Earlier today, we published an interview on IoT Evolution World between myself and Ben Tucker, Digi International’s Director of Product Management for the company’s Infrastructure Management division. It dove into how Digi focuses on – and definitively streamlines – IIoT-powered success for businesses in need. (Read that story in full here.)
In addition to that interview, we’ve got more Digi-centric news to share from the company’s cellular business unit:
The company announced the market launch of its new Digi IX40 5G industrial cellular router. Digi IX40 is purpose-built for Industry 4.0 use cases ranging from industrial automation and smart manufacturing to advanced robotics, asset monitoring and predictive maintenance and much more. (The “much more” includes 5G cellular and fiber failover, smart grid distribution automation, DERMS, SCADA, etc.)
Further details:
Per the official IX40-related release, “Fully integrated with Digi Remote Manager (Digi RM), this solution’s capabilities improve security and scalability while ensuring speed, reliability and efficiency.” (Notably, these were also themes echoed by Digi’s IM division, touched on by Ben during our interview.) Digi RM – a cloud-based command center for critical IoT deployments – gives businesses access to critical insights so they can make more intelligent data-driven decisions when it comes to their network operations bolstered by the latest in IIoT.
Moreover, the IX40 supports 5G connectivity and edge intelligence; this allows businesses to seamlessly connect multiple wired or wireless machines (even in the most demanding environments). The goal is to “optimize the integration of cloud-delivered OT services with IT to enable network-wide visibility, monitoring and control. Its all-in-one design, powerful computing capabilities and integrated memory promote real-time data processing, remote monitoring, and precision analytics.”
(That last point is super crucial when discussing critical applications in industrial automation, utilities, renewable energy, oil and gas, and digital signage.)
The list of technical Digi IX40 features includes:
- Global 5G and LTE support for public and private cellular networks
- Integrated edge computing capabilities for applications requiring edge intelligence and real-time processing
- The Digi Accelerated Linux operating system (DAL OS)
- Simplified configuration and management with Digi RM
- FIPS 140-2 validation for encryption of sensitive data
- Ethernet, SFP, serial, I/O and Modbus bridging
- Powerful failover options, including fiber and 4G LTE for ultimate redundancy
- Digi SureLink, VRRP+ and dual SIMs for resilient cellular connectivity
- GNSS receiver supporting GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo
- License-free enterprise software: VPN, firewall, logging and authentication
- Rugged enclosure with DIN rail and shelf mounting options
- FirstNet Capable models to meet the demands of emergency response
Describing this even better, per Vitaly Kurduban, Senior Product Manager of Industrial Cellular Solutions at Digi:
“For businesses today — especially those leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies — edge computing is a must-have, providing the compute power and real-time data processing for the most data intensive applications. Digi is a long-standing leader in industrial cellular technology, and our new Digi IX40 solution helps our customers quickly and cost-effectively take advantage of intelligence at the edge. This aids them in making optimal use of the power and speed of edge computing to enable real-time processing, faster insights, enhanced security and reduced latency. These are some of the key requirements of Industry 4.0 applications.”
“And speaking of Industry 4.0, Digi IX40 is a game changer for manufacturing automation, robotics, predictive maintenance and other applications requiring real-time edge processing,” Kurduban added. “The combination of 5G bandwidth and edge computing makes it possible to process data at the edge before transmitting it to the cloud, which provides cost benefits and real-time response. The higher data rates of 5G enable faster downloads and uploads for data-intensive applications. By providing solutions that combine 5G speed and low latency with reliable wireless connectivity and edge intelligence, we are enabling organizations to deploy applications that require instant interactions, such as autonomous vehicles in manufacturing facilities. Simply put, Digi IX40 empowers enterprises to explore a world of new opportunities.”
Learn more about the Digi IX40 here.
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
