Ultra-rugged connectivity for IIoT.

Ultra-robust Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) and USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity solutions have been released by Fischer Connectors. They are designed to meet the specific requirements of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications in rugged environments.

With the increase in sensor density, actuators and controllers in Industry 4.0 and IIoT operational settings, high power levels and massive amounts of data must be securely and efficiently managed through ultra-fast transmission lines with cables running over long distances. Miniature connectors and cables are needed to interconnect smaller and smaller devices and sensors in areas that are sometimes confined and hard to access. And connectivity must be ruggedized to resist shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, water and corrosion when exposed to demanding environmental and chemical conditions, both indoors and outdoors.

To address these challenges, Fischer Connectors has developed new high-speed data and power connectivity solutions combining Single Pair Ethernet and USB 3.2 Gen 2 high-speed protocols with the rugged, high-density and miniature features of its flagship product lines. They enable space-saving and cost-efficient integration in industrial automation and robotics, chemical plants, food processing, automotive production lines, outdoor sensing and unmanned systems.

The Single Pair Ethernet solutions from the Fischer Core and Fischer UltiMate™ Series allow for 1 Gbit/s data transfer per IEEE 802.3bp - 1000Base-T1. Exceptionally rugged by any market standards, they outperform other suppliers’ SPE solutions in terms of security, durability, as well as environmental and mechanical performance. Fischer SPE is compliant with MIL-STD norms (through Fischer UltiMate™) and offers 10,000 mating cycles, three locking mechanisms (push-pull, screw, quick-release), and hermetic sealing in addition to IP68/ IP69 ratings. SPE is also featured in the ultra-miniature Fischer MiniMax™ connector in ‘size 06’ (Ø 10 mm receptacle).

The demand for USB 3.0+ protocol is high in Industry 4.0 operations, as it offers high data transfer rates with low latency for IIoT control applications, nearly twice the power output than USB 2.0 (900 mA vs. 500 mA), better power efficiency due to lower consumption in idle state, and larger bandwidth. Fischer MiniMax™ connectors with USB 3.2 Gen 2 allow for 10 Gbit/s data transfer, offer additional power contacts up to 8 A, and are half the size of some competitor connectors with similar speed but no power.

To accompany its product release, Fischer Connectors has published a trend paper entitled “The Connectivity Challenge – Connecting Industry 4.0”. It describes three challenges facing OEM engineers designing IIoT applications, as well as three innovation practices addressing cybersecurity, global logistics and Edge/Cloud infrastructure.

The innovation-driven IIoT market is growing exponentially. With billions of smart sensors, computers and machines connected and operating across the Internet, experts expect an annual increase of over 20%, reaching CHF 1.5 trillion by 2030.

@FischerConnect @NapierPR #PAuto #IIoT

High speed connections!

LEMO has expanded its field-proven High-speed data transfer portfolio with the release of USB 3.1 and Single Pair Ethernet connectors.

This completes its existing USB 2.0 compliant portfolio with a new range of USB 3.1 connectors providing data transfer speed up to 10 Gb/s. Their state-of-the-art inserts ensure optimum shielding & absolute signal integrity. They are also equipped with a pair of USB 2.0 contacts to ensure backwards compatibility as well as a low voltage power contact.

LEMO is also extending its Ethernet compliant portfolio that includes 1000 Base-T4 & 10G Base-T4 compliant solutions with a new range of Single Pair Ethernet connectors providing data transfer speed up to 1 Gb/s. Proposed with either 1 or 2 High-speed SPE pairs, these miniature models ensure robust, safe and lasting compact integrations.

These new configurations for both USB 3.1 and Single Pair Ethernet guarantee high-quality and reliable High-speed interconnect solutions for both indoor and outdoor environments where absolute signal integrity is needed. They are available in LEMO field-proven B, K and T Series.

@LEMOConnectors @mepaxIntPR #PAuto #Communications

USB 3.0 improvement on USB 2.0.

The advantages of USB 3.0 technology compared to USB 2.0 in terms of transfer rates of up to 5 Gigabit leads to a significantly higher demand for this type of transfer method. The growing demand for universal interfaces connected by the way of USB cable and connector allows for the development and use of devices to be connected to most peripheral devices for simplicity and clearer imagery, especially in the field of real-time imaging for medical applications that require brilliant clear images.

"The precision of the manufacturing processes and the selection of impedance-relevant materials have a considerable influence on the transmission characteristics", says Marc Gerlatzek, product manager for the medical technology division at SAB Bröckskes GmbH & Co KG. "Through targeted signal integrity engineering and comparison with our documented empirical values from a large number of measurements, we ensure homogeneous transmission values over the entire cable length."

When designing USB 3.0 cable there are several challenges to consider for optimum performance and application compatibility. For example, for medical applications USB 3.0 cables should be lightweight, very flexible without memory effect to avoid kinking or craning. In addition, the cable should be autoclavable and flexible enough to be used with hand held devices. In order to ensure these characteristics, the choice of raw materials and manufacturing processes must be precisely coordinated. 

Asymmetries in cable can quickly lead to interferences due to differences in propagation time and signal radiation, while large process tolerances lead to mismatching and reflections. As a consequence, this can lead to transmission losses, distortion of the signal, runtime and data errors and ultimately to reduced image quality.

Length-dependent factors such as "voltage drop" or attenuation are limiting factors. Cable cross sections for increased power transmission are just as much a part of the requirement profile as are tolerated outer diameters.

In order to create or customize customer-specific specifications the cable specialist from Viersen rely on close customer contact. Once custom cable solutions are agreed upon cable manufacturers should guarantee exclusive manufacturing to dedicated production lines otherwise knowns as serial production to ensure from prototyping to mass production the manufactured process is controlled with no variances from separate production batches. Custom Cables with production minimums as low as 100 meters can be tested under real time conditions which enhances the experience between  customers and SAB specialists therefore addressing improvements and continuous success.

 @SAB_Broeckskes #Medical #Pauto

Rugged flash drive.

Fischer Connectors has launched the USB 3.0 version of its ultra-portable, miniature, lightweight and extremely tough Fischer Rugged Flash Drive. This memory stick has been specially designed for the safe transportation and storage of sensitive data in harsh environments.

The USB 3.0 Fischer Rugged Flash Drive is even faster, smaller and more user-friendly than the USB 2.0 product introduced to the market in 2011. The read speed is now up to five times faster; standard memory sizes are 32, 64 or 128 GB; the body is shorter; and, in order to guarantee secure access, it is now available not only with the Fischer UltiMateTM Series interface, but also with the Fischer MiniMaxTM Series interface. The activity LED is a further feature of the new product to improve usability.

Miniature – the size of a key ring – and lightweight, the Fischer Rugged Flash Drive has proven to be the durable solution for people on the go who need to download and securely transfer confidential data, images or videos from devices used in extreme environmental conditions or in hard-to-reach areas. It is perfectly adapted for applications where data security and confidentiality are critical, such as the defense and security, financial, medical, industrial, energy, underwater, motor and extreme sport sectors, e.g. for civil or military UAVs, ROVs, test & measure equipment or rugged computers.

Main technical specifications
• IP68 sealed even unmated
• Unique Fischer UltiMate (size 07) and MiniMax (size 08) interfaces
• Up to 100 MB/s read speed
• High speed USB 3.0
• Memory sizes: 32, 64, 128 GB
• Resists corrosion, vibration, shock and extreme temperatures

Safe AND secure
The Fischer Rugged Flash Drive is both safe and secure. Its rugged casing provides full protection against extreme environmental conditions. The flash drive is waterproof down to 120 meters and is resistant to extreme operating temperatures (-40°C to +85°C). Thanks to the unique proprietary Fischer Connectors’ circular connector interface combined with a durable encapsulation technique, it guarantees data security in case of loss or theft.

“Performance and flexibility”
“At times when privacy and confidentiality are of paramount importance, you need the right product to protect your critical information against the elements and the potential risk of loss or theft,” explains Wim Vanheertum, Product Manager at Fischer Connectors. “Technology moves fast, and both performance and flexibility are required when designing high-speed applications using video. The new Rugged Flash Drive increases data transfer speed by five, and its flexible modular design, which includes a large selection of body styles, sizes, contact configurations and memory capacities, offers high customization.”

#fischerconnectors #PAuto

Support for USB3 Vision Standard

National Instruments has announced NI LabVIEW support for the new USB3 Vision camera standard through the NI Vision Acquisition Software driver package. The standard offers significant performance and usability improvements compared to USB 2.0 cameras and popular interfaces, such as GigE Vision, with faster bandwidth up to 400 MB/s and 4.5 W to directly power cameras. USB3 Vision cameras also offer plug-and-play functionality and ease of use through a standardised catalogue of functions.

“More than 30 machine vision vendors have participated in the standardisation of USB3 Vision,” said Eric Gross, Chair of the USB3 Vision Standardisation Committee and Senior Software Engineer at National Instruments. “USB 3.0 ports are becoming mainstream on consumer and industrial computer products and, with this new standard, users can easily adopt cutting-edge technology for a wide array of vision applications.”

René von Fintel, Product Manager from participating camera vendor Basler adds, “With the easy connections and adherence to a clear standard, USB cameras are aimed at conventional industrial applications as well as medical systems, motion analysis and microscopy.”

The USB3 Vision standard supports easy camera connectivity to newer off-the-shelf computer products with built-in USB 3.0 ports, including the new NI PXIe-8135 embedded controller. Engineers and scientists can also take advantage of powerful image processing libraries from National Instruments with the NI Vision Development Module, which includes new 3D vision functionality, and NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection, the stand-alone configuration software environment for machine vision applications.

Microwave switch system adopted for test suite

Keithley Instruments has announced that LeCroy Corporation has chosen Keithley’s System 46 (S46) RF/Microwave Switch System as part of the original equipment for its new USB 3.0 Test Suite product family. Keithley’s S46 switch is engineered to simplify the automated switching needed to test a wide range of telecommunications products and devices, including Bluetooth devices. The USB 3.0 Test Suite represents the industry’s first single-source lineup of test instruments that can comprehensively support the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.0 standard, also known as SuperSpeed USB.

James J. Mueller, LeCroy’s VP of Measurement Technology, explains, “We chose the Keithley S46 switch for the USB 3.0 Test Suite because it was capable of handling the broad range of signals the instruments in this test suite will encounter. The S46 allows us to route transmitter output from a device under test to the receiver input of our Protocol-enabled Receiver and Transmitter Tolerance Tester (PeRT3 ™) or an oscilloscope, such as our WaveMaster™ 8 Zi Oscilloscopes. Additionally, the S46 allows us to route the transmitter output from the PeRT 3 directly to the receiver input of the device under test or to the oscilloscope for calibration.”

Mark Hoersten, Keithley’s Vice President, Marketing, notes, “The S46’s standard configurations make it simple for manufacturers like LeCroy to select a system that meets the specifications of the testing application without the expense of unnecessary switches or other features. The ‘just what you need and no more’ design philosophy on which our S46 systems are based helps LeCroy to provide its customers with outstanding price/performance value.”

The S46 RF/Microwave Switch is widely used in applications such as testing cellular and cordless phones, specialized mobile radios, base stations, specialized antenna systems, RF components including RFICs, wireless peripherals, including Bluetooth devices, broadband wireless transceivers, high speed digital communications including SONET devices with speeds of 3Gbps and 10Gbps. The standard S46 system is specified for a bandwidth of 18GHz; custom S46 systems can support bandwidths up to 40GHz. As test requirements change, relays can be easily added to the system to create a new switch configuration.

The S46 controller automatically counts relay contact closures to allow equipment maintenance personnel to assess when the relays are nearing the end of their mechanical life. In this way, preventive maintenance can be performed in a timely way during scheduled shutdowns, avoiding unplanned shutdowns and the resulting loss of production time. In addition to counting contact closures, the S46 has a portion of its memory available to store S-parameters or calibration constants for each relay contact or each pathway. If a specific performance parameter is critical, such as Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) or insertion loss, the parameter can be stored in memory for use in trend analysis between scheduled maintenance shutdowns. Stored parameters can also be used for compensation to enhance accuracy during RF measurements.