Industrial Network Infrastructure Portfolio Expands for Edge Computing Convergence

Industrial automation and operational infrastructure require standardized physical and data transport layers to connect legacy field devices with enterprise networks across manufacturing, energy, and transportation facilities. The expanded portfolio introduces dedicated hardware interfaces, power delivery architectures, and centralized management software designed to simplify edge-to-core integration across distributed and harsh environments.

Edge Fieldbus Interfacing and Sensor Integration
Direct integration of analog instrumentation into digital protocols is addressed via the LioN-X analog I/O modules, which map analog signals directly onto an IO-Link master architecture. The device integrates four configurable ports supporting voltage, current, resistance, and thermocouple inputs alongside eight digital inputs, operating entirely on standard IO-Link bus power without auxiliary external direct-current power supplies. For process instrumentation, the ProSoft PLX51-HART-8I gateway provides eight galvanically isolated HART channels to translate data directly to EtherNet/IP or Modbus networks, allowing up to 64 field instruments to communicate with programmable logic controllers without requiring multiple intermediate panel gateways.

Ruggedized Switching and Low-Voltage Power Architectures
In power substations, trackside rail deployments, and continuous process plants, standard industrial Ethernet switches often require dedicated voltage converters. The Hirschmann GREYHOUND GRS2000 series includes low-voltage direct-current power supply options, available in single or redundant topologies, allowing switches to draw power directly from existing low-voltage direct-current bus rails. This architecture simplifies hardware migrations from MACH1000 and legacy GRS1020 and GRS1030 hardware platforms.

For converged enterprise-edge switching across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, the Hirschmann IT MTS 2608 and MTS 2708 managed gigabit Ethernet switches provide eight access ports alongside four 1-gigabit small form-factor pluggable optical uplinks. Network reliability is maintained via Ethernet Ring Protection Switching under ITU-T G.8032 standards, while the MTS 2708 platform provides up to 125 watts of IEEE 802.3at Power over Ethernet output to connected field devices.

Centralized Wireless Management and High-Density Physical Cabling
Distributed wireless infrastructure across industrial and enterprise sites is managed via a software-based wireless local area network orchestration platform, providing centralized policy deployment, traffic monitoring, and access point provisioning from a single administrative interface.

Physical layer density and safety compliance are reinforced through specialized cabling and enclosure systems. The ACX 4U modular fiber distribution panel supports up to 384 optical fibers and 192 MPO-12 or MPO-8 ports within a pull-out drawer mechanism designed for high-density interconnect environments in data centers. For life-safety and emergency evacuation communications, the Safe T Line cable portfolio provides circuit integrity compliance certified under EN 50200 PH120 and Construction Products Regulation Euroclass Cca (s1b, d1, a1) standards in both shielded and unshielded configurations.

Additional Context
This section details technical specifications and competitive benchmarking not included in the original product announcement.

In industrial automation architectures, IO-Link analog conversion hubs compete directly with distributed modular slice I/O systems from manufacturers such as Phoenix Contact and Turck. Utilizing direct IO-Link bus power reduces cabinet footprint and eliminates dedicated M12 L-coded DC auxiliary power drops, though total available port current remains constrained to standard IO-Link Class A port limits of 200 mA to 500 mA per channel.

In industrial networking, the Hirschmann GRS2000 low-voltage direct-rail input aligns with railway standard EN 50155 and substation standard IEC 61850-3 power requirements, competing against Cisco Industrial Ethernet 3000 series and Moxa EDS-G500E platforms by removing external step-down converters to improve mean time between failures in harsh electrical environments.

Edited by Evgeny Churilov, Induportals Media - Adapted by AI.

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