ProComSol Ltd. released a new Ethernet-APL HART Converter (HM-APL-PCB). Transmitter manufacturers can easily convert existing HART transmitters to the new Ethernet-Advanced Physical Layer (APL) interface. The PCB can be customized to incorporate custom features or size requirements.
The HM-APL-PCB consists of a ready-to-use PCB with a HART connector and an APL connector. Simply connect the HART transmitter to the HART connector and now the HART transmitter is an APL transmitter. The APL connection supplies all power needed for the PCB and the connected HART transmitter.
The HART-IP protocol is used by the host system to configure and monitor the transmitter using Ethernet. Any HART-IP compliant host can access the APL transmitter via Ethernet through an APL Switch. No software development is required.
The PCB can also be used as a baseline direct-to-APL design for new transmitters. The PCB supports various hardware peripherals such as Analog I/O, I2C and SPI Flash memory, so users can quickly prototype and demonstrate APL functions on a new transmitter without using HART.