectel we believe there is a huge growth potential in the M2M module market throughout Europe and Avnet Memec has demonstrated that it can make a significant contribution to driving that growth.”

He continued, “The whole team at Avnet Memec has shown they have a real understanding of the wireless modules market, particularly in M2M applications. Their strong relationships with European customers together with their impressive applications engineering support will enable us to increase market share and ensure our goals are achieved.”

Steve Haynes, president of Avnet Memec EMEA, responded, “Quectel is a pioneer in the wireless module industry and their state-of-the-art technology meets both current and future industry demands. This appointment gives us an outstanding portfolio of wireless technologies and enables us to support sophisticated wireless design including advancing M2M and Internet of Things applications.”

He added, “In addition to our usual first rate design support, our European partnership with Quectel brings the ability to offer comprehensive additional support to developers at all stages of the design process. These include, review and optimization of PCB/RF layout design, in-depth support on testing and analysis of the end-product to ensure on-time market entry for our customers.”

How to put M2M & IoT devices online easily using a WiFi module!

How next generation smart miniature WiFi modules can accelerate the design & development of IoT and M2M devices

The newest white paper from Econais,  “Next Generation Smart Miniature Wi-Fi Modules Accelerate IoT and M2M” is now available for free download from their whitepaper page.

“When should you specify an integrated WiFi module versus developing and building an in-house solution?” asks Alex Manos, CEO of Econais. “This white paper explains the advantages of using WiFi as the wireless connectivity medium, and shows how to add WiFi to your solutions – including technical considerations, as well as a step by step guide to connecting a device to the web.”

802.11 WiFi embedded wireless modules can simplify the development of products for the IoT and M2M markets. Embedded WiFi modules can make it quick, easy and inexpensive to get automation, data collection, and monitoring products onto the internet for home, business and industrial applications.

The new paradigm for IoT device development is a single chip solution that is plug-and-play out of the box. Smart wireless modules are available with integrated CPU, WiFi, and Cloud-Connectivity. These next generation modules come complete with libraries of included software and example code. The white paper explains how smart wireless modules can eliminate the need for driver development, provide ultra-low power consumption, and are highly cost competitive.

Finally, the white paper includes a detailed look at the compny's own development ecosystem and various module options.

Smart data company appoints British agent

RFI Engineering, has appointed Adaptive Modules Ltd as its distributor for the United Kingdom.

Adaptive Modules is upgrading its portfolio from subsystems to solutions for the fast growing professional M2M market. After thoroughly assessing the market and evaluating RFI Engineering’s solutions, Adaptive Modules decided to become the RFI Engineering distributor for Britain.

“It was important to find a company whose approach matches our own: a commitment to supply the best quality products, timely response and prompt delivery," explained Andrew Aslett, Managing Director of Adaptive Modules, recently. "RFI Engineering’s smart router product line brings cutting-edge wireless programmable data routers and remote management accessories in key vertical M2M market segments such as out–of-band management, smart grid connectivity, sensor networking and point of sale vending solutions.”

"We are impressed with the competence and know-how of Adaptive Modules in our field of business,” says Peter Calis, CEO of RFI Engineering. "We are happy to have teamed up with a capable company in the United Kingdom who will work closely with us to make a difference to the brand. As both producer and marketer of advanced data routing cellular technology and products, RFI Engineering is uniquely positioned in the M2M market.”