NEWBURYPORT, MA – Softing, the technological leader in providing ruggedized components for industrial automation, has expanded its CANbus interface board offering with PCI Express type interface boards.

Softing’s new PCIe boards are so-called “active” CANbus boards. Every board is outfitted with an on-board CPU to immediately execute time critical tasks thereby ensuring a successful integration into real-time applications.

PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express – PCIe) is a computer expansion board standard designed to replace the older PCI, PCI-X, and AGP standards. PCIe 2.0 is the latest standard for expansion boards that is available on mainstream personal computers. Conceptually, the PCIe bus can be thought of as a high-speed serial replacement of the older (parallel) PCI/PCI-X bus.

Softing has launched the following new CANbus boards:

• PCI Express single channel – Active, single channel board for industrial computers

• PCI Express single channel low profile – Active, single channel board for industrial computer with limited internal space.

• PCI Express dual channel – Active, dual-channel CANbus PCI Express interface board to connect a host computer to two independent CANbus networks.

Softing’s CANbus boards are globally used in a wide range of applications including solutions for mobile devices, operation and visualization terminals, real-time machine controls, and extended temperature-range applications. Drivers for a wide range of operating systems and real-time environments are available.

• Windows 7 / Windows Vista – 64-bit and 32-bit

• Windows XP / 2000 – 32-bit

• Linux[] Kernel 2.6

As an additional benefit, the new PCIe CANbus boards include a free license to a CANopen Master API “LeanCANopen” that can be downloaded from Softing’s web page.

About Softing

In industrial automation, Softing is a specialist for fieldbus technology and has established itself as a world-leading partner for networking automation systems and control solutions. Softing provides customers the key technology to connect devices, controls and systems with the leading communication technologies. In fieldbus technology, Softing is a world-class expert for FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS, and CAN/CANopen/DeviceNet. The company’s wide range of expertise includes solutions for OPC, FDT, and Real-Time-Ethernet protocols such as, PROFINET IO, EtherNet/IP, or Modbus/TCP. Many of the products and services developed by Softing since the company was founded in 1979 have become reference standards throughout the world. In addition, Softing has established itself as a provider of sophisticated diagnostic tools for fieldbus systems.

For more information: www.softing.us or Tel: (978) 499-9650, Fax: (978) 499-9654, Email: ken.hoover@softing.com.