A new gigabit Ethernet switch equipped with a real-time engine (RTE) that quickly processes periodic data transmissions even during flight has been released, raising expectations that it will provide fast communication capabilities for industrial networking applications.

Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP), a leading provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions, today announced the availability of its new LAN9662 Gigabit Ethernet Switch, providing automation manufacturers with a comprehensive networking solution.

The LAN9662 Gigabit Ethernet switch features four ports, Audio-Video Bridging (AVB) and Time Sensitive Networking (TSN), two integrated 10/100/1000BASE-T PHYs, and a 600MHz Arm® Cortex®-A7 CPU subsystem.

The LAN9662 has a built-in real-time engine (RTE) to support industrial Ethernet applications, which allows Ethernet frames to be modified in flight and enables faster processing of periodic data transmissions, resulting in lower latency. It also complies with major industry standards such as OPC Unified Architecture (OPC/UA) and the PROFINET software stack, providing deterministic communication capabilities essential for industrial networking applications.

“The LAN9662 enhances Microchip’s LAN966x family of products and expands our range of TSN-enabled networking endpoints,” said Charles Forni, vice president of Microchip’s USB and Networking business unit. “Our solution provides customers with an easy design jump-start that adheres to industry standards and is supported by a comprehensive software portfolio.”