Industrial automation imposes distinct requirements on machine and plant equipment in terms of appropriate hardware. However, there are numerous tasks for which processors like Intel's Core™ iX or Atom would be desirable, but economically unfeasible.
Kontron Electronics specializes in the development and production of cost-optimized solutions and can offer both proprietary products and customer-specific products with industrial suitability based on the latest processor technologies.
Technologies for every application
Therefore, as a leading manufacturer of industrial computing hardware, Kontron not only offers single-board computers, COM modules, and industrial PCs with the most powerful processors and peripheral semiconductors. Utilizing Arm®-based microcontrollers and microprocessors, Kontron, as a provider of IoT/Embedded Computer Technology (ECT), also creates diverse solutions for industrial applications. These solutions meet a wide range of requirements, not only in terms of processors but also in terms of integration into devices, machines, and systems.
With Kontron Electronics, the premium German manufacturer now has a company specializing in the development and production of cost-optimized solutions. Kontron Electronics is a full-service supplier of electronic assemblies and devices with 450 employees. It is part of the Kontron ODM/EMS alliance, comprised of five companies with seven locations in Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Slovenia. The group of companies has decades of experience across the entire manufacturing chain and extensive expertise in developing products to meet a wide range of requirements.
The SoM modules based on the i.MX8M Mini and i.MX8M Plus Quad Core application processor are ideal for demanding automation tasks, real-time applications, and high-quality visualization solutions. They are available in the new, vendor-independent OSM standard for direct soldering.
Scalable hardware
Before moving on to processors, it's worth examining the products that use them. Kontron Electronics develops and manufactures microcontroller assemblies for a wide range of applications. Mostly, 32-bit STM32 microcontrollers with Arm Cortex-M cores are used in their predominantly custom products.
"Based on Arm processor technology, we have developed a scalable, modular system with a broad portfolio of our own products," explains Holger Wußmann. "These are not only applicable to numerous use cases, but are also suitable as a starting point for customized, cost-optimized developments.".
The core of this matrix-like product portfolio consists of processor modules called System-on-Modules (SoMs). In addition to existing modules in a proprietary 25.5 x 25.5 mm form factor, the new modules are designed to conform to the Open Standard Module™ specification. This new vendor-neutral standard for soldered SoMs reduces the overall cost of a solution compared to pluggable designs.
Integration as a standard
For customers who don't integrate these System-on-a-Modules (SoMs) themselves or use them on custom-developed motherboards, Kontron offers extremely compact computer boards that include peripherals under the name Board-Line. These are characterized by uniform connector size and placement. "This means customers can be confident that functionally equivalent modules will still be available for many years to come," explains Holger Wußmann. "Combined with the fact that Kontron Electronics manufactures SoMs as long as the respective manufacturer supplies the processors used, this provides a high degree of future-proofing for the systems in which these products are integrated."
Thanks to their standardized dimensions, the products in the board-line are suitable for installation in a uniform chassis. In fact, Kontron offers these products in its Automation-Line in metal enclosures for DIN rail mounting. This transforms the boards into small boxed PCs with dimensions of 111 x 25 x 76 mm. Most of the boards and modules are also available in the Display line as touch panels with screen diagonals of 5", 7", 10", and 15.6".
Thus, everything is available to facilitate the rapid implementation of automation projects, from the level of modules and processor boards to that of finished products.
Kontron offers its hardware products in the form of boards as a unit consisting of a microprocessor, SoM module, memory, communication and LCD interface, as well as important safety standards on a compact printed circuit board.
At the forefront of processor technology
Regarding the processors used, Kontron maintains close collaboration with leading semiconductor manufacturers. This is why the premium Central European manufacturer can launch innovative and scalable products in industrial-grade designs for embedded/IIoT systems using the latest processors as soon as the first processor chips of a new generation become available.
"The criteria for selecting processors are numerous," says Holger Wußmann, Managing Director of Kontron Electronics GmbH. "Complex HTML visualization requires a powerful GPU, while for AI tasks we offer add-on modules with AI accelerator chips.".
For its IQ charging station, dezony GmbH relies on the Linux support of the System-on-Module SL STM32 MP157 from Kontron Electronics GmbH. More information is available at https://www.kontron-electronics.de/fileadmin/media/anwendungen/use-cases/dezony_de_use-case_kontron-electronics.pdf
Power and peripherals in minimal space: the i.MX 8 processor series
Available as OSM modules based on the i.MX8M Mini Quad Core application processor, the SoMs deliver exceptional performance for their size class. In addition to a powerful 1.6 GHz Arm® Cortex®-A53 4x microprocessor and DDR4 memory, the system offers a standard set of peripherals with a wide range of interfaces.
Numerous digital I/O and serial communication interfaces, a DSI interface, as well as PWM and two SDIO interfaces, make the module ideal for demanding automation tasks, real-time applications, and high-quality visualization solutions.
As the latest addition to its portfolio, Kontron unveiled the world's first Size S (30x30 mm) form factor SoM based on the iMX8Mplus at the last Embedded World event in March 2023. It supports dual GbE-LAN and TSN. With its communication capabilities, this module meets the demanding real-time capacity requirements of industry.
All Board-Line products are available with current NXP i.MX 8 series processors or Raspberry Pi 4 and are suitable for installation in standardized metal enclosures, also DIN rail mountable.
Raspberry Pi is well established
Originating in schools and universities, the Raspberry Pi, also based on Arm® technology, has continued its triumphant march into industrial applications. "In particular, the widespread availability of open-source software and the expertise already gained from education are encouraging young developers, especially, to rely on this processor platform for industrial applications," says Holger Wußmann. "This is reason enough for us to offer suitable industrial solutions with the PiXtend® and Pi-Tron hardware series.".
Its success confirms that this was the right step. Many of the 10,000 units of PiXtend® and Pi-Tron series products equipped with Raspberry Pi Foundation processor hardware have proven their effectiveness in real-world operation. Raspberry Pi is well-established in industrial application fields. Therefore, Kontron has already integrated the current Compute Module 4.
The PiXtend® Pi 4 PLC features the Broadcom BCM2711, the most powerful processor from the Raspberry Pi Foundation. This quad-core processor, with its 64-bit Arm® Cortex®-A72 SoC, supports up to 8 GB of RAM. With a Gigabit Ethernet interface, the single-board computer ensures fast data transfer and offers two micro-HDMI ports for audio and video transmission.
The Pi-Tron CM4, with its Broadcom BCM2711 chipset and four 1.5 GHz Arm Cortex-A72 processors, is also based on the fourth-generation Raspberry Pi. The board can be equipped with significantly more RAM than its predecessor and also offers the option of pre-certified WLAN/Bluetooth connectivity. For integrating the Pi-Tron CM4 into IoT applications, it comes pre-configured with LTE modules that include SIM cards and an external antenna connection.
PiXtend® brand boards and devices, which were designed from the outset as PLCs, are also available with Raspberry Pi 4 and are suitable for programming via CODESYS®.
Suitable for industrial control tasks
This is further enhanced by the ease of use of the manufacturer-independent automation software CODESYS® IEC 61131-3 for Kontron's industrial-grade hardware products. This applies to Pi-Tron CM3+ and Pi-Tron CM4, as well as PiXtend® Pi3 and Pi4.
Its availability with a cost-effective CODESYS® Soft PLC license allows users to easily design automation applications. The extensive range of CODESYS® PLC functions also includes proven fieldbus protocols, making it easy to use the modules in automation. There, these products can replace proprietary controllers, be used as edge gateways, or take on building automation tasks.
Eng. Holger Wußmann, Managing Director of Kontron Electronics GmbH:
"Thanks to our close collaboration with leading semiconductor manufacturers, we are able to launch innovative and scalable products with industrial designs as soon as the first processor chips of a new generation become available. Our customers can rest assured that modules with equivalent functions will still be available for many years to come
