Fieldbus & Industrial Networking


Rugged, agile and scalable boards

November 2024 Fieldbus & Industrial Networking


Embedded computing pioneer, AAEON has launched the PICO-ASL4 and GENE-ASL6, both featuring the new Intel Atom x7000RE Processor Series for the edge (formerly Amston Lake). Both the 6,3 cm PICO-ITX and 8,9 cm SubCompact Board go to market with models equipped with Intel Atom x7433RE and Intel Atom x7835RE, while the GENE-ASL6 will also have the adoption of the Intel Atom x7213RE Processor, with all three maxing out at 12 W.

Built on the standard 100 mm x 72 mm PICO-ITX form factor, the PICO-ASL4 offers extensive onboard options, including dual LAN and six USB ports, along with Intel time-coordinated computing and time-sensitive networking (TSN). As a result, AAEON has identified this compact solution as an ideal choice for those seeking a discreet single-board computer capable of managing latency-sensitive workloads in fields such as smart transportation and manufacturing.

The PICO-ASL4 showcases innovative design by eliminating the product line’s standard heat spreader, instead employing a slim, all-in-one heatsink. This change results in a more low-profile board, while still maintaining a default temperature tolerance range of -40 to 85°C. Additionally, the PICO-ASL4 distinguishes itself from previous models with its SODIMM-based system memory, which supports up to 16 GB of DDR5.

Despite its extensive temperature range and thermal design modifications, the PICO-ASL4 maintains a fully functional I/O, featuring dual LAN ports (both 2.5GbE and 1GbE), dual USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and an HDMI 1.4 port. The board’s internal connectors provide access to serial communication through four COM port headers, a 4-bit GPIO, and SMBus/I2C. Enhancing its display capabilities are LVDS and optional eDP 1.4, granting users two simultaneous displays.

While the PICO-ASL4 shows promise in the smart transportation and manufacturing sectors, the GENE-ASL6 is specifically designed for edge gateway and digital signage applications. This board supports three simultaneous displays via its HDMI, VGA and LVDS interfaces, and it includes audio functionality with Line-In, Line-Out and microphone options. This combination also paves the way for potential smart kiosk deployments, where the GENE-ASL6’s optional TPM 2.0 and CPU-native encryption and decryption optimisations provide significant advantages.

For edge device applications, the GENE-ASL6 features three LAN ports, each operating at 2.5 GbE. It also supports advanced serial communication through four COM connectors (two RS-232/422/485 and two RS-232), an 8-bit GPIO, and SMBus/I2C. Additionally, the board offers an impressive array of expansion options, including an M.2 2230 E-Key, an M.2 3052 B-Key, a Nano SIM card slot, and a full-size mSATA/mPCIe slot. These options facilitate the integration of wireless communication modules for Wi-Fi and 5G, as well as high-speed storage solutions.

Much like its counterpart, the GENE-ASL6 sees schematic innovation with a solder-side design, which allows for higher component density, without compromising signal integrity or causing mechanical stress via optimised fanless heat dissipation, granting it a broad operating temperature of -40 to 85°C.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Comprehensive solutions for the food and beverage sector
RS South Africa Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
RS South Africa is reinforcing its commitment to the country’s dynamic food and beverage sector, backed by a comprehensive portfolio of over 800 000 products, extensive technical expertise and end-to-end service capabilities.

Read more...
Case History 198: Cascade control overcomes valve problems
Michael Brown Control Engineering Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
A large petrochemical refinery asked me to perform an audit on several critical base layer control loops. This article deals with a problem found on a valve controlling the flow of fuel to a heat exchanger.

Read more...
Improved networking technology for fire and gas detection
Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Critical alarm and event management technology supplier, Omniflex has worked with the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation to upgrade equipment providing digital and analogue signals for its safety critical fire and gas alarm systems.

Read more...
AAEON launches new panel PC series
Vepac Electronics SCADA/HMI
AAEON has released the OMNI-ADN series, a four-model collection of modular HMI panel PCs with display sizes ranging from 26 to 55 cm. The OMNI-ADN series is the first of AAEON’s HMI panel PC range powered by the Intel Processor N-series platform,

Read more...
Long-range laser distance measuring sensor
Vepac Electronics Sensors & Transducers
The MS-100A is a long-range laser distance measuring sensor with a range of 150 to 1000 mm. This sensor excels in applications requiring extended measurement capabilities, such as quality control and logistics.

Read more...
Power over Internet splitter for reliable power distribution
Vepac Electronics Electrical Power & Protection
A manufacturing facility requires a stable power supply for its wireless access points mounted across the factory floor. However, these devices do not support direct PoE input. By deploying the IPS-342P PoE Splitter from Vepac, the facility can efficiently convert PoE power from the network switch into 24 V DC output.

Read more...
World’s fastest 16-bit arbitrary waveform generator
Vepac Electronics Electrical Power & Protection
The ARB Rider AWG-5000 is the world’s fastest 16 bit Arbitrary Waveform Generator, with 6,16 GS/s real time update rate (12,32 GS/s in RF mode) and 16 bit vertical resolution.

Read more...
PC-based control for fertiliser
Beckhoff Automation Editor's Choice Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
On a farm in the USA, valuable ammonia is extracted from slurry and processed into ammonium sulphate. NSI Byosis has transformed this complex process into a flexible modular system. This modular approach requires an automation solution with flexible scalability in both hardware and software, which this Dutch company has found in PC-based control from Beckhoff.

Read more...
Loop signature 28: Things to consider when tuning.
Michael Brown Control Engineering Editor's Choice Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
I was giving a course at a remote mine in the middle of the Namibian desert. We were discussing tuning responses, and as I always do on my courses, I mentioned that in my opinion ¼ amplitude damped tuning is not desirable, and is in fact not good.

Read more...
How industrial network design impacts ESG commitments
Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
In safety-critical industries like nuclear, petrochemical and oil and gas, installing a new industrial cable network is an extremely complicated task. Gary Bradshaw, a director of industrial network specialist, Omniflex explains why this is often unnecessary as plants are likely to have existing cabling capable of being used to create new industrial networks.

Read more...