Advantech releases Ethernet switch for expanding networks

Advantech Corp . reports that its Industrial Automation Group recently released its new EDG-6528 industrial-grade Ethernet switch, which reportedly provides fast and cost-effective expansion of industrial Ethernet networks with eight 10/100-Mbps Ethernet ports. EDG-6528 also is suitable for environments with extreme temperatures.

Because an important feature of industrial switches is power input protection, Advantech adds that EDG-6528 is designed with flexible screw terminals to ensure that power lines are solidly fixed, and won’t be accidentally pulled out. There is also a secondary power input that will automatically take over if the primary input fails. Unregulated voltages are no problem with EDG-6528’s 3,000-V dc surge protection, and a wide voltage range from 12 to 48 V dc is accepted to deal with unpredictable voltage fluctuations.

EDG models also are easily mounted on DIN rails or on panels, and have a compact design to fit into small control cabinets. With an operating temperature range of 0 to 70 °C (32-158 °F), EDG-6528 is suitable for most industrial applications.

For more reliable communication, EDG-6528 is designed with a switch controller that can automatically sense transmission speeds (10/100 Mbps), and all Ethernet ports have memory buffers that support the “store-and-forward” mechanism. The RJ-45 interface is also auto-detected so that MDI or MDIX can be auto-selected, and a crossover cable isn’t necessary.

—Jim Montague, news editor, Control Engineering, jmontague@reedbusiness.com

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