Texas Instruments (TI) has introduced a new AM1810 Sitara ARM9 MPU with an integrated PROFIBUS interface.
PROFIBUS is the worlds’ most popular fieldbus used for communications between factory automation equipment, with more than 31 million devices installed globally by more than 1400 PROFIBUS member companies. Described by open standards IEC 61158 and IEC 61784, PROFIBUS is used for applications requiring coordinated motion and safe operation of networked industrial devices. It eliminates point-to-point cabling and reduces complexity, installation and maintenance cost for factory automation, process control, industrial drives, motion control, and safety devices such as emergency stop push buttons.
Compared to multi-chip solutions on the market today, the AM1810 Sitara ARM MPU connects the PROFIBUS interface directly to the RS-485 transceiver, eliminating the need for an external PROFIBUS, ASIC or FPGA. The combination of removing the FPGA or the ASIC, reducing board space and introducing a simpler thermal design, results in bill of materials (BOM) savings of up to 30 percent, according to TI.
Examples of industrial applications suitable for the AM1810 Sitara ARM MPU include a programmable logic controller (PLC) or human machine interface (HMI).
The AM1810 Sitara ARM MPU with PROFIBUS is available for sampling and priced at USD $9.95 in 1,000 unit quantities.