INDUSTRY INSIDER
across devices that use Wind River’s Internet-facing software platforms.
CANopen Profiles for Laboratory Automation
CAN in Automation (CiA), the international users’ and manufacturers’ group for CAN (Controller Area Network), has released additional device interfaces for laboratory automation. The CiA 434 specifications (part 2 and part 3) describe device profiles for heating, cooling and shaking units as well as dispensers, dilutors and pumps. The profiles specify process data and configuration parameters. This makes the device in a CANopen network interoperable and even partly exchangeable, simplifying system design. CANopen is an internationally standardized communication
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system (EN 50325-4), which is used in many different application fields. The CANopen profiles for laboratory automation have been developed by market-leading companies and are designed especially for pipette automation systems, but are also suitable for other laboratory equipment. In such systems, IEC 61131-3 programmable devices are increasingly used, which are originally developed for industrial automation. The CiA 434 specification has been published for CiA internally; excerpts are available for non-members.
AIT, Formerly AIM-USA, Signs Strategic Alliance with TTTech
AIT is pleased to announce the formation of a longterm strategic alliance with
TTTech North America to add ARINC664/AFDX, Ethernet, Time-Triggered Ethernet and Time-Triggered Protocol to their product portfolio. AIT will provide local sales and support for North American customers and provide increased engagement in the U.S. government and aerospace market for TTTech. This tightly coupled partnership will capitalize on AIT’s experience in product design, sales, production and support, as well as TTTech’s leadership in time-triggered communication technologies. AIT provides a suite of test and simulation products for a wide variety of avionics bus applications, including MIL-STD-1553, ARINC429, ARINC615A, Fibre Channel and MIL-STD-1760E. With support from TTTech, ARINC664/AFDX, Time-Triggered Ethernet (TTE) and TimeTriggered Protocol (TTP) will be
added to AIT’s portfolio. AIT will remain an independent company and will continue to enhance and supply the newly combined variety of avionics products to aerospace customers. The TTP ASICs are mature DO-254/DO-178B certified for design of critical embedded flight systems. TTEthernet and TTP are open industry standards (SAE AS6802 and AS6003 respectively) that offer higher bandwidth when compared to CAN, MILSTD-1553 and ARINC429. They provide significant advantages in terms of reliability, modularity, lower weight, certification, reduced cost and faster time-tomarket for aerospace systems.
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