Introducing the new Digi IX15 combined industrial-grade XBee gateway and cellular router; a low-price, quick-to-market option to chip-down DIY designs for networking operations.
The IX15 helps build XBee or other cellular networks for connectivity to cloud applications or data centres using Python programming for edge computing.
With C1D2 certifications and its rugged casing, it is designed to withstand harsh, corrosive environments making it ideal for oil and gas, water/wastewater, solar, agriculture and other industrial applications.
When developers require a highly secure, common platform to reduce costs and time-to-market, the IX15 is a reduced-risk, efficient option.
The Digi IX15 is compatible with Digi Remote Manager (Digi RM) – the command centre for your deployment. Digi RM is a cloud-based solution that allows the user to connect, setup, mass configure and maintain for thousands of remote devices.
We are hosting a series of free GaN Power Design webinars with Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) starting from 11th May 2021.
EPC webinars exhibit over 60 years of combined experience in advanced power management technology. From understanding critical design aspects to GaN power device reliability to identifying the value of GaN, EPC webinars help engineers in their next design and understand the nutshell advantages of GaN.
The webinars cover GaN Power Design in suitable applications such as automotive systems, motor drives, medical, satellites and high-density computing.
The webinars will be presented by Marco Palma, Director, Motor Control Systems & Applications at EPC.
Questions:
At the end of each session, there will be an opportunity for Q&As. However, to ensure your question will be covered efficiently, feel free to submit your question(s) below before the webinar or email danica.ngo@sssltd.com.
We are excited to announce a new strategic partnership with industrial IoT specialist TT Electronics.
TT’s Speed to Connect is an end-to-end IoT framework that seamlessly delivers hardware, connectivity, infrastructure and user experience solutions, out-of-the-box and with minimal programming required. Rapid IoT deployment is critical to project success; Speed to Connect is scalable, flexible and secure, and enables customers to deploy IoT solutions faster, smarter and more cost effectively than ‘going it alone’.
Speed to Connect features Bluetooth devices that sense and measure temperature, humidity, lighting and movement to remotely detect problems or trigger automated processes, as well as the S-2CONNECT ® smart hub using the latest GNSS and LTE technology which can be used as an asset tracker, smart home gateway or industrial smart hub.
Solid State Supplies has a team of IoT industry experts who specialise in accelerating time to market. We guide customers through the IoT landscape step by step, resulting in the design and delivery of complete IoT solutions from sensor to cloud.
TT Electronics’ sales director described Solid State Supplies as a “technically focused, demand creating distributor” with a “long history of success in IoT, whilst having the capability to help us reach new markets”. He added that the partnership is “another significant step . . . to deliver IoT solutions that enable digitalisation and realise connectivity roadmaps for OEMs”.
Solid State Supplies’ IoT technology director, Scott A. Brenton added: “We guide customers through the IoT landscape step by step, resulting in the design and delivery of complete IoT solutions from sensor to cloud. As a franchised distributor . . . our industrial IoT solutions portfolio includes communication devices, modules, and cloud-based platforms . . . to build . . . IoT solution or realise a faster time to market with a more modular or board-level approach”.
Speak to one of our experts to find out more about TT Electronics and implementing smart cost-effective connectivity in your systems. Find out more about TT Electronics here.
Following a period of working very closely together since Solid State Group acquired Pacer in November 2018, the distribution side of Pacer has now merged with Solid State Supplies.
The merger will create a scalable, more efficient organisation, benefitting the customers of both companies by offering a broader portfolio and a more complete value-added solution to enable greater growth generation.
“It’s important to note that this merger is very much about accelerating our growth and not a cost reduction exercise,” said John Macmichael, MD of Pacer and Solid State Supplies. “We are at the start of an exciting future for us and our customers. We are operating in a very competitive, international business environment, and so we need to build a robust structure that can easily and rapidly facilitate our high growth aspirations. We are confident that we are in the best possible position to achieve our ambitions.”
Adding value to the supply chain is a key focus for the companies, and both Solid State and Pacer contribute complementary value-add services to the collective offering. Another area where customers may see a further difference is around account management. The merger will create an increased sales resource, offering locally based contacts who will be much closer to a range of key business locations.
Macmichael added, “The last 12 months have undoubtedly been extremely challenging, not just for us at Pacer and Solid State Supplies, but for many companies. This merger, however, hasn’t been triggered by the pandemic, but by our experience of working so closely and successfully with one another over the past three years. We truly believe that we are better by being stronger together.”
This integration involves some important changes to our documentation and accounts administration, effective April 1st 2021, and for most customers, our legal entity changed from Pacer Components Ltd to Solid State Supplies Ltd on April 1st. If you have an account with Pacer and have not received notification of these changes from us already, please contact your sales representative as soon as possible, to ensure that there is no disruption to our business procedures.
Pacer’s Design and Manufacturing facility at Weymouth will continue to operate and expand under the Pacer name, as a valuable contributor to the group’s Value-Add Services and Solutions.
Digi International, a leading global provider of Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity products and services, has announced that their 2020 EMEA Demand Creation Distributor of the Year is Solid State Supplies Ltd (UK).
The recognition is awarded to Digi’s distributors and channel partners which excelled in providing value to its customers and significantly advanced the overall IoT market throughout the duration of the year.
Digi International recognises Solid State Supplies (SSS) for the ‘Strongest Design Funnel Creation and Support’ as a valued EMEA channel partner and congratulates them on this well-deserved award. SSS has played a key role in contributing to Digi International’s overall success in 2020, and Digi looks forward to continuing the momentum in 2021 and beyond.
SSS is delighted to have retained this award, having previously won the inaugural award in 2019 before the pandemic struck.
Solid State Supplies & Digi at the Engineering Design Show 2019
What particular SSS strengths have contributed to winning this award?
SSS has a Business Development team which has proved a real asset, helping customers to identify where a Digi solution can enhance their products, and persistently supporting them through challenging situations. The engineers in the BD team are very “hands-on” – keen to get development kits up and running to help find the answers to tough technical questions. They regularly tune into Digi’s online training sessions, ensuring their product and application knowledge is completely up to date.
A strong, multi-skilled Marketing team also helps SSS to communicate the benefits and advantages of Digi products into the marketplace, creating demand via multiple channels.
How has SSS responded to the challenges of the pandemic restrictions?
SSS has always been determined to pull out all the stops to support customers through challenging market conditions. By designing in modules with shorter lead times, the team has been able to protect customers from potential supply chain issues during the pandemic. SSS prides itself on keeping promises, always going the extra mile to deliver what it said it would deliver.
SSS has come up with innovative ways of communicating with customers during the pandemic. Holding various online events, and making good use of social media, has enabled the team to keep in contact with customers and to expand their reach to both existing and new customers.
A good website became even more important in early 2020. SSS increased the amount of Digi information on its website, preparing additional “solutions” webpages to give customers easy access to all the relevant information in one place.
Despite the challenges and restrictions of the pandemic, SSS has grown its business in many areas, expanding operations and capabilities. The wider Solid State Group has in fact completed two acquisitions already in 2021, further strengthening its customer offerings.
How does SSS add value to the relationship with Digi customers?
The SSS-Digi partnership enjoys great stability – the trading relationship is now in its 20th year. Excellent collaboration throughout this time has resulted in each partner developing a deep understanding of how the other “ticks”.
Business Development and Sales teams work closely with a dedicated Franchise Manager who helps to coordinate activities and to ensure that Digi has great visibility within SSS generally. All customer-facing teams have received up-to-date training on Digi’s Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity products and services, and there’s a lot of engagement (and enthusiasm!) within the wider team. The Franchise Manager also follows up on Digi enquiries and leads as they arrive, and quickly identifies the best support route for each customer.
The Robustel R1511P Development Kit contains all the parts required to evaluate the suitability of the R1511P embedded 4G router for integration into custom applications.
The R1511P-DevKit features:
The R1511P embedded router: a small footprint powerful 4G router board, fully customisable in software
Dual Ethernet, Wifi (AP and client) and 4G/3G/2G capability
RS232 (default) or RS485 port for connection to serial devices + integrated Modbus gateway
Pre-certified PCB means that manufacturer certification challenges are minimised
Fully programmable Linux environment with excellent SDK Documentation
Can be connected directly to Raspberry Pi or similar low-cost embedded PC for internet access
“Smart Reboot” included for enhanced Roaming SIM management
Bulk packaging + shipping options to minimise addition to customer BOM cost
Free Cloud platform with API
The R1511P Embedded Cellular Router
The Robustel R1511P is a fully featured embedded 4G router designed for IoT applications such as EV charging, traffic signs, vending machines, medical instrumentation, industrial instrumentation, and many more.
Embedded routers can offer a combination of both cost and size benefits compared to traditional routers; the R1511P is a cost-effective, small footprint board with Ethernet WAN, Wi-Fi WAN and 4G WAN interfaces, which can all be independently configured in the powerful onboard Operating System – RobustOS.
RobustOS is Robustel’s Linux based router operating system that offers functionality that could save a software engineer many months to write and test.
Winmate 4K Ultra-High Definition Military Monitors
4K sharp and detailed image, 10-bit colour with over 1.07 billion variations
Simultaneous PIP, PBP and POP
Light sensors for effective automatic display brightness and stabilises luminance
Optically bonded
178°/178° wide viewing angle for maximum visual performance
IP66-certified
MIL-STD-810G environmental and MIL-STD-461F EMC standards
Capacitive touch keys
Winmate Communications, a global leader in advanced, rugged mobile technologies, offers ultra-high definition (UHD) military monitors that feature pristine image quality of up to 4K resolution at 1080p. The Winmate 4K military monitors show sharp and detailed images, allowing simultaneous viewing Picture-In-Picture (PIP), Picture-by-Picture (PBP) and Picture-Over-Picture (POP).
The 4K military displays offer 10-bit colour with over 1.07 billion variations, with a 14-bit look-up table (LUT) included that enables rendering of surgical images and offers 256 of the most appropriate tones. An ambient light sensor adjusts the display’s brightness automatically when moving from one lighting condition to another, or if the ambient light suddenly increases or decreases.
All Winmate military displays are optically bonded for maximum visual performance and allow users to see accurate images from all views from their 178°/178° wide viewing angle. 3D LUT technology is featured to correct non-linear colour rendering errors which are common in LCD displays. The backlight sensor stabilises brightness/luminance output and provides the user with a consistent image.
The Winmate 4K military monitors are IP66-certified, giving complete protection against contact from dust and powerful jets of water. Cleaning fluid build-up and corrosion are minimised with its sealed case and fanless design. Displays are enhanced with edge-to-edge protective glass and its true flat sides provide protection by reducing any gaps to stop dust or liquid gathering.
Users can access information quickly through the capacitive touch keys, and an optional rubber bumper provides solid edge protection from accidental head injuries and other equipment damage.
Winmate 4K military monitors are built to survive drops, shocks, liquid spills, vibrations, dust, salt and extreme temperatures – they are designed and tested for MIL-STD-810G environmental and MIL-STD-461F EMC standards.
Please speak to our military display experts to find out more information about the Winmate 4K military monitor range.
Founded in 1989 and based in West Sussex, Willow Technologies specialises in switching, sensing, resistive and hermetic seal solutions. AEC is based in Elkhart, Indiana and has a long heritage of designing and building high current switching devices.
As a manufacturer and value added distributor of electro-mechanical products, WT/AEC will make a great addition to the group’s Value Added Services division, significantly enhancing our business offering for electric vehicle, EV charging, green tech, medical and military markets.
The acquisition of WT/AEC enhances the breadth of the group’s offering and supports the strategic objective of increasing geographic reach with over 70% of revenue derived outside of the UK. AEC provides a mature and respected platform within the USA giving critical mass to the group’s existing American business.
Solid State Plc
Commenting on the acquisition, Gary Marsh, Chief Executive of Solid State, said:
“It is very unusual to find a company that so clearly meets the strategic imperatives that we have set for the Group. This acquisition of Willow and AEC dovetails nicely into our Value Added Supplies business, increasing our geographic reach and own brand products whilst providing a springboard for growth in the USA. I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome the teams at both Willow and AEC into the Solid State Group of companies.”
Willow & AEC
On behalf of WT-AEC Mark Del Giudice, managing director responded:
“By joining the Solid State Group, we have become part of a dynamic organisation which shares our approach to providing niche products to new and developing growth markets. Our product portfolios complement one another and we will work together to ensure growth for both our business partners and our staff. I look forward to the next chapter of our business development and becoming part of the Solid State Group’s future.”
Digi’s popular range of XBee RF modules were originally released fifteen years ago. More than 15 million devices have been deployed in the field since then. Today, we introduce the new Digi XBee3 Mobile App development kit.
These versatile modules are available in 2.4GHz for worldwide use, whereas the long-range 868MHz and 915MHz modules are designed to support their designated regions. The XBee range also includes several fully certified cellular XBee modules supporting LTE Cat-1, NB-IoT and LTE Cat-M.
The ISM band modules support point-to-point, star, and mesh networking configurations. These have been successfully deployed in industrial, agricultural, and smart building applications to connect a range of machine controllers, sensors, and actuators. The three main protocols supported by the latest 2.4GHz XBee3 devices are: Zigbee, DigiMesh (also supported by the sub-GHz modules) and IEEE 802.15.4. All protocols are interchangeable on the same hardware with a simple firmware update. The modules can easily interface to a host controller or microcontroller (if required) via the various serial ports supported: UART, SPI and I2C.
Digi provides several tools that enable engineers for a quick start with the XBee technology via the Digi XBee development kits, XCTU (XBee configuration tool), the XBIB family development boards, the XBee USB adaptors for local wireless connectivity, and XBee gateways. The latest XBee3 modules (currently supporting 2.4GHz only) are available in through hole, surface mount, and micro mount (13mm x 19mm) form factors.
A new feature on the XBee3 is its support for embedded Micro Python scripts to enable standalone operation without the need for an additional microcontroller in the design. A Digi PyCharm plugin is available to enable a seamless development platform, and readily connects to the XBee3 device. In addition, the new XBee3 modules support simultaneous Bluetooth Low Energy communication for beaconing, or to connect to a Bluetooth enabled device for configuration (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, laptop).
Digi XBee3 Mobile App
The latest addition to the XBee3 Tool Suite is the Digi XBee Mobile App, which can be downloaded from Google Play or the Apple App Store. The Digi XBee Mobile App enables a quick and seamless connection to XBee3 devices over BLE, and gives access to all the registers in the XBee3. The Digi Xbee3 mobile apps allow local wireless configuration to be performed without the need for a physical laptop or PC connection.
The Digi XBee3 Mobile App SDK provides a set of libraries, code examples, and documentation to easily create iOS and Android apps which interact with Xbee3 modules over Bluetooth. A custom HMI facilitates the deployment of Xbee3 modules, and related accessories, into the field. With this technology, engineers are no longer required to develop custom test suits.
Our parent company, Solid State Plc, has donated 20 laptops and 10 wireless dongles to Trinity High School for students who are currently learning from home.
During the national lockdown, some students do not have the supplies nor internet access to be able to access the online lessons to learn remotely. The donated devices will ensure local students have the opportunity to participate in lessons to ensure that their education continues during this pandemic.
Some of the staff at Trinity High School have also kindly donated laptops to support students with remote learning.
Gary Marsh, CEO of Solid State PLC, said: “Whilst our business trades nationwide, we have a long history of operating in Redditch and are only too pleased to be able to give something back to the community where we now have our headquarters. These are difficult times for everyone, but we recognise that the future of UK industry depends particularly on the education of our children. We are delighted to be able to help in this small way.”
Mr Adrian Ward, Headteacher at Trinity High School, said: “We are really grateful for the generosity of both the public, charities, local businesses and the school staff. Without their support we would have even more students unable to access remote lessons, and the long-term effects of this could be very damaging. Any further support or donations would be gratefully received.”
Councillor Marcus Hart, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Education and Skills, said: “It is great to see the local community coming together to support schools during this very challenging time. All students should have access to education, and this donation from Solid State PLC will make a vital impact to the students at Trinity High School.”
