IT in Manufacturing


Intelligent industrial devices for automation

July 2019 IT in Manufacturing

RS Components has introduced Kunbus to its supplier portfolio, a specialist developer of intelligent communications modules, including fieldbus and industrial Ethernet based devices for a range of automation markets. The Kunbus products include 14 new lines including industrial computers, PLCs and data acquisition and HMI devices. A key series from Kunbus is the Revolution Pi series of open source and modular industrial PCs, based on the well established Raspberry Pi platform.

This innovative and reliable modular system, which meets the EN61131-2 international standard for PLCs, offers a series of central processing units including the RevPi Connect, RevPi Core and RevPi Core 3. Installed in DIN-rail housings, all the products come with USB, Ethernet and HDMI connections and are based around the Raspberry Pi Compute module, making them highly compatible with the Raspberry Pi model 3 or Raspberry Pi B+. Depending on application requirements, these base modules can be expanded seamlessly using the appropriate digital or analog I/O modules, as well as fieldbus gateways to connect them to an industrial network.

For example, due to its open platform concept, the RevPi Connect gateway provides users with maximum freedom when implementing IIoT projects, including full root rights. Implemented as a DIN-rail PC, or purely as a small control unit, the system uses a specially modified version of the Raspbian operating system with a real-time patch, as well as supporting common IIoT protocols such as MQTT and OPC UA. Individual applications can be programmed using a range of languages including Node-RED, Python, or directly in C.

The RevPi Connect can also be upgraded with Profinet, Ethernet IP, EtherCAT, Modbus TCP and Modbus RTU functionality without the use of expansion modules. The product’s Ethernet interfaces enable it to be integrated within IT and automation networks and transmit data from the production environment up to the cloud, for example.

“The Kunbus Revolution Pi is an innovative series of communication modules based on Raspberry Pi computing technology,” said portfolio manager, James Milne. “This exciting open-source and highly modular platform can provide many of our customers with an inexpensive way of connecting up their automation processes and enabling them to reap the benefits of IIoT.”



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

How to navigate the high-stakes economics of AI infrastructure
IT in Manufacturing
Nearly 60% of data centre operators are expected to adopt liquid cooling within five years as AI workloads drive demand for higher rack densities. Understanding the full financial picture of liquid cooling, from capital investment to long-term operational savings, is now essential.

Read more...
RS South Africa announces 2026 Student Project Fund winners
RS South Africa News
RS South Africa has awarded 13 engineering students with R10?000 worth of products each through its 2026 Student Project Fund, supporting projects spanning renewable energy, robotics, warehouse automation and STEM education.

Read more...
Protecting the digital mine
RJ Connect IT in Manufacturing
As mining becomes increasingly connected and automated, cyber threats are emerging alongside the benefits of digitalisation. RJ Connect and provides rugged networking, edge computing and cybersecurity technologies from MOXA to help protect critical mining operations from evolving attacks.

Read more...
SICK launches AI-powered 3D quality inspection
SICK Automation Southern Africa IT in Manufacturing
SICK has combined deep learning with 3D height data analysis in its Nova machine vision platform.

Read more...
Predictive maintenance is the critical enabler for AI data centre liquid cooling systems
IT in Manufacturing
As liquid cooling becomes essential for AI data centres, predictive and condition-based maintenance are emerging as critical enablers of thermal stability. Schneider Electric argues that the infrastructure is already generating the data needed and the question is whether operators are equipped to use it.

Read more...
Siemens software scales with Simple Energy EV development
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
: Simple Energy, an Indian electric two-wheeler manufacturer, has expanded its use of Siemens Xcelerator software to manage complex vehicle variants and enterprise-level bills of materials, accelerating product development as its EV portfolio scales.

Read more...
ESG as a growth lever
RS South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Leading organisations are treating ESG not as a compliance obligation but as a practical tool for operational efficiency, supply chain resilience and business performance, with data and collaboration central to unlocking its value.

Read more...
Preparing Africa’s data centres for the demands of autonomous AI
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Africa’s data centre infrastructure must evolve significantly to support agentic AI workloads, with GPU-intensive computing, advanced cooling and reliable power demanding a fundamentally different approach to facility design and investment.

Read more...
Virtualising the control room to reshape building management systems
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Schneider Electric explains how virtualising building management systems frees facilities teams from ageing hardware, delivers stronger cybersecurity and enables portfolio-wide control from a single interface.

Read more...
AI infrastructure solutions for data campus
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Schneider Electric and Motivair deliver more than $290 million in power and cooling infrastructure for TeraWulf’s AI-ready Lake Mariner data campus.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved