The Industrial Summit 2024 will open in Shenzhen, China, on October 29, 2024. It will showcase over 150 demos, hold 28 sessions on motor control, power & energy, and automation, and feature our technologies and products. For those who can’t be physically there, ST will also organize more than 40 unique live streams to reach a wider audience, thus making the event more accessible. As those attendees will see, it was essential for ST to bring the Industrial Summit 2024 to more engineers and decision-makers because of its emphasis on smart energy. While climate change demands greater efficiency, data centers, renewable power sources, and new consumer trends in heating and cooling are also requiring innovative technologies.

A reference design for HVAC

One of the most impressive demos at the Industrial Summit 2024 is a 10 kW reference design for high-power HVACs (air conditioners, heat pumps, and data centers cooling systems) with only one microcontroller driving the three-phase PFC Vienna and the BLDC motor of the compressor. Traditionally, engineers must use an MCU for each. Consequently, this more efficient system provides greater control stability and helps significantly reduce the bill of materials.

Our motor control and digital power integrated firmware library runs on an STM32G4, and despite doing so much, the CPU load hovers at about 60% only, [thanks in parts to its math coprocessors] and data management architecture capabilities. The board also features additional capabilities like KNX support and predictive maintenance applications. Put simply, we are showing a comprehensive board that would jump-start a project.

The choice to create a reference design for 10 kW applications comes from the fact that most compressors in residential and commercial HVAC solutions need around 10 kW to 15 kW. Consequently, engineers can leave the Industrial Summit 2024 with a concrete example of how they can rapidly innovate. Indeed, the point is to adapt the solution to fit specific needs. For instance, while we used 1,200 V IGBTs and silicon diodes as a default (STTH30S12 in the PFC, STGWA40M120DF3 in the compressor), designers could use ST’s SiC devices to improve efficiency and power density. Similarly, it’s relatively straightforward to adapt the current specification for a 15 kW compressor while retaining the advantage of using a single MCU.

The largest Industrial Summit 2024 demo

The automated assembly line system at the show is the first of its kind and the largest demo at the Industrial Summit 2024. Attendees get an impressive showcase of ST’s comprehensive system-level know-how featuring an unusual range of products and technologies. In total, more than 500 ST devices are present across the multitude of controllers, drivers, RFID readers, gateways, sensors, and more. It is rare to see such an expansive demo with so many different components coming from one company.

The massive demo shows a complex automation system combining three robotic arms and seven dual-motor servo drive solutions that ST designed in its competence center for a total of 14 permanent magnet linear synchronous motors that move carriages around the automation line. The seven dual servo drives communicate using EtherCAT and just one programmable logic controller (PLC), which receives real-time motion references using the CiA 402 protocol. Put simply, it’s not only an impressive demo but a turnkey solution.

The system also supports CODESYS, Profinet, Sub-1G, IO-link, and more. Moreover, this demo demonstrates our collaboration with Siemens. By leveraging their automation solutions, we can bring PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) and HMIs (Human Machine Interfaces) to ensure greater accuracy, reliability, and precision. Hence, our automated assembly line is one of the best examples of ST’s exhaustive portfolio and intensive expertise in embedded systems.

The demo also showcases a digital twin platform, a virtual representation of the physical manufacturing processes. The benefit of a digital twin is that its model provides unique simulation capabilities for predictive maintenance and efficiency analyses. Instead of physically monitoring every nook and cranny of the assembly line, a digital twin can help engineers anticipate issues, reduce downtimes, and test potential changes without shutting down production. The idea is already popular in the automotive and aerospace industry. By showing it at an event like the Industrial Summit 2024, ST can demystify it, thus bringing smart manufacturing to more use cases.

Rethinking AI data center power supplies

There are also new gems at the event, like a 5.5 kW power supply for AI data centers using silicon carbide for greater efficiency and improved power density. Over the past five years, cloud computing, AI, and blockchain technologies have led to the rise of data centers. It’s not only the fact that so many are cropping up worldwide but that they require a vast amount of cooling and electricity. In fact, besides running the machines themselves, cooling is the most significant power draw. Consequently, any increase in efficiency will have tremendous repercussions as the machines will use less power and need less cooling.

The power supply on display is also unique because its greater efficiency means it can do away with the bridge diode. Indeed, using SiC devices driven by STGAP as galvanic isolation gate drivers increases efficiency, enabling new topologies that further improve accessibility. The STM32G4 also brings intelligence and advanced controls to our power solutions for more intricate power distribution mechanisms that can better adapt to fluctuating loads in real time.

Put simply, building modern and feature-rich power supplies becomes more cost-effective, thus facilitating their adoption. Moreover, the supplies for AI data centers from our partners on display are just a few real-world applications with SiC devices. The demos also show that transitioning to HVDC (High-Voltage Direct Current) infrastructure also helps create greener data centers. HVDC reduces transmission losses and lowers energy consumption during power distribution, thus improving overall efficiency.

Additionally, another path to environmentally friendlier data centers relies on integrating renewable energy resources directly into the site’s operations, as it can drastically reduce the overall carbon footprint. Indeed, solar and wind, for instance, can help mitigate reliance on traditional energy grids, thus contributing to more sustainable AI data centers. Powering an AI data center with renewable energy may be challenging, which is why the Industrial Summit 2024 shows how our partners have used our devices to make it a reality. Put simply, while the world is building more data centers, ST is contributing to this new era of more energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible power infrastructure.

Innovating with the global leader of SiC

Because ST has more than a quarter century of experience in silicon carbide, we have been able to have a hand on the entire SiC value chain, from R&D to substrate, epitaxy, wafer fabrication, module assembly, and packaging. Unlike many competitors, we are able to innovate across the board to offer some of the best-performing devices in the industry. Moreover, being able to control all manufacturing stages, from powder to substrate, wafer, bare die, discrete devices, and power modules, also gives us a unique ability to meet the increasing demand.

As engineers wonder how to use SiC or even source it, the Industrial Summit 2024 shows how ST has answered these concerns and how it has led us to become the leading global supplier of silicon carbide. Concretely, attendees will see our broad portfolio of MOSFETs and diodes fit key automotive and industrial applications. For instance, attendees will see how our SiC MOSFETs portfolio can concretely improve efficiency, reliability, and performance in solar EV charging stations, EV on-board chargers, traction inverters, energy storage applications, and power supply for AI servers.

Manish Sharma, Chairman, Panasonic Life Solutions India (PLSIND), “India’s electronics industry is one of the key cornerstones for India’s economic growth and industrial devices play a pivotal role in driving this development. At Panasonic, we are proud to contribute to India’s manufacturing economy through our diversified range of Electronics, Electromechanical devices and Energy Solutions. Our industrial enterprise solutions utilize new-age technologies enabled with Japanese trust (technology) that is helping OEMs address some of the critical challenges enabling them to innovate and gain a competitive advantage. We at Panasonic, are committed to support India’s manufacturing growth journey and thus, contributing to the overall development.”

Speaking on occasion, Mr. Narayan Kumar, Divisional Director, Industrial Devices Division (INDD), Panasonic Life Solutions India said, “A major share of India’s economic landscape is dominated by the Automotive and Industrial ecosystems. As a committed enabler for our customers, we at Panasonic Industrial Devices Division (INDD) believe in offering new technology devices and solutions that are designed to cater to the unique needs of our customers. Be it optimum performance, efficiency or reliability, all the solutions are enabled with new-age technology that helps improve the product quality, increase productivity and thus, save costs.”

About the new Cooling Fan Motor for Scooter and Motorcycles – designed for operating in submerged conditions

In the radiator motor line-up, the new Cooling Fan Motor is a flat coreless motor that is thin, lightweight, durable and high-heat resistant, designed specifically for two-wheelers (scooters & motorcycles) for effective engine cooling applications which further helps improve fuel efficiency. It features a unique single-bearing structure, equipped with a constant-load brush spring to optimize performance and extend its lifespan to an impressive 3,000 hours—three times longer than current models.

Applications: Engineered for reliable operation in submerged conditions (rainy water-logged conditions in India), this motor provides heightened versatility and durability. The motor’s thin profile helps OEMs achieve effective cooling performance, making it an ideal solution for premium two-wheelers.

About 6-in-1 sensor – designed for Automotive applications

Introduced recently in the Indian market, the 6-in-1 or, the 6DoF (Degrees of Freedom) Inertial Sensor is being showcased for the first time at electronica India exhibition. It measures vehicle acceleration and angular rate across three axes (X, Y, and Z), providing critical information that enhances vehicle safety and stability. These sensors adhere rigorously to the ISO26262 Functional Safety Standards, including the Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL-D), reflecting their robustness and dependability in mission-critical applications.

Applications: Vehicle safety, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Autonomous driving applications, and Vehicle-to-X (V2X) communication to name a few.

About Cooling Fan for various Automotive applications

With the trend of increasing heat output from the engines, there are an increasing number of cases where the small fans do not have enough air volume. The new Cooling Fan is equipped with a unique hydro-dynamic bearing and is designed to operate across a wide temperature range. This fan delivers exceptional performance even under harsh conditions. It maintains quiet operation while enduring shocks and vibrations due to Panasonic’s proprietary precision machining technology and CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) technology.

Applications: LED Head Lamp, ADAS, Infotainment, Cluster, DC-DC Converter, 5G/Customer Premise Equipment. This fan is suited for critical applications such as ADAS-related ECUs, LED headlamps, and 5G devices, ensuring optimal thermal management in electronics operating between -40°C to 95°C.

About Ultrasonic Gas-Flow Measurement Unit: designed for industrial applications

The Ultrasonic Gas-Flow Measurement Unit are ultrasonic measurement units, for application in Smart Gas Meters. It provides high accuracy (up to ± 1.5%) over a long period of time, is compact and modular, and allows for easy integration. Additionally, these meters are compatible with multiple gases, such as air, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, argon, etc. With a measurement range of up to 7.2m3/hour, these are already popular in European countries for Smart Gas Meter installations. Additional features such as shut-off valve and seismic sensor further enhance its utility, making it an indispensable tool in modern gas metering applications.

Application: Smart Gas Meter installations

About MEGTRON-8: designed for industrial applications

Under the Electronic Materials range, INDD introduced Multi-Layer Circuit Board Materials – MEGTRON-8, best known for the industry’s lowest transmission loss, resulting in reduced power consumption. The new materials support 800 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) used for next-generation high-speed communication networking equipment such as routers, switches, optical transmission equipment, servers, AI servers, etc. The MEGTRON 8 series contributes to a larger capacity and offers about a 30% (28GHz) improvement in transmission loss compared to its earlier version MEGTRON 7.

Application: Networking equipment (Routers, Switches, Optical Transmission Equipment, Servers, AI Servers, etc.)

Additionally, the Industrial Devices Division (INDD) also showcased their complete range of Automotive, Industrial and Telecom, ICT devices at the electronica 2024.

AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) today announced AMD Kria K24 System-on-Module (SOM) and KD240 Drives Starter Kit, the latest additions to the Kria portfolio of adaptive SOMs and developer kits. AMD Kria K24 SOM offers power-efficient compute in a small form factor and targets cost-sensitive industrial and commercial edge applications. Advanced InFO (Integrated Fan-Out) packaging makes the K24 half the size of a credit card while using half the power¹ of the larger, connector-compatible Kria K26 SOM.

The K24 SOM provides high determinism and low latency for powering electric drives and motor controllers used in compute-intensive digital signal processing (DSP) applications at the edge. Key applications include electric motor systems, robotics for factory automation, power generation, public transportation such as elevators and trains, surgical robotics and medical equipment like MRI beds, and EV charging stations.

Coupled with the KD240 Drives Starter Kit, an out-of-the-box-ready motor control-based development platform, the products offer a seamless path to production deployment with the K24 SOM. Users can quickly be up and running, speeding time to market for motor control and DSP applications without requiring FPGA programming expertise.

            “The AMD Kria K24 SOM and KD240 development platform build on the breakthrough design experience introduced by the Kria SOM portfolio, offering solutions for robotics, control, vision AI and DSP applications,” said Hanneke Krekels, corporate vice president, Core Vertical Markets, AMD. “System architects must meet growing demands for performance and power efficiency while keeping expenses down. The K24 SOM delivers high performance-per-watt in a small form factor and houses the core components of an embedded processing system on a single production-ready board for a fast time to market.”

Many factories have hundreds of motors powering robotics that drive assembly lines and
other equipment. It is estimated that around 70% of the total global electrical use by the industrial sector is tied to electric motors and motor-driven systems₂. As such, even a 1% improvement in the efficiency of a drive system can have a significant positive impact on operational expenses and the environment.

“The AMD Kria SOM portfolio has helped make robust hardware for robotics and industrial edge applications available to the masses and we’re excited to see the portfolio extended with the new K24 SOM and KD240 Starter Kit,” said Greg Needel, CEO of Rev Robotics. “With Kria SOMs we’re able to simplify development of even advanced control loop algorithms, adapt to changing software and hardware requirements, and build really cool things for both commercial and STEM educational customers.”

Simplified DSP Development and Accelerated Design Cycles

The K24 SOM features a custom-built Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC device and the supporting KD240 starter kit is a sub-$400 FPGA-based motor control kit. Enabling developers to begin at a more evolved point in the design cycle, the KD240 provides easy access for entry-level developers compared to other processor-based control kits.

The K24 SOM comes qualified for use in industrial environments with support for more design flows than any generation before it. That includes familiar design tools like Matlab Simulink and languages like Python with its extensive ecosystem support for the PYNQ framework. Ubuntu and Docker are also supported. Software developers can also use the AMD Vitis motor control libraries while maintaining support for traditional development flows.

With the launch of Kria K26 SOM, AMD introduced the first App Store for edge applications. By introducing the KD240 Starter Kit, AMD is now the first to offer pre-built motor control apps, allowing users to create power-efficient industrial solutions that are reliable, available, and with advanced security features.

The KD240 is supported by an optional Motor Accessory Pack (MACCP), with additional motor kits available in the future that can be purchased separately for an enhanced ramp-up experience for developers.

Access to a Family of Scalable SOMs

Kria SOMs allow developers to skip the substantial design efforts around the selected silicon device and instead focus on providing differentiated, value-added features.  

Connector compatibility enables easy migration between the K24 and K26 SOM without changing boards, allowing system architects to balance power, performance, size and cost for energy-efficient systems.

K24 SOMs are offered in both commercial and industrial versions and are built for 10-year industrial lifecycles. In addition to support for expanded temperature ranges, the industrial-grade SOM includes ECC-protected LPDDR4 memory for high-reliability systems.

The K24 SOM (commercial and industrial versions) and KD240 Drives Starter Kit are available to order now via direct order and worldwide channel distributors. The K24 commercial version is shipping today, and the industrial version is expected to ship in Q4.   

The Industrial Summit 2022 is opening its doors today in Shenzhen, China. The fourth edition will be in-person and broadcast online to make it accessible to a broader audience. It will feature 35 in-depth technical presentations and more than 150 demos. There will also be presentations by ST’s President & CEO, Jean-Marc Chery, and other executives, like Jerome Roux, and Francesco Muggeri. Additionally, attendees will witness customer testimonials that will tackle current challenges and what new trends leaders see on the horizon. Visitors will also talk to ST experts, ask questions, and see demos. It is thus a unique opportunity to jumpstart a project or network with other industry leaders.

An event like the Industrial Summit 2022 is also a peek into the Asian region and the Chinese market in particular. Hence, we decided to focus on three innovative demos. The event itself will feature many showstoppers, including, among other things, a smart agriculture area, a life-size smart classroom, and energy generation and storage systems that answer today’s ecological and economic challenges. However, we wanted to delve into solutions that would strongly impact the smart factories in the region. Industrial applications are becoming more efficient, innovative, and interactive. Let’s explore three demos that show how the ST community can benefit from those trends.

Dual motor servo drive

An industry 1st brought by the Industrial Summit 2022

ST is showcasing the first dual-motor servo drive at the Industrial Summit 2022. Until now, typical architecture could only handle one motor at a time. Consequently, when makers needed to control more than one motor, they had to add servo drives. It meant doubling the number of components, a higher bill of materials (BOM), and more points of failure. The new dual-motor servo drive opens the door to a more straightforward design and a 40% reduction in the BOM. The only thing that remains the same is the number of gate drivers since there still is one for each motor.

One shunt current sensing for 2 motors

To make this possible, ST created new devices that were so unique we recently patented them. One of them is the single shunt current sensing element. In a nutshell, each motor previously required one current sensing element. The component is critical to optimize operations and protect the motor as it collects precious information on electrical changes applied to the motor. ST’s breakthrough was the design of a shunt current sensing system capable of handling two motors a once. Special algorithms can decode information from the current sensor to determine to which motor they belong, enabling the use of one shunt current monitor for two motors.

Coming soon…

The demo board features an STM32G4, which includes math accelerators to optimize motor control functions, an STSPIN32G4, an STDRIVE101 gate driver, and an STripFET F7 power MOSFET. ST will sell a dual-motor servo drive reference design in the future but doesn’t have a date yet. However, the community can see it in action at the Industrial Summit where two motors spin simultaneously. If the system synchronizes the motors correctly, an optical illusion allows attendees to see an image showing the STSPIN logo. The demonstration is thus about the first dual-motor servo drive, but also a precise system that could be SIL3 compliant.

30 kW SiC EV charger PFC

A reference design

The Industrial Summit 2022 allows us to showcase ST’s first 30 kW Vienna PFC rectifier with a 98.55% efficiency thanks to silicon carbide devices. Aimed at EV chargers, it provides a reference design to hasten developments. The STDES-30KWVRECT shown at the event comes fully assembled and with firmware, the STSW-30KWVRECT, for the board’s STM32G4. In this instance, the MCU’s high-resolution timers enable it to drive its SiC devices easily. Hence, attendees and customers see the benefits of a reference design that gives a jump on hardware, thanks to schematics and a BOM, and software features like soft-start procedures or control algorithms that developers can take from our code.

Moving to silicon carbide

The new Vienna PFC rectifier is also a masterclass in the benefits of using SiC devices. It includes SCTW90N65G2V power MOSFETs, STPSC40H12C Schottky diodes, and STGAP2SiC galvanically isolated gate drivers, to name the most important ones. Too often, companies underestimate the importance of a robust and comprehensive solution. Many engineers pick the cheapest devices from various sources to achieve the lowest BOM possible. The problem is that this approach can cost performance and reliability. Driving SiC components isn’t always easy, and omitting SiC is less and less of an option. With ST SiC devices, makers can obtain vastly greater efficiency and reliability. It also means releasing power modules to market faster.

Smart factory automation system

PLC and HMI

Events like the Industrial Summit 2022 are essential reminders that successful factory automation applications must master communication. There’s, for instance, communication with users. Hence, ST is showcasing the STEVAL-SILPLC01 industrial programmable logic control (PLC) board with a display for a human-machine interface. The PLC itself runs on an STM32MP1. Customers tend to favor the microprocessor’s performance and ability to run a Linux environment. The display, however, can use an STM32H7 or the STM32MP1. If companies are looking to reduce costs, they may choose the microcontroller and its free TouchGFX environment. Or developers may use a Linux operating system, famous for its many UI frameworks.

IO-Link master and device solutions

IO-Link is another vital form of communication. The industrial protocol helps configure and monitor devices remotely, which makes it popular in smart factory settings. Hence, ST will display a wide range of industrial IO-Link systems developed by ST’s Automation Competence Center.. There will be the STSYS-ACCFA006, an IO-Link RFID reader, and STSYS-ACCFA007, an IO-Link time-of-flight sensor. Both run on an STM32G0 and come with schematics, a GUI, and an example code. We will also show two industrial actuators. The STSYS-ACCFA005 is a tower light indicator, while the STSYS-ACCFA008 is an air solenoid valve driver. All of them use ST’s L6364 IO-Link transceiver platform that can adapt to different device solutions.

Click Link: https://blog.st.com/industrial-summit-2022/

Differentiated sustainable technologies at the Summit address Green Energy Generation & Storage, Smart School, Smart Healthcare, and Smart Agriculture

Nov 3 ,2022 – STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, will host its Industrial Summit 2022 at the Futian Shangri-La Hotel, in Shenzhen, China, on November 3.

A leader in industrial semiconductors, ST features a broad, innovative product portfolio with more than 20,000 products targeted at over 40 sub-segments. In its 4th year, under the theme of “Powering Your Sustainable Innovation,” the annual Industrial Summit will include a full range of leading-edge demonstrations together with insightful technical sessions presented by ST and its technical partners, sharing the complete ecosystem to power attendees’ next designs and innovations.

Innovations at 4 showstopper areas with sustainable technologies

Highlighting its 30+-year commitment to sustainability, ST’s main attraction for this year’s Summit are 4 showstopper areas that address Green Energy Generation & Storage, Smart School, Smart Healthcare, and Smart Agriculture. These areas feature more than 20 differentiated sustainable technologies.

Green Energy Generation & Storage: Supported by government mandates and investment programs, key infrastructures including electricity grids, clean public transport, and the transition to renewable energy are drawing increased attention. China is investing heavily to support this energy transition and the global commitment to carbon neutrality. ST’s green-energy technologies help customers increase energy efficiency and system reliability for all types of equipment in homes and buildings as well as across the different industrial sectors.

At the Summit, ST and its customers will demonstrate energy generation and storage solutions that include micro-inverters, 1-phase inverters, 3-phase inverters, energy storage, smart meters, and charging piles. Here ST’s advanced technologies include a full range of microcontrollers (MCUs), silicon carbide (SiC) devices packaged as power discretes and power modules, galvanic isolation gate drivers, and power metering and power-line communication (PLC) controllers. Having developed many of these demos, ST’s Industrial Competence Centers are also showing how they provide customers with system-level solutions.

Smart School: China is promoting smart education and encouraging universities to actively explore smart campus construction. At the Summit, visitors can experience a smart school equipped with intelligent and connected devices from ST customers and partners. These include a KNX connectivity platform, smart lighting, smart curtain, window pusher, environment detector, and thermostat. These solutions are based on ST’s product portfolio that includes STM32 MCUs, power-management components, a full range of motion, environment, and optical sensors, as well as wired and wireless connectivity technologies. ST’s competence brings these all along together in optimized products and solutions for customers.

Visitors can explore the latest generation robots. Examples include a Chinese chess AI robot and 2 robot dogs based on STSPIN motor drivers. These showcase how robots can accompany children and interact with them.

Smart Healthcare: Medical equipment for therapy and diagnostics are very often complex computer-controlled, electro-mechanical systems. These rely on advanced semiconductor technologies and components to help deliver healthcare in hospitals and doctor offices as well as in homes. Able to measure vital signs and take other readings, some of today’s medical and healthcare devices must also be able to deliver the high power required to supply magnetic resonance imagery or generate the precise high-voltage high-frequency pulses found in ultrasound equipment.

With its emphasis on quality and reliability, ST’s broad portfolio of devices, including discrete devices, low-power MCUs, motor drivers, image sensors, memories, MEMS sensors, thin-film batteries and analog, digital and mixed-signal ICs are suited to address healthcare applications.

ST and customers will demonstrate a range of medical and healthcare devices, including a ventilator, a high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy device, a patient monitor, a handheld ultrasound device, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, and an AED, among others.

Smart Agriculture: Smart agriculture is the future of modern farming and crucial to achieve sustainability. Bringing a full suite of connectivity options to drones, robots, and unmanned vehicles, supports adding artificial intelligence and Internet-of-Things into the world of agricultural production. Whether on the ground, in the air, or underwater, connectivity makes agriculture smarter to ease work, raise yields, avoid catastrophes, minimize human labor, and reduce risk activities by humans.

ST’s broad portfolio of products, including MCUs, wireless and wired connectivity products, full range of sensors and actuators, as well as energy management, motor drivers and IPM, especially STM32WL’s LoRa network technology, makes development easy.

In the Summit, ST and customers will showcase professional smart farming applications. For example, an agriculture drone and unmanned ground vehicle are smart partners of digitalized agriculture. And the industrial under-water ROV/drone is a professional and reliable partner for underwater emergency rescue, fishery breeding, and environmental protection inspection.

Demos from 3 ST Industrial Competence Centers

To provide our Industrial customers in Asia with strong and efficient support for their development activities, ST operates three dedicated Industrial Competence Centers. These focus on Motor Control, Automation, and Power and Energy. The competence centers’ expertise, highlighted in many of the demos, will be on display, too.

To experience even more attractions and demos from ST and its customers and partners, please join us at Industrial Summit 2022 (November 3, 2022, in Shenzhen, China) livestreamed at https://content.st.com/Industrial-Summit-2022-Live-stream-EN-registration.html.

In many industrial applications, it is critical to sense, log, and communicate data about environmental conditions. Many industrial processes involve high temperature, high pressure, vibration, and corrosive gases or liquids, but sensing is critical to controlling and monitoring these processes, usually in very harsh environmental conditions. In many of these applications, control is a critical element in safety—for the equipment, the process, or the operators. The weak link in many of these control systems is the sensing function because they are typically needed in the harshest part of the harsh environment. Control systems can often be located away from the harshest part of the environment, so they might not have as exacting requirements as the sensing elements.

An illustrative example of a common harsh environment with exacting sensing and control requirements is in down-hole drilling, where it is critical to accurately control the drilling or extraction process. Without continuous control, the process might take longer, require more maintenance interruptions, or even damage complex and expensive equipment. In the worst case, operators might be put in danger if the control system fails to take critical corrective action. An attempt to save a few dollars on a lower-accuracy or less-reliable sensor could eventually cost millions of dollars in lost time, equipment damage, or even operator injury or death.

Sensing requirements in a down-hole application can cover a very wide range. It’s not unusual for sensors that track temperature, pressure, resistivity, and even gamma-ray radiation levels to be found in down-hole applications (Figure 1). These sensors clearly need to stand up to the high temperatures, pressures, vibration, and corrosives found in a typical down-hole environment, but accuracy can be important as well. Small changes, detected early, can make it easier for the control process to identify trends that could be an early-warning sign of system stress that needs to be mitigated or controlled. Fortunately, sensors that can withstand harsh environments are available as well as provide the accurate measurements required for advanced control systems. Let’s review sensors that are critical to controlling and monitoring in harsh environments.

System Architecture for Harsh Environments

As mentioned, it is usually helpful to try to separate the sensing and control elements in a harsh environment design. This places the more complex electronics at a distance from the harshest portion of the environment and puts the more-robust sensors in the most challenging area. Usually, however, some amount of control is required near the sensors to manage the data collection and the transmission of data to the remote control system. Additionally, it might be important to log data in or near the sensor pod so that a complete record of the process is available for efficiency measurements or in the event of a failure (similar to the use of a black box in an aircraft to help determine the root cause of errors or failures after the fact). Logging data will also require some amount of control to manage the process.

One approach to architecting the system is to put simple controllers near the sensing elements to do the minimum required to implement the communications and logging functions (Figure 2). Multiple sensors are located at the sensor package near where the environmental sensing occurs. A local sensor controller can capture sensor readings and process them to reduce the data transmission overhead. A communications controller can be located some distance away from the sensor package to somewhat reduce the harsh environment requirements. The bulk of the data processing and algorithmic processing can be done by a central controller, located remotely, perhaps using a common industrial computer. Communications between the controllers can be done wirelessly, if the environment allows, or via electrical or fiber-optic cables.

Sensors and the Signal Chain

Temperature sensors are probably the most well-known sensor type, with platinum-based sensing, that changes resistance with temperature, very common. For example, Honeywell 700 series thin film platinum sensors cover a temperature range from -70°C to 500°C and work in even the harshest temperatures. Other sensors for pressure, magnetics, fluid flow, gas, or position can be co-located in a rugged sensor enclosure to provide some protection from vibration and mechanical stresses. Sensors will typically need to be monitored by an electronics signal chain that includes amplification, analog-to-digital conversion, and perhaps even some signal processing to extract the signal from the noisy environment. It can be a challenge to find the components needed to implement this section of the design that operate at a high-temperature range, but fortunately some manufacturers offer an extended temperature range for the types of products needed for sensing in high-temperature applications.

Texas Instruments provides a selection of signal-chain-oriented devices that operate over an extended temperature range from -55°C to 210°C. These products can create the needed input signal chain starting from a high-temperature operational amplifier (op amp) such as the TI OPA 2333. The output of the op amp can then feed a high-temperature analog-to-digital converter such as the TI ADS1278. Because these products are offered over such a wide temperature range and come in robust ceramic packages, they can be used for sensor applications within even very harsh environments.

Control Systems Architecture

Using the example design in Figure 2, design engineers need three levels of control capability. A controller with some signal-processing capability is necessary nearest the sensors. Further from the sensor, in the communications package, a simple controller to handle the communications and logging functions is needed. Finally, at the other end of the communications transmission line, an industrial computer is needed to provide the high-level algorithmic control and monitoring for the drilling process.

Sensor control and monitoring are the most processing-intensive and also require the most robust controller. One candidate for this task is the Texas Instruments TMS320F2812 Digital Signal processor. It can operate over the extended temperature range (-55°C to 210°C) required for the sensor package located in the harshest portion of the environment. The DSP capabilities allow it to process data before sending it to the communications package, reducing the overall bandwidth required—a significant efficiency boost.

The communications controller can be a much simpler processor, perhaps even a 16-bit MCU such as the NXP Semiconductor S9S12G128AMLH. With less-stringent temperature requirements for the controller, an operational temperature of up to 105°C will be sufficient. This class of MCU has all the features required to manage the communications traffic from the sensor package to the system controller and to implement any needed data-logging functions.

The central controller has the least stringent requirements, so a standard industrial computer with plenty of computation and storage capability such as the MYIR MYS-6ULX-IND is a good choice. The MYS-6ULX-IND is for Industry 4.0 applications and based on i.MX6UL series processors. The MYS-6ULX-IND can support -40°C to +85°C extended temperature operation, which makes the board suitable for industrial control and communication applications.

The Communications Link

Getting the signal from the sensors all the way to the central controller will present a significant challenge. The communications link could use fiber optics, electrical cable, or wireless depending on the distance required and the characteristics of the environment. Clearly, wireless would present the least challenges as a connection medium, but might not be possible in many environments where noise or obstructions can cause interference, such as a down-hole application.

Fiber-optic cable and robust connectors are a useful communications option over long distances. Some fiber-optic connector systems, such as the Molex LC2+ Metallic Optical Connectors, use a special high-temperature metal body that withstands long-run operating temperatures up to 150°C as well as sever shock and vibration exposure.

Electrical communications are appropriate over short distances if excessive signal noise and the risk of combustion are not present. Serial transmission protocols can be used at low speeds (such as traditional UART rates) or even up to 10-Gb Ethernet if very high bandwidth is required. With any wire-based communications scheme, robust connectors must be used to withstand high temperatures or severe vibrations. For example, the CeeLok FAS-T connector from TE Connectivity can be used in a variety of communications systems with Cat 5e (for 1Gb Ethernet) or Cat 6a (for 10Gb Ethernet) cabling. In the example design of Figure 2, a wired connection from the sensor package to the communications controller would be appropriate. Depending on the number of sensors and monitoring frequency, a simple UART or a low-speed Ethernet protocol could be implemented.

Conclusion

Harsh environments, as represented by a down-hole drilling application, can severely constrain a design engineer’s implementation choices in comparison to a traditional environment. Components with extended temperature ranges, even up to 200°C, make it possible to construct robust and complex sensing systems in very challenging environments. By distributing communications and data-logging functions remotely from the most severe conditions, a wider range of products can be used, where devices with a maximum temperature of 85°C or 105°C will be adequate. This type of distributed approach to system implementation can be extended to a wide variety of applications, even where the environmental challenges are perhaps only as severe as for a cellular base station or a chassis control card for a rack of high-performance servers.

Source: Mouser Electronics

 October 9, 2020, New Delhi — System developers of battery-powered and other power-conscious designs with and without LCD displays can now easily add an array of innovative features using a new line of PIC^® eXtreme Low Power (XLP) microcontrollers (MCUs) from Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP). Packed with 14 types of Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) that operate outside the Central Processing Unit (CPU) for power savings, the PIC24F GU and GL families of MCUs feature the CIP called LCD with Autonomous Animation.

Most display applications involve a few common animations like periodically alternating between displays and blinking of pixels to indicate operation. By using the integrated LCD driver with autonomous animation, developers can offload most of these simple animation routines from the CPU, allowing animation even in doze, idle or sleep modes for optimal power savings. To assist in quickly designing such display interfaces, the new MCUs come with MPLAB^® Code Configurator (MCC) support. This graphical programming environment with LCD display designer helps eliminate the meticulous and time-consuming task of mapping the pins and segments. 

“The latest family of PIC MCUs adds new hardware features that improve low power performance, code protection and reliable operation in applications across multiple segments,” said Joe Thomsen, vice president of Microchip’s MCU16 business unit. “This scalable family of devices enable applications from cloud-connected low-power IoT nodes and sensor systems to automotive, consumer and industrial automation applications and helps developers easily add displays, robustness and security to their designs.” 

The new MCU families are also designed to make it easy to increase the security of an application, whether it is connected to the Internet or a standalone system. Microchip’s CodeGuard security Flash protection enables segmenting memory into boot and general segments to implement memory access restrictions. The Flash memory is configurable as One Time Programmable (OTP) via Microchip’s In-Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP) write inhibit feature that disables any further modification of the Flash through external programmers/debuggers. Together with these features, security can be further enhanced using Microchip’s CryptoAuthentication devices as a companion chip to add secure over-the-air updates and pre-provisioned cloud services. Lastly, the MCUs are supported by CryptoAuthLib, 16-bit bootloader, USB and many application libraries in MCC to significantly reduce development time and complexities. 

The integrated hardware safety features of the PIC24F GU and GL families enable reliable operation in harsh environments through Flash Error Correction Code (ECC), Deadman Timer (DMT), Windowed Watchdog Timer (WWDT), Fail-Safe Clock Monitor (FSCM), Configurable High-Low Voltage Detect (HLVD) and Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). 

Capable of operating in harsh environments, the MCU families are ideal for automotive, industrial and consumer applications. They feature an extended operating temperature of up to 125 °C, are automotive AEC Q100 Grade 1 qualified and have a diagnostic library for IEC 60730 (household appliances) Class B safety standards.

Development Support 

The PIC24F GU and GL MCUs are supported by Microchip’s MPLAB^® development ecosystem including Microchip’s free MPLAB X Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and MPLAB Code Configurator. Other supporting boards include the PIC24F LCD and USB Curiosity Development Board, PIC24F LCD Curiosity Development Board, and the PIC24FJ512GU410 and PIC24FJ128GL306 General Purpose Plug-In Modules (PIMs) for the Explorer 16/32 Development Board.  

Pricing and Availability 

The PIC24F GL3 family with integrated LCD is available in 28-, 36-, 48- and 64-pin packages as small as 4×4 mm (uQFN). Memory ranges from 64 KB to 128 KB Flash and 8 KB RAM. The PIC24F GU4 / GL4 family with integrated LCD and USB is available in 48-, 64-, 80- and 100-pin packages with memory ranges from 128 KB to 512 KB Flash and 32 KB RAM. Prices start at $0.97 in high volume for the PIC24FJ64GL302-I/SS. 

Development boards are available now: 

• PIC24F LCD and USB Curiosity Development Board (DM240018 – $48.00) 
• PIC24F LCD Curiosity Development Board (DM240017 – $45.00) 

• Explorer 16/32 Development Board (DM240001-2 – $79.99) 
• PIC24FJ512GU410 General Purpose Plug-In Module (MA240041 – $25.00) 
• PIC24FJ128GL306 General Purpose Plug-In Module (MA240040 – $25.00)  

For additional information, contact a Microchip sales representative, authorized worldwide distributor or visit Microchip’s website. To purchase products mentioned here visit our purchasing portal or contact a Microchip authorized distributor. 

WALTHAM, Mass October 8, 2020 C&K, the leading manufacturer of high reliability electromechanical switches, has expanded its offering of magnetic proximity sensors to enhance flexibility and reliability for non-contact position and proximity detection in tough environments. Featuring a ruggedized aluminum housing and a stainless steel cable, the MPSR Series provides unmatched sensing in dirty environments. With an operating life of 4 million actuations, the sensor offers reliable and accurate remote monitoring in spite of dirt, dust, oil, grease, water, and other potential contaminants that would degrade performance of other sensor assemblies.

The addition of Form C switching provides two outputs that can be toggled to offer additional feedback capabilities. Enabling quick, easy, and cost-effective installation in any environment, the MPSR Series is ideal for automotive, factory automation, industrial, IoT, security, and other applications.

Ideal for Zone 2 applications, the MPSR Series sensor utilizes hermetically sealed contacts that insulate electrical switch contacts from the outside environment, eliminating the risk of sparks.

“Magnetic proximity sensors offer non-contact object detection beyond the normal limits of products such as inductive sensors. They offer long sensing ranges within a small package size, and they can be positioned in different locations through the use of a wiring harness,” said Tanios BouRamia, Global Product Manager at C&K. “Featuring a durable aluminum housing with maximum protection from the elements, the rugged MPSR Series magnetic proximity sensor enables remote monitoring in most any environmental conditions.”

The normally open contacts on the MPSR Series sensor are open when the accompanying magnet is removed from proximity to the sensor, and they are held closed when the magnet is within actuation range. Conversely, the normally closed contacts are closed when the magnet is removed from proximity to the sensor, while they are open when the magnet is within actuation range. The 30V 3W rating means that the sensor can be used for either signal level or load switching as required by the application.

The operating temperature range is -40°F to 176°F (-40°C to 80°C), permitting operation in harsh thermal environments. The sensor is UL61058 approved.

For more information on C&Ks new MPSR Series sensor, including details and specifications, please visit: https://www.ckswitches.com/products/switches/product-details/Detect/MPSR/MPSR03C1A10/

Bangalore – October 08, 2020 – Viavi Solutions today introduced new test and measurement offerings for optical lab, production and manufacturing environments, enhancing the industry’s most complete line of photonic test modules.

As optical network data rates per wavelength are reaching limits, component and network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) are challenged to push the boundaries of innovation in infrastructure design. New solutions from VIAVI are critical for engineers that are designing and manufacturing these new technologies to address the most pressing problems facing service providers — ranging from 400G+ coherent modules, integrated silicon photonics, and ROADM components to accelerated fiber connectivity demand for PON, 5G and hyperscale data center networks.

VIAVI has released six major enhancements to the LightDirect family of modules for their award-winning MAP-300 test platform, which was introduced last year, with specific focus on supporting coherent module and silicon photonics test applications.

• New high power, C+L band, continuously tunable laser module, the mTLS-C1, the most compact on the market for its performance class.
• Six new CW source types added to mSRC-C2 supporting all telecom telemetry wavelengths and critical new O-band additions, with both 1310nm DFB and high-power O-band broadband SLED now supported.
• New variable back reflection module, the mVBR-C1, to support the requirements of the recent OIF specification for 400G-ZR.
• Two new variants of the mPCX-C1, a full O-band version and a high-speed polarization scrambler, for manufacturing applications requiring only simple polarization scrambling.
• Significant feature enhancements to the mVOA-C1 module to support hardware triggers for LOS calibration, millisecond resolution disruption test modes, and new power control modes using external Optical Power Meters (OPMs).
• A new MPO and high-power integrating sphere for the mOPM-C1 along with the first release of OPMScope on MAP-300, converting a chassis of power meters into a powerful multi-channel logging and transient capture system.

VIAVI is releasing three new fiber connectivity manufacturing solutions designed to optimize quality, productivity and capital utilization:

The VIAVI CleanBlastPRO is the next generation in automated connector end-face cleaning systems, offering new features and capabilities to ensure clean end-faces for both single and multi-fiber connectors for the utmost in reliability and repeatability. Using a non-contact cleaning method with the industry’s most trusted and effective solvent, CleanBlastPRO delivers streamlined productivity workflows and a 9X cost saving over traditional contact-based consumable cleaning methods.

New time-saving measurement modes have been added to the MAP-300 Passive Component/ Connector Test (PCT) optical test system. The new VIAVI FastIL mode enables a user to measure the insertion loss (IL) of a 12 fiber MPO in under four seconds, representing a time savings of 20 to 40 percent. New data management utilities seamlessly integrate into the PCT-Control Center application, and greatly simplify the creation of html-based reports.

In addition, the MAP-300 based mSWS Swept Wavelength System integrates a new, modular higher power swept laser, the mSWS-A2SLS. Already the lowest cost of ownership test solution for volume ROADM component manufacturing, the new modular laser enables a 50 percent reduction in rack space, up to 20 percent cycle time improvement and a further 30 percent reduction in the total cost of ownership when leveraging the open platform software interface and distributed architecture, all while maintaining current measurement performance.

“In today’s complex network landscape, manufacturers face new challenges to address increased demand for production volume, performance and compliance with new industry standards,” said Tom Fawcett, Vice President and General Manager, Lab and Production Business Unit, VIAVI. “As the industry quickly evolves, we work closely with industry-leading manufacturers to provide the tools they need for development of next-generation technologies, continuing more than 30 years of innovation in photonic and fiber optic test to ensure a seamless transition to high-efficiency volume manufacturing.”

06 Oct 2020

TOKYO, Japan ― Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723), a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced the expansion of its RA6 Series microcontrollers (MCUs) with nine new RA6M4 Group MCUs, increasing the RA Family to 42 MCUs. These 32-bit MCUs boost operating performance up to 200 MHz using the Arm® Cortex®-M33 core based on Armv8-M architecture with Arm TrustZone® technology. The RA6M4 MCUs deliver optimized performance together with leading-edge security and connectivity supported by the easy-to-use Flexible Software Package (FSP). In addition, the Renesas partner ecosystem offers software and hardware building blocks that work out-of-the-box with RA6M4 MCUs and FSP to address Industrial 4.0, building automation, metering, healthcare, and home appliance applications.

With strong security, rich connectivity, large embedded RAM with parity/ECC, low power consumption, and leverage of the Arm developer and tools ecosystem, the RA6M4 MCUs speed the development of intelligent IoT edge and endpoint devices. Renesas’ enhanced Secure Crypto Engine delivers excellent security solutions, incorporating multiple symmetric and asymmetric cryptography accelerators, advanced key management, security lifecycle management, tamper detection, and increased resistance to side-channel attack, in addition to Arm TrustZone technology. These integrated security features make the RA6M4 MCUs the ideal choice for connected applications, and enable customers to realize lower BOM cost and secure element functionality in all their IoT designs.

“Delivering on our promise at the launch of the RA MCU Family last October, I’m proud to announce its expansion with the RA6M4 MCUs. They offer customers best-in-class performance and security enhancements built with Arm Cortex-M33 cores that clearly deliver more memory, memory interface expansion, better power efficiency and wake-up time, and more connectivity options,” said Roger Wendelken, Senior Vice President of Renesas’ IoT and Infrastructure Business Unit. “We intend to delight our customers who appreciate the higher level of security and IoT connectivity that the RA6M4 MCU Group brings with the confidence and ease of use that only comes by designing with Arm and securing with Arm TrustZone technology.”

“IoT edge and endpoint technologies are opening up new opportunities for developers to build smaller devices, with greater privacy and less dependence on the cloud,” said Dipti Vachani, senior vice president and general manager, Automotive and IoT Line of Business at Arm. “The RA6M4 MCUs move intelligence closer to the data, with Arm TrustZone technology built in to ensure privacy and data integrity, helping securely accelerate the growth of IoT.”

Built on a highly efficient 40nm process, the RA6M4 MCUs drive power consumption down to 99uA/MHz while running the CoreMark algorithm from flash. The MCUs also support fast wakeup times of 30 µs from standby using a high-performance on-chip oscillator. Their high integration up to 1MB code flash memory and 256 KB of SRAM (64 KB with ECC) also make the RA6M4 MCUs well suited for low power and safety applications.

Key Features of the RA6M4 Group

• 200 MHz Arm Cortex-M33 with TrustZone technology
• Renesas’ Secure Crypto Engine as part of a full security solution
• Scalable from 64-pin to 144-pin LQFP packages
• Ethernet controller with DMA
• Capacitive touch sensing unit
• USB 2.0 Full Speed and CAN
• QuadSPI and OctaSPI memory interface, and advanced analog
• SCI (UART, Simple SPI, Simple I2C), and SPI/ I2C multimaster interface
• SDHI and SSI (Serial Sound Interface)

The RA6M4 with Flexible Software Package (FSP) allows customers to re-use their legacy code and combine it with software from partners across the vast Arm ecosystem to speed implementation of complex connectivity and security functions. The FSP includes FreeRTOS and middleware, offering a premium device-to-cloud option for developers. These out-of-box options can be easily replaced and expanded with any other RTOS or middleware.

The FSP provides a host of efficiency enhancing tools for developing projects targeting the RA6M4 MCUs. The e² studio Integrated Development Environment provides a familiar development cockpit from which the key steps of project creation, module selection and configuration, code development, code generation, and debugging are all managed. FSP uses a GUI to simplify the process and dramatically accelerate the development process.

Availability

The RA6M4 MCUs are available now from Renesas’ worldwide distributors. For more information, please visit: www.renesas.com/products/microcontrollers-microprocessors/ra/ra6/ra6m4.html.