Industrial I/O module is Arduino compatible

8th May 2017

Mick Elliott

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The new SIMATIC IOT2000 module from Siemens, which is an Arduino-compatible shield that enables additional digital and analogue input/output (I/O) connectivity in an industrial environment is available at RS Components. Designed to be compatible with the SIMATIC IOT2020 and IOT2040 industrial IoT gateways, the new module can be connected directly to local sensors to trigger non-time-critical processes.

Addressable via general-purpose I/O and programmable via high-level languages, the rugged IOT2000 module, or shield, is CE and UL certified and designed for 24/7 industrial operation.

The range of I/O available includes five 24V digital inputs and two outputs, and two selectable analogue inputs, which offer 9-bit resolution and range from 0 to 10V or 0 to 20mA.

Originally launched in late 2016, RS is the sole authorised distributor for the open and flexible SIMATIC IOT2020 industrial IoT gateway, which is an Arduino-compatible device manufactured by Siemens.

RS also recently signed a contract with Arduino that enables the IOT2020 to be marketed via the Arduino.cc shop and other sources to students, makers, geeks and young engineers, which is the primary target audience for Arduino.

The IOT2020 is extremely well suited for educational purposes and meets the many requirements of schools and universities to provide students with a platform to gain rapid experience of practical development, as well as enabling start-ups and makers to develop ideas in an open way into professional applications and projects.

Offering a variety of interfaces such as Ethernet, USB and micro SD, the product is compatible with open-source software including the Arduino IDE and Yocto Linux, and can be programmed using high-level languages such as Java, C++ and JSON.

The IOT2020 is also the subject of an ongoing competition from the Hackster developer community. Sponsored by RS and others, including Tektronix, Weller and Massimo Banzi, the co-founder of Arduino, the idea is for engineers, makers and students to come up with innovative applications and solutions based on the IoT gateway.