Maxim Helps Maximize Productivity for Industry 4.0 Applications

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Maxim Integrated Products Inc. has launched Pocket IO, a programmable logic controller (PLC) development platform that significantly increases manufacturing productivity and provides customers with the ability to achieve the smallest form factor and highest power efficiency for next-generation PLC designs.

Lost productivity is a common concern for Industry 4.0 designers challenged with keeping a manufacturing line running 24/7. Without intelligent data available at their fingertips, factory operators do not have the insight to make informed, real-time decisions which can significantly improve uptime, revenue, and gross margins. In addition to capturing real-time data, PLCs require fan-less operation due to harsh industrial environments. As a result, highly efficient power solutions are required to minimize heat dissipation.

Maxim’s Pocket IO redefines how factories operate and enables Industry 4.0 applications. To maximize productivity, it provides real-time intelligence to quickly and effectively make decisions, adaptive manufacturing to avoid potential downtime, and distributed control to provide redundancy. The Pocket IO provides the following key advantages to increase productivity:

• Real-time intelligence: Fast data processing provides the necessary data to make intelligent decisions quickly and effectively to optimize yield.
• Adaptive manufacturing: Manufacturing flexibility allows for real-time changes and adjustments to avoid potential downtime.

• Distributed control: Ultra-small footprint of less than 10 cubic inches and smart energy consumption brings PLC down to the manufacturing line, re-distributing intelligent control and providing redundancy.

When compared to the Micro PLC Platform from two years ago, the Pocket IO decreases form factor by an additional 2.5x and reduces power consumption by another 30%. Utilizing patent-pending, fast, and safe demagnetization clamps integrated within the MAX14913 octal high-side switch and driver, it achieves 15x space savings by eliminating 16 diodes from its previous solution. In addition, the MAX17681 iso-buck DC-DC converter provides greater than 90% power efficiency when compared to its predecessor—a reduction of power dissipation of over 30%. The MAX31913 octal, digital input translator/serializer can be powered off of any available 5V supply while still accepting input signals up to 36V, eliminating all protection components needed on the 24V supply pin and thus reducing total footprint by 50%.

"We leveraged Maxim's strong IP portfolio and long history specializing in analog integration to create this new pathway to Industry 4.0," said Jeff DeAngelis, Managing Director of Business Management at Maxim Integrated. "The Pocket IO is a development platform for designers and it demonstrates our complete industrial communications and power capabilities, including our robust IO-Link® smart sensor technology."

"Industry 4.0 is no longer a 'future trend'–for many companies it is now at the heart of their strategic and research agenda," said Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) in a recent report. "In fact, 35% of companies adopting Industry 4.0 expect revenue gains over 20% over the next five years."

electronica 2016

Visit Maxim at electronica 2016 in Munich, Germany from November 8-11, 2016 to see the Pocket IO PLC development platform and other Industry 4.0 solutions. Maxim will be located in Hall A4, Stand 279. For more information, click here.

About Maxim Integrated

Maxim develops innovative analog ICs for the automotive, industrial, healthcare, mobile consumer, and cloud data center markets. We make technology smaller, smarter, more secure and energy efficient, so that our customers can meet the demands of an integrated world. For more information, click here.