STW offers economical communication module

Sensor-Technik Wiedemann GmbH (STW), a manufacturer of automation and digitization components based in Kaufbeuren, Germany, is expanding its communication module portfolio with the TCG-4Lite. The new communication and telemetry module offers an economical alternative for machines used in harsh environmental conditions that do not require the full range of interfaces provided by the TCG-4.

The TCG-4Lite communication and telemetry module offers an economical alternative for machines used in harsh environmental conditions that don’t require a full range of interfaces. (Photo: STW)

Typical uses for the TCG-4lite include location monitoring and geofencing of machines. This can be extended with warranty monitoring and verification in the event of faults and damage. Onboard machines can be integrated into any cloud or fleet management solution, STW noted. Other available capabilities include on-demand billing models and feature activation as well as remote monitoring and diagnostics. Functions such as reading the fault memory, real-time debugging, software and firmware updates and display mirroring are all available remotely over-the-air.

Mobile connectivity to cloud services is achieved through the module’s LTE modem in 2G/3G/4G networks. The TCG-4Lite supports the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and Beidou systems for satellite navigation and location determination. Connection to the machine is achieved with two CAN interfaces or with BroadR-Reach. IP67K protection enables an operating temperature range of -40 F to 185 F.

A 700 MHz single-core Freescale i.MX6 onboard processor and 8 GB of Flash and 512 MB of RAM memory facilitate data processing and storage. Pre-processing of machine data can take place on the machine and processed signals and measured values can be fed into cloud and other telematics services. The Linux operating and development ecosystem enables rapid development of vendor independent applications and offers customers and developers a user-friendly environment to realize their applications, said STW.