The newly released ioPAC 5542 Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) from MOXA is a rugged all-in-one controller that combines a GPRS/HSPA cellular modem, a fully functional I/O terminal, and a data logger into a single unit and houses them in a miniature metal case.

The ioPAC 5542 is an RTU that supports independent data logging with storage expandable up to 32GB. Equipped with MOXA’s patented, innovative Active OPC server software, the ioPAC 5542 enables push communication from the edge to the core, offering significant benefits such as reduced data transmission and hardware costs, as well as deployment and maintenance expenses. Additionally, the ioPAC 5542 RTU features a high sampling rate, a pre-record event buffer, millisecond timestamps, and a choice between C/C++ or IEC 61131-3 programming platforms. Combining very high accuracy with robust programming capabilities, MOXA’s ioPAC 5542 RTU provides engineers with a powerful and efficient controller for processing tasks such as analyzing and identifying anomalous intrusions or monitoring device failures.

Designed to perform reliable operation in harsh industrial environments, the ioPAC 5542 RTU is a physically independent RTU with railway-grade ESD and surge protection, resistance to a wide temperature range of -40°C to 75°C (-30°C to 75°C for the HSPA model), and is UL/cUL Class 1 Division 2 and ATEX Zone 2 certified. For network redundancy and communications security, the ioPAC 5542 RTU provides two software-selectable 3-in-1 serial ports along with two 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports that can be trunked to a single uplink. With the optimization of applicable hardware and software, the ioPAC 5542 RTU provides a complete solution for data acquisition and control applications in harsh environments.

The ioPAC 5542 RTU is an ideal solution for various types of industrial applications, such as water, oil, and gas pipeline monitoring, pump and lift-station monitoring, environmental monitoring, security, and surveillance, by providing benefits that go beyond the role of a high-performance RTU.

MOXA's ioPAC 5542 RTU achieves a 250Hz sampling rate on analog inputs, providing engineers with high sampling precision and ensuring efficient event analysis. Additionally, the ioPAC 5542 RTU provides a pre-record buffer for analog inputs. This pre-record buffer means the ioPAC 5542 RTU maintains a window for continuously recorded input data and log conditions; thus, if the data logger is triggered in an emergency, data is automatically logged continuously thereafter, including all data recorded up to that point. By eliminating gaps that may occur due to network latency and restoring a complete dataset of data before and after an event, this pre-record buffer provides engineers with a much more efficient dataset for post-event analysis.

When MOXA’s ioPAC 5542 RTU is combined with Active OPC Server™ and DA-Center™, all data collected while the network connection is disconnected can be automatically replenished as soon as the network connection is restored. When the network is reconnected after any network errors, the DA-Center database gateway compares the history data stored on the local MicroSD card of the ioPAC 5542 with the already stored data and automatically resends the missing data to the core database.

When establishing bidirectional communication for cellular solutions, static/public IPs were previously required not only for the central SCADA server but also for each remote station. Although dynamic address allocation is much cheaper, the central control server cannot acquire the dynamic addresses of remote devices in a traditional polling communication structure. By using an active OPC server, the use of dynamic address allocation over cellular links becomes possible because edge devices can be configured to actively report all changes in their dynamic IPs back to the central server.

The ioPAC 5542 RTU features two built-in 3-in-1 RS-232/422/485 serial ports, enabling simple and cost-effective connection of serial field equipment. The ioPAC 5542 RTU can generate custom Modbus serial tags to convert serial data from remotely connected meters and flow sensors into OPC tags, and actively update such tag data to an active OPC server. The combination of these capabilities provides faster I/O response times and more accurate data collection than polling systems. Aside from the active serial tagging feature, the ioPAC 5542 RTU cellular controller line offers transparent serial tunneling and Modbus RTU communication for direct connection between field equipment and a central control system.