Posted to News on 8th Nov 2006, 20:30
Lantronix launches industrial device networking products
Announcing a full line of new, innovative products and an expanded channel support program, Lantronix has moved to strengthen its position in the industrial networking marketplace with four new product releases, including the company's first wireless Device Server specifically designed for extreme environments. With nearly 20 years of networking expertise, Lantronix Ethernet and 802.11 wireless device networking technologies provide industrial customers with technologies that reduce costs and downtime, and enable new and improved equipment service options.
Marc Nussbaum, CEO of Lantronix, says: "Networking industrial devices has been one of our primary strategies for several years now and this market has been adopting the technology rapidly. Today, industrial applications represent one of our top three segments in terms of revenues. According to industry analysts, the use of device networking in industrial automation applications is expected to grow 44 per cent in each of the next five years. We have stepped up our investment in this and other key industrial verticals with four new products introduced over the past few months and more on the way."
The Industrial Device Networking category includes several markets that require network equipment to work in harsh environments. Such environments include industrial/factory automation, building automation, energy/utilities, transportation and manufacturing. The Lantronix industrial-ready Device Servers are able to operate under extreme temperatures and resist exposure to electrical shock, vibration and physical abuse.
Lantronix device networking enables end users and manufacturers to place existing equipment on the LAN or the internet so it can be remotely monitored, managed and controlled – from virtually anywhere. As a pioneer in the industrial market, Lantronix products have been used in the widest array of applications for leading companies such as Bosch Rexroth Corporation, Rockwell Automation, Honeywell, Invensys Systems and Siemens Building Automation.
Glen Allmendinger, president of Harbor Research, comments: "Industrial markets continue to adopt device networking at a rapid pace because Ethernet and wireless are ideal means of connecting machines and equipment in a factory floor environment. Not only driven by the desire for management and control, machine connectivity offers the ability to lower total cost of ownership, maximise uptime and improve quality, while providing real-time monitoring and remote control of attached equipment."
Lantronix industrial Device Servers are targeted specifically at the requirements of this market for both wired and wireless applications. Examples include the recently announced XPress-DR+ that utilises Lantronix patent-pending SwitchPort+ technology to enable organisations to extend their reach of the network and connect previously out-of-reach machines - all without disturbing existing control networks or the need for additional infrastructure. The result is greatly reduced cabling and installation costs, while also extending the useful life of existing equipment.
Sales support
Lantronix is also expanding its sales partner reach into these new markets, including signing-up Neteon Technologies, a company committed to providing the best industrial Ethernet products and systems to its customers. The company's award-winning channel and programmes are designed to provide integrators with a network of qualified partners who can deliver application-specific systems and other value-added services based on the Lantronix device networking technology platform.
Industrial device networking
The new XPress-DR+ Wireless is a fully industrial-grade device server that allows equipment to be connected to 802.11 b/g networks quickly and easily. It comes in a standard DIN-rail case and includes the same robust SwitchPort+ functionality as the XPress-DR+, allowing greater flexibility in connecting a large number of devices.
The XPress-DR+ was designed to simplify and reduce the cost of connecting industrial equipment to the network with features like SwitchPort+ technology, which makes it possible to connect previously out-of-reach machines without the need for additional infrastructure. By delivering the reliability needed to connect, communication and control equipment over the internet, customers can experience a lower total cost of ownership by reducing equipment, cabling and installation costs.
The UDS1100-IAP is an extension to the highly successful UDS family of device servers and delivers industrial-specific protocol support such as Modbus TCP, ASCII, RTU and DF1, critical in many industrial automation applications. The UDS1100-IAP is a flexible and powerful single-port device server, yet it is also claimed to be one of the easiest to install and configure on the market today – delivering all of the advantages of real-time, on-demand information access desired by end users.
The new XPress I/O merges Lantronix device networking technology with industrial digital I/O and internal relay control, thereby enabling data handling and manipulation and resulting in real-time event response. By combining these three technologies, the XPress I/O can replace multiple products with a single, solid-state, high-availability system. The XPress I/O also includes the Lantronix feature-rich Evolution OS that provides a simple user interface, advanced customisation capabilities and enterprise-grade security.
For more information on Lantronix industrial device networking products and systems, visit www.lantronix.com/industrial.
