December 27, 2013, Seoul, South Korea – Increasingly stringent safety standards and ongoing pressure to shorten development cycles are posing new challenges to industrial equipment system design companies, while simultaneously driving demand for highly integrated solutions consisting of fewer components and easier-to-use software.

To address these challenges, market leader Freescale Semiconductor and embedded system solution provider MicroSys Electronics GmbH are collaborating to build the industry's most integrated development platform for functional safety. The SafeAssure kit developed by MicroSys (miriac-EK5744) is designed to accelerate and streamline the development of industrial equipment required to meet key functional safety standards. This highly integrated kit is designed to enable system engineers targeting next-generation industrial safety applications—such as factory automation, transportation, aerospace, and defense—to reduce component redundancy, lower material costs, and dramatically accelerate development speeds.

The Miriac-EK5744 kit provides a platform optimized for the evaluation, design, and prototyping of applications that must satisfy safety standards, such as the EU Commission’s Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, IEC 61508 (2010), and 62061 (2005), as well as the ISO 13849 (2008) standard. Microsys and Freescale are also collaborating with the international certification body TÜV SÜD on the concept evaluation of the miriac-EK5744 kit.

Microsys is a verified partner through the Freescale Connect Partner Program. Verified partner companies provide the knowledge and experience necessary to complete the support and implementation of comprehensive system solutions.

Ray Cornyn, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Automotive Microcontrollers at Freescale, stated, "Microsys is a company widely known globally for its industry insights and exceptional quality," adding, "The SafeAssure kit is a prime example of the innovation that can be achieved when technology leaders in the industrial market collaborate to meet demanding market requirements."

Microsys’ SafeAssure kit (miriac-EK5744) is a solution that integrates Freescale’s 32-bit Qorivva MPC5744P microcontroller and the MC33907 system power management IC, which includes a physical transceiver. These Freescale components are part of the Freescale SafeAssure program, which provides support for the design of functional safety applications, including training, safety resources, and technical support, as well as a wide range of MCU, sensor, and analog IC solutions.

Dieter Pfeiffer, CEO of MicroSys Electronics GmbH, stated, "Freescale, which operates the SafeAssure program, is the ideal partner for building our new miriac functional safety kit family." “Freescale’s highly integrated safety MCU architecture and advanced analog technology provide optimal conditions for the miriac-EK5744 kit,” he said. “While other safety kits require more board components to provide the functionality needed to meet today’s demanding safety standards, the Freescale Qorivva MPC5744P integrates numerous other safety functions along with an advanced dual lockstep core, enabling it to provide the performance and functionality required by industrial customers for next-generation equipment as a single MCU-based development platform.”