Ein netX-Chip auf einer cifX-PC-Karte von Hilscher
empowering communication

Automation Companies

Solutions for fieldbus and Real-Time Ethernet

Are you an automation technology manufacturer? Then equip your components with state-of-the-art communication interfaces, ensuring their communication capability. It will enable your solutions to interact quickly, reliably and robustly with controllers, field devices and higher-level systems — whether IPCs, HMIs or actuators such as drives and robots, or even complex applications such as automated optical test systems.


Automated systems also require seamless signal transmission, control and monitoring between different fieldbus and Real-Time Ethernet communication standards. We ensure this with precertified solutions.


When you choose Hilscher, you turn the high variability of network standards on the market to your advantage. No longer will you have to decide on a single standard—our multi-protocol solutions can cover them all. We deliver a wide range of solutions for industrial communication as well as innovation, know-how and expertise from decades of project experience.

 

Challenges facing automation manufacturers
Integration costs

As an automation engineer, you want to minimize the cost of integrating industrial communication interfaces and be able to adapt them flexibly to market demands. This saves you money and minimizes the time to market for your customer solutions.


With unified drivers, configuration tools, and application interfaces across all protocols, you can quickly and easily get your devices and systems up and running and respond quickly to changing market conditions.

Flexibility and variability

As an automation engineer, you're looking for efficient communication solutions that can be integrated quickly and easily. Protocol variability can be a barrier for you to serve the customer segments you want.

With our multi-protocol solutions and standardized interfaces, drivers and tools, you can turn this into an advantage over your competitors. With just one piece of hardware, you can cover all protocols and have the right solution for your customers.

Wide range of hardware options

Depending on the application, you require communication interfaces with special hardware requirements.

Whether it's a wide range of form factors, rugged M12 connectors or remote network interfaces, and an extended temperature range, our PC cards and embedded modules with their broad spectrum of product versions offer you the ideal solution for every application.

Hilscher: empowering communication

As a specialist for industrial communication, it is our mission to make the integration of automation components into any communication network as simple as possible. With more than 35 years of experience and expertise in industrial automation and countless customer projects, we've put together a broad product and service portfolio. We have just the right solution for every application and have already equipped countless components and devices with the right communication interfaces:

  • Sensors
  • Actuators (drives, robots, etc.)
  • Measuring instruments / simulation systems
  • Optical inspection systems
  • HMI terminals
  • Industrial PCs

 

 

Learn more about Hilscher products in action
Thermal spray coating machine by Oerlikon.

Oerlikon Metco AG uses netFIELD to enable real-time data collection from industrial applications, such as thermal spray painting machines, from around the world.

netX 90 communication controller mounted on a circuit board.

From motor controllers to the consolidation of entire control cabinet contents, dieEntwickler Elektronik (dEE) implements innovative netX 90 projects and opens up the entire internal periphery of the small multiprotocol controller. Read more about our integration partner here!

An actuator by SCHIEBEL painted in black on white background with a red spring incorporated on the left side.

With the embedded modules netIC52 and netRAPID 90 from Hilscher, SCHIEBEL connects its actuators to industrial communication networks and sets standards with a new control board.

A clean and bright inside of a factory with several machines lined up left and right. On two white rails at the upper half of the picture Güdel is written in red large letters. In the foreground, a sheet of metal lays on a conveyor belt.

Industrial systems specialist Güdel uses netFIELD to implement advanced IIoT solutions, ranging from monitoring specific wear points to a more holistic Industry 4.0 approach.

A pneumatic valve application with many cables and lines going about, disappearing into a cabinet on the bottom. On the far right side, AVENTICS is written on the device. In the background, you can see some green and blue boxes. The valve application is mounted on a sheet of metal.

Emerson, a world leading provider of automation technology and software, has enabled integrated OPC UA in their AVENTICS™ valve systems, simplifying IIoT integration and analysis capabilities with netX 90.

Titleimage Systemtechnik Leber

Based on Hilscher’s netX 90 multiprotocol processor, Systemtechnik LEBER and E-T-A developed an ultra-compact and price-sensitive bus controller for monitoring electronic circuit breakers.

A man with a blue hard hat and safety glasses is working on a orange robot arm.

netANALYZER delivers reliable support for the service specialist Leadec in troubleshooting industrial Ethernet networks.

A packaging machine from MULTIVAC.

MULTIVAC, the leading manufacturer of integrated packaging solutions, develops customer-oriented services with netFIELD, enabling higher machine availability

A female factory worker in pharmaceutical clothing standing beside a large fluid machinery.

netTAP 151 provides a flexible and scalable solution for an easy integration of independent processing systems into one industrial communication network.

A pneumatic test bench with several cables going in and out, placed in a production environment.

müller+krahmer GmbH realizes pneumatic test benches with the capability to change protocols on the fly with the help of Hilscher cifX PC cards.

A grey box with several connectors up front.

The engineering firm kumkeo GmbH is one of the first companies to rely on the netX 90, the world‘s smallest multi-protocol chip from Hilscher, for the development of innovative products.

 

2 panel PCs facing each other, another IPC with netJACK highlighted blue in the foreground.

IPC specialist ADS-TEC Industrial IT uses the netJACK option module as a universal solution to equip its Industrial Box PCs and HMIs with master and slave functionalities on demand, flexibly and without tools.

Front view of a NORD inverter standing upright with connectors on bottom.

Drive manufacturer NORD DRIVESYSTEMS realizes more compact frame sizes and facilitates servicing with netX.

Worker inspecting an electrical Installation at a Leadec plant.

netMIRROR facilitates quick and reliable troubleshooting in RealTime Ethernet networks at factory service specialist Leadec.

cifX PC-Cards integrate Automated Weld Seam Inspection Systems to numerous Real-Time Ethernet and Fieldbus networks at German machine vision specialist VITRONIC.

Integrating automation components – reliably and network-independent

Depending on the application and region, automation at the OT level is characterized by a wide variety of communication protocols. We've developed a wide range of multi-protocol capable PC cards that make it as easy as possible to integrate your automation components into communication networks. From PCI and PCI Express to CompactPCI or PC/104 and Mini PCI Express, our cifX product family offers all common formats for master and slave applications. With our M.2 PC cards, we even offer the smallest multi-protocol enabled PC cards in the automation market for space-saving integration into your devices.


Thanks to Hilscher's platform strategy, the entire cifX family uses the same drivers and tools, significantly simplifying integration. Whether it's different cable lengths, M12 connectors, integrated NVRAM, extended temperature range, dual-channel cards or remote network interfaces, numerous hardware options always offer the right solution for every specific application. We're also continuously adding to our product and services portfolio, so you're always optimally prepared for new market demands.


For connecting industrial networks, we also offer a selection of standard gateways in various performance levels. Based on our multiprotocol netX-SoCs, the protocol converters serve you flexibly in all common fieldbus and Real-Time Ethernet networks. They make it easy to connect devices and network segments using the same or different communication standards.

Your advantages with our solutions at a glance:
  • Multi-protocol enabled components
  • Low development costs
  • Fast time to market
  • Easy integration
  • Comprehensive portfolio for industrial communication
  • Support and additional services throughout the entire lifecycle
  • Long-term product availability
Related links
Two Hilscher employees discussing a contract.

Are you looking for an integration partner for your industrial communication project? From multi-protocol capable netX chips to IIoT applications - our network of partner companies offers you the support you need!

Employee sitting on the back of a couch in Hilscher's office building.

Our solutions enable machines all over the world to communicate autonomously and securely with each other. From communication controllers, PC cards and embedded modules to network analysis and Industry 4.0, we make industrial communication possible. Read our success stories.

Communication controllers and printed circuit boards are extensively tested at Hilscher in Germany.

We make industrial communication possible. From legacy fieldbus to Real-Time Ethernet and the cloud. Our solutions are multi-protocol capable, flexible and reliable. Our solutions are based on our in-depth knowledge of automation technology, which is reflected in our technology.