PICMG InterEdge working group formed

  • October 22, 2024
  • William Payne

Open embedded computing forum PICMG has formed a working group to develop open systems-based automation hardware for distributed control systems. The InterEdge 1.1 Technical Working Group (TWG) is aimed shaping open InterEdge technologies for process industries, including refining, chemical, oil gas, pharmaceuticals, metals and mining, pulp and paper, as well as food and beverage.

InterEdge is an open electromechanical and software interface specification designed to support the interchangeability of industrial-grade compute modules, input/output (I/O) modules, and network switches for industrial automation and process control industries. Version 1.1 of the InterEdge standardization effort seeks to build on the mechanical and interface definitions completed previously by defining standard compute modules, multi-channel I/O modules, an InterEdge reference architecture, and more.

InterEdge is intended for broad process industry use as an alternative to industrial PCs (IPC), programmable logic controllers (PLC), distributed control systems (DCS) and their associated I/O modules. With its modular architecture, InterEdge can consolidate the functions of all of these systems into a single platform.

The primary work performed by the InterEdge 1.1 TWG will include completing definitions of a compute module expansion bus, multi-channel I/O, additional I/O, thermal design, anti-tamper, out-of-band management, additional diagnostics and termination assemblies.

The working group will also define an InterEdge reference architecture that connects multiple compute and I/O modules over an internal Ethernet I/O bus. In compliance with the Open Process Automation Forum’s (OPAF’s) Open Process Automation Standard (OPAS), the reference architecture will support an IEC 61499 runtime on top of a Linux OS. IEEE 802.3 and 10Base-T1S MAC/PHYs are included to support external networking over industrial Ethernet, MQTT, DDS and other protocols.

Reference compute modules are being supplied by ASRock Industrial while the PCB and connectors are being developed by Samtec. I/O module vendors are currently being identified.

“The InterEdge 1.1 TWG is running full speed ahead bringing the benefits of interchangeability to the automation industry,” said Matthew Burns, InterEdge 1.1 Technical Working Group chair. “The collaboration and innovation of industry leaders within the InterEdge community will drive adoption in future system builds for generations to come.”

“The InterEdge specification enables interoperability and interchangeability to the process automation markets, which previously required companies to choose between proprietary solutions.