Intro to industrial control technology with PiXtend

Applications

Given the large number of possible applications for the PiXtend board, focusing on just one is difficult. For example, the board is especially well suited as an educational tool for teaching students in the electrical trades. Home automation enthusiasts with the relevant know-how are happy with the security provided by this robust Rasp Pi extension board. The ambitious hobbyist can run experiments without fear that a small mistake will cause the device to burn out. Additionally, combining the PiXtend board with software from Codesys gives the board a huge advantage over many other extension boards.

A series of interesting practical examples that clearly illustrate areas of application that are now possible can be found on the Codesys page [3] or the PiXtend board homepage [8]. Note that the product data sheet specifically mentions that the PiXtend is not to be used in industrial environments [1].

Conclusion

All in all, the PiXtend represents a successful extension for the Rasp Pi. The workmanship is of high quality, the board can assume numerous functions, and its design is tolerant of errors. The documentation is extensive and detailed and helpful for user-designed projects. The PiXtend board makes implementation of small control and home automation projects fast and convenient.

In combination with Codesys software, the private user can gain helpful insight into the way professional automation technology works. Although the price [9] for the basic set ($150/EUR130) and the complete device ($210/EUR185) is somewhat expensive for hobbyists, the costs are nevertheless more than justified given the high quality of the components.

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