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Product roundup: Controllers and computers share the road

March 5, 2021
Innovative accessories and connections everywhere enable control anywhere
IPC for edge computing

BL2 BPC 1500 is a compact industrial PC (IPC) for rugged settings with limited space. This box IPC comes in a standard version measuring 97 mm wide, 92 mm high, and 46 mm deep. An extended version is 63 mm deep, with the same width and height. With its fanless design, solid-state mass storage and metal housing, BL2 BPC 1500 features 32GB eMMC internal mass storage, 12 VDC to 30 VDC wide-voltage operation, and DIN rail mounting. Select models offer an added 64 GB or 128 GB solid-state drive.

Phoenix Contact
www.phoenixcontact.com/compactIPC

Control node for remote operations

Bedrock OSA Remote control node delivers secure PLC and PAC functions, and embeds cybersecurity supporting up to 20 fully programmable I/O with free IEC 61131-3 compliant integrated design environment (IDE). OSA Remote has up to 64 GB secure flash memory, 512 MB of program memory, and a multi-core ARM Cortex processor. It supports OPC UA and MQTT for real-time, cloud-based analytics, and has a hardened, anti-tamper metal enclosure, -40° C to +80° C temperature range and EMP/EMI immunity.

Bedrock Automation
781-821-0280; bedrockautomation.com/products/bedrock-osa-remote

Communications and discrete I/O

BRX discrete I/O modules snap onto the side of any BRX Micro PLC unit (MPU) or BRX Remote I/O controller, and include five-, eight- and 16-point relay output modules with Form A (SPST) and Form C (SPDT) options; 16-point 2-5 VDC discrete I/O; 16-point 2-5 VDC discrete combination I/O; and HSIO4 high-speed pulse combo module capable of handling up to a 2 MHz frequency in differential or single-ended wiring configurations. A pluggable option module (POM) with Ethernet and support for MQTT has also been added.

automationdirect
www.automationdirect.com/brx-plcs

IPC based on Raspberry Pi

Revolution Pi (RevPi) Core 3+ from Kunbus is an industrial PC based on the Raspberry Pi compute module. It's composed of open hardware and software that meet the EN 61131-2 standard. Revolution Pi can be supplemented by digital or analog I/O modules and appropriate fieldbus gateways to connect to industrial networks. Installed in a DIN-rail housing, the base module of RevPi has USB, Ethernet and HDMI connections. Multiple models are available to meet various performance and storage requirements.

Digi-Key Electronics
www.digikey.com/en/product-highlight/k/kunbus/revpi-core

PCs add fast, Zen-based processors

CX20x3 embedded PCs have added AMD Ryzen processors based on the Zen architecture with high clock speed, which is ideal for 32- and 64-bit systems, such as those running TwinCAT 2 and TwinCAT 3 software. CX20x3's basic configuration includes two independent Gbit Ethernet interfaces, four USB 3.1 Gen. 2, one DVI-D interface, and a -25 °C to 60 °C temperature range. Beyond the CPU and chipset, the basic module also includes 8 GB RAM.

beckhoff automation
www.beckhoff.com/en-us/products/ipc/embedded-pcs/cx20x3-amd-ryzen

Expanded safety control

Compact GuardLogix 5380 SIL3 controller expands the overall line of Allen-Bradley Compact GuardLogix 5380 safety controllers, and lets users scale applications up to and include SIL 3/PLe performance with 1oo2 architecture. This flexible option to right-size a safety control system based on its safety assessment reduces costs. GuardLogix 5380 also lets users mix and match standard and safety I/O in the same chassis, while its embedded gigabit Ethernet ports provide greater communications capacity.

Rockwell Automation
https://tinyurl.com/zv1ieu08

HMI, PC or monitor in panel or pedestal

VisuNet FLX modular HMI platform represents the latest in HMI technology for process automation, and is available as a panel-mount or a full workstation suitable for pedestal, wall or arm mounting. The 21.5-in., optically bonded, projected, capacitive touchscreen with low-profile, stainless-steel bezel is the flagship display model. VisuNet FLX's processor can be ordered as a high-powered Intel i5 in a full PC configuration, an an Intel Celeron in a PC, in a thin-client configuration, or as a direct monitor unit.

Pepperl+Fuchs
www.pepperl-fuchs.com

Control in standard, harsh settings

750-8211 series has added three IIoT-enabled Generation 2 PFC200 controllers. They include a standard version for factory applications and two XTR versions for work in harsh environments. Each of these PLCs comes with two standard RJ45 Ethernet ports and two 100 Mbps SFP slots for fiber-optic modules. These configurable ports can be used as a switch or with individual IP addresses, and support Modbus TCP/UDP, EtherNet/IP and OPC UA protocols, with additional licenses supporting EtherCAT and Sparkplug.

wago
www.wago.com/global/plcs---controllers/controller-pfc200/p/750-8211

PAC expands capacity, communications

Smart SoftPLC, V.4, open-architecture PAC has added communication ports, including a five-port GB Ethernet switch/router, two USB ports, an RS-485 port and three configurable ports for A-B RIO, DH+, RS-485, CAN and more. It also features internal wireless and cellular modem options, an embedded web server/HMI, data logging and email functions, which make IoT and remote installations easy and affordable. Smart SoftPLC also has 512 MB RAM and 5GB flash memory, and can import and convert A-B PLC programs.

SoftPLC Corp.
512-264-8390; http://softplc.com

Edge PAC gets IIoT firmware

groov EPIC, Version 3.0 (V.3), edge-programmable, industrial-control platform enhances the scalability of IIoT and automation by introducing centralized user management via lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP), optional, lower-cost Ignition Edge licensing, and improved maintenance and troubleshooting capabilities for remote installations. Rather than repeatedly defining user access profiles, LDAP lets users define permissions once and manage them centrally across an organization.

opto 22
www.opto22.com/products/groov-epic-system

Advanced control, IIoT connectivity

CP2E series all-in-one controller enables IIoT-connectivity, and makes it easy to visualize performance and data with simple programming. CP2E also features two Ethernet ports with switching functions, host and HMI connectivity, and up to three serial ports for serial device connections; function blocks for easy setup of four-axis positioning with linear interpolation, as well as PID control with an auto-tuning function block for stable temperature control; and an extended operating temperature range for added reliability.

Omron Automation Americas
automation.omron.com/en/us/products/family/CP2E

PLC upgrades to MQTT

A free firmware upgrade has been released for new and existing MicroSmart FC6A Plus PLCs to allow them to support the MQTT publish-subscribe protocol. The upgrade can be downloaded to FC6A's CPU, making it easy for users to connect field data to onsite and cloud-based brokers and make their data readily available. Users can also send commands to FC6A using MQTT. MQTT is supported on its Ethernet Port 1, so FC6A can use existing wired, Wi-Fi or mobile data wireless networking.

Idec Corp.
800-262-IDEC (4332); http://FC6A.IDEC.com

Customizable, modular IPC

PS6000 modular industrial PC has a modular design with flexible options that can be tailored to the need of users. Units are available with multiple screen sizes, processor options, and are configurable (or can be bundled) with Blue or Blue Open Studio software. PS6000 also features an expanded offering with a Core i5 Quad core processor, Windows 10 OS, and easy migration from PS5000 series. These specifications and others make it suitable for multiple applications.

Pro-face America
734-477-0630; profaceamerica.com/en-US/content/ps6000-series

Flexible weighing with PLC

Siwarex WP231 is a flexible, accurate weighing module that's designed to plug directly into the backplane of a Simatic S7-1200 PLC or serve in standalone applications. Its ability to operate with or without a PLC offers added flexibility, while its Ethernet and RS485 interfaces with Modbus protocol lets it integrate into different control systems. Siwarex WP231 offers a measurement rate of 10 measurements per second with a resolution of 4 million parts. It's also NTEP-approved for custody transfer applications.

Siemens
www.usa.siemens.com/weighing

I/O control and ethernet

PFC200 (750-8210) controller is a compact PLC for the modular Wago-I/O-System. Besides network and fieldbus interfaces, it supports digital, analog and specialty modules in the 750/753 Series. PFC200 also has four Ethernet interfaces and an integrated switch, which enable line-star topology wiring. An integrated web server provides configuration options, while displaying PFC200 status data. In addition to process industry and building automation, applications for PFC200 include machinery and equipment control.

newark
www.newark.com

Fanless, mini PC with video

LPC-950 rugged, fanless mini pc has Intel Celeron i5 and i7 Core and Xeon processors, and a dedicated Nvidia GeForce 1050 or 1050TI graphics card, which supports up to 8K-resolution video and up to seven connected displays via DisplayPort video ports. Fanless by design, LPC-950 has a 256-GB, solid-state drive (SSD), upgradeable to 4TB with dual drives, as well as 8 GB of RAM, upgradeable to 64 GB, optional ECC memory, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 software for added hardware security.

Stealth
www.stealth.com

HMI and PLC combined

ConsoliDator+ combines the capabilities of a PLC and HMI in one, user-friendly package. It can receive many 4-20mA and pulse inputs, host custom control logic, math functions and timers, display information in selectable color palates on configurable screens, provide digital and relay outputs for process control and alarms, and communicate via Modbus RTU and TCP/IP. Configuration is intuitive for first-time users, and can be done through front-panel pushbuttons or freely downloadable PC software.

Precision Digital
781-910-7418; www.predig.com/pd9000

Plug-ins and I/O for controllers

Plug-in modules and expansion I/O reduce overall system costs and extend the functions of Rockwell Automation's Micro 820, 830, 850 and 870 controllers. These plug-ins modules have double-density I/O (analog and discrete) and high-accuracy analog, which saves panel space. In addition, 2080-SDMEMRTC-SC plug-in memory module with real-time clock provides an additional memory option for tasks requiring extended data accumulation or file storage with a time stamping option.

Spectrum Controls
425-746-9481; https://spectrumcontrols.com