IbaDAQ-C independent data acquisition device

IbaDAQ-C independent data acquisition device: a compact solution designed for industrial sites

Introduction

With the advancement of Industry 4.0 and intelligent manufacturing, real-time collection and processing of on-site data have become key to optimizing production processes, achieving predictive maintenance, and improving equipment efficiency. However, industrial sites such as control cabinets, test benches, and cranes have extremely limited space, and traditional data acquisition systems are difficult to meet deployment requirements. IbaDAQ-C is a solution designed to address this challenge. It integrates the complete ibaPDA data acquisition system into an extremely compact and robust hardware platform, equipped with high-performance processors, large capacity solid-state drives, and rich communication interfaces, capable of independent operation in the most demanding industrial environments, achieving high-quality data acquisition and recording.

Target readers and safety precautions

This technical document is mainly aimed at qualified professionals with expertise in electrical, electronic modules, communication, and measurement technology. Operators should be able to assess safety risks and take corresponding measures based on their professional training, knowledge, and experience.

Important safety tips

Power requirements: A stable power supply of 24 V DC ± 10% must be strictly used for power supply. Voltage beyond this range may damage the equipment.

Equipment operation: It is strictly prohibited to open the device casing without authorization, otherwise the warranty will be invalidated.

System shutdown: It is necessary to shut down the device through normal means (such as pressing the power switch) to avoid data loss. Abnormal power outages (such as directly disconnecting the power supply) may result in data corruption.

Ventilation and heat dissipation: Ensure that there is sufficient ventilation space around the device's heat dissipation fins (with at least a 2cm gap reserved at the top and bottom of the device) to ensure effective heat dissipation.

Electromagnetic compatibility: This device is a Class A device and may cause radio interference when used in residential areas. Users need to take corresponding measures.

Product Overview and Technical Positioning

IbaDAQ-C is an independent data acquisition unit designed specifically for mobile measurement, on-site debugging, troubleshooting, test bench applications, and process parameter calculations. It integrates high-performance computing, data acquisition, network communication, and storage functions into a compact housing mounted on a DIN rail.

Core design concept:

Integrated: Built in with a complete ibaPDA system, it can run independently without the need for an external computer.

Compact and sturdy: With an ultra-thin design (width only 34 mm), it is suitable for small spaces such as control cabinets and test benches.

Flexible connection: supports direct operation through local display, mouse, keyboard, and can also be remotely configured and managed through the network.

High performance processing: using Intel Atom quad core processor, providing powerful data processing capabilities.

Technical specifications and hardware architecture

Core Hardware Parameters

Parameter specifications

Processor Intel Atom E3845 (1.91 GHz, quad core) or E3950 (1.6 GHz, quad core)

Operating System Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC (Long Term Service Edition)

RAM 4 GB/8 GB

Storage (SSD) 128 GB/512 GB

Power supply 24 V DC ± 10%, maximum power consumption approximately 11 W (approximately 18 W when connected to peripherals)

Working temperature: 0 ° C to 50 ° C

Storage temperature -25 ° C to 70 ° C

Protection level IP20

Installation method: DIN rail vertical installation

MTBF approximately 18 years (164620 hours)

Dimensions (width x height x depth) 34 mm x 203 mm x 141 mm

Weight approximately 1.0 kg

Rich interface configuration

IbaDAQ-C provides diverse interfaces to meet the needs of different industrial sites:

Network interfaces (X21, X22): Two independent 1 Gbit/s Ethernet interfaces that support network isolation and can simultaneously connect IT networks and process control networks.

USB interface: 1 USB 3.0 and 1 USB 2.0 port, used to connect keyboards, mice, external storage devices, or USB wireless network cards.

Display interface (X26): DisplayPort, which can be connected to a monitor for local operations.

Digital Input (X5): An electrically isolated, polarity protected digital input used to receive shutdown signals from UPS and other devices, triggering a safe shutdown of the system.

Power interface (X14): 3-pin spring terminal, used for connecting 24 V DC power supply.

Battery compartment (X30): Built in CR2032 button battery, used for system clock backup, supports replacement during operation.

Status Display and Operating Components

The front panel of the device integrates multi-color LED indicator lights, which intuitively display the system status:

Run LED: green, indicating the device's operating status (flashing: ready; constantly on: start/stop).

PDA LED: yellow, indicating the running status of ibaPDA server (flashing: updating; constantly on: running).

Error LED: Red, indicating hardware error.

Lic/Dat LED: Indicates license status and data recording status.

PDA1/PDA2 LED: User customizable LED that can be configured in ibaPDA to display specific signal status.

Operating components:

ON/OFF switch (S11): Short press to achieve normal system shutdown; Long press (>5 seconds) to force power off.

Rotary switch (S1): Used to configure the IP address allocation method for network interfaces (see Section 6 for details).

Software functions and communication capabilities

The core software platform of ibaDAQ-C is ibaPDA, and its standard version provides acquisition authorization for 64 signals, which can be extended to a maximum of 1024 signals through authorization. This software supports the following key functions:

Built in communication protocol interface

The device comes with ibaPDA Interface PLC Xplorer authorization from the factory, supporting direct data collection from various mainstream PLC systems without the need for additional programming. The supported PLC systems include:

SIMATIC S7

Allen-Bradley (ControlLogix)

ABB AC 800M / PEC

Beckhoff TwinCAT

B&R

CODESYS

Mitsubishi MELSEC

OMRON

SIGMATEK

Bachmann M1

Built in cloud connectivity and data flow capability

MQTT support: Built in ibaPDA Interface MQTT and ibaPDA Data-Store-MQTT-16 authorization, supports data stream transmission through MQTT messaging protocol, and achieves integration with industrial IoT platforms.

MindSphere Cloud Connection: Built in ibaPDA-Data-Store-MindSphere-16 authorization, supporting direct data writing to the Siemens MindSphere cloud platform for cloud based analysis and processing.

Scalability

Users can purchase additional authorizations as needed to expand the number of signals or add other communication interfaces, such as Generic UDP, Generic TCP, etc.

Installation and Initial Configuration

DIN rail installation and disassembly

Installation steps:

Insert the top of the DIN rail hook on the back of the device into the rail.

Press the device downwards and backwards to lock it onto the guide rail. If necessary, a straight screwdriver can be used to assist in pulling down the hook.

Connect a 24V DC power supply (note correct polarity).

Connect the Ethernet cable.

Disassembly steps:

Turn off the device power and unplug all cables.

Insert a Phillips screwdriver into the pull tab of the DIN rail hook.

Pry the screwdriver upwards to unlock the hook.

Pull out the device forward and lift it up.

Initial configuration method

IbaDAQ-C supports multiple initial configuration methods, and users can choose according to on-site conditions:

Method 1: Configure through network (recommended)

IP address allocation: The default position of the rotary switch S1 is "1", indicating DHCP activation. The device will automatically obtain an IP address from the network. Users can access the device (such as daq-c-00000 2) by using the hostname daq-c -<serial number>.

Connect ibaPDA client: Start ibaPDA client on another computer and enter the hostname or IP address of ibaDAQ-C (default port 9170) in the server selection dialog box.

Start configuration: After successful connection, you can configure data collection through the ibaPDA client.

Fixed IP settings: If there is no DHCP server on the network, S1 can be rotated to "2". At this time, the IP addresses of interfaces X21 and X22 are fixed to 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.2, and users can configure them through point-to-point connections.

Method 2: Configure through local peripherals

Connect the monitor (via DisplayPort), USB keyboard, and mouse to the device.

Power on, the device will automatically log in to the system after startup (default user: daq, password: daq).

Launch the ibaPDA client from the Windows Start menu and perform local configuration.

Method 3: Configure through Remote Desktop

Users can start Windows Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc) on the configured computer, enter the hostname or IP address of ibaDAQ-C, and remotely log in to the device desktop for configuration.

Detailed explanation of network configuration

The two Ethernet interfaces of ibaDAQ-C support flexible address allocation strategies, enabling physical isolation between IT networks and process networks.

Configuration method:

Place the rotary switch S1 in position "0" to enable user-defined configuration.

In the I/O Manager of ibaPDA, select the ibaDAQ-C node and enter the "Info" tab.

In the "Network settings" area, configure the X21 and X22 interfaces respectively:

Using DHCP: When enabled, the interface automatically obtains an address from the DHCP server.

Static IP: After disabling DHCP, you can manually enter the IP address and subnet mask.

Click<Apply settings>to make the configuration effective.

This configuration allows users to connect X21 to the IT network (for remote access and data upload), while X22 connects to a separate process network (for collecting PLC data), thereby enhancing network security.

Advanced configuration in ibaPDA

Equipment Node Configuration

In the I/O Manager of ibaPDA, the ibaDAQ-C node provides multiple configuration options:

Configuration tab: Enable the 'In use' option to activate the device as a data source. Real time display of the current LED status and rotary switch position in the interface.

Info tab:

Hardware information: Display board version, firmware version, and internal temperature.

Firmware update: Click the Write firmware button and select the. iba format update file to upgrade (the update process cannot be interrupted).

Device restart: Click the Reboot device button to remotely restart the device.

Remote Desktop Settings: Can configure whether to allow remote desktop connections (disable/allow all/secure connections only).

LED customization: Assign signals to PDA1 and PDA2 LEDs and configure the lighting color (green/yellow/red) to achieve visual indication of the on-site status.

Module addition and data collection

Users can add communication interface modules as needed. MQTT and PLC Xplorer interfaces are included in the factory, while other interfaces (such as OPC UA Server) require separate authorization. After adding the module, users can configure specific signal acquisition tasks.

File Sharing Settings

To facilitate data collection through network access, users can set up read-only file sharing on ibaDAQ-C. Attention should be paid when configuring:

If the device and workstation are located in the same domain, there is usually no need for additional authentication.

If the device is located in a workgroup, accessing the shared directory requires entering the device's username and password (such as daq/daq).

If you are unable to access the shared directory, please check if network discovery and file sharing settings are enabled.

Special functions and application scenarios

Use in conjunction with compact UPS

To achieve high reliability data acquisition, it is recommended to use a UPS with digital output function to power ibaDAQ-C. Connect the digital output of UPS to the digital input X5 of the device. When the mains power is interrupted, UPS can notify ibaDAQ-C to shut down safely through this signal. This digital input has the following characteristics:

Electrical isolation, supporting bipolar input

Logic "1" level:<-10 V or>+10 V

Maximum input voltage: ± 60 V

Response delay: approximately 50 μ s

Dual Network Separation Application

A typical application scenario is to place ibaDAQ-C between two networks:

X21 interface: Connect to the factory's IT network for remote monitoring and uploading data to cloud platforms or databases.

X22 interface: Connect to an independent process control network to directly collect real-time data from devices such as PLCs and drivers.

This architecture ensures the isolation of the process network, avoiding the impact of IT network traffic or potential security risks on critical production processes.

Mobile measurement and on-site debugging

With its compact size and sturdy design, ibaDAQ-C can be easily deployed in scenarios such as cranes, test vehicles, and mobile test benches. On site engineers can directly configure and view data locally by connecting displays, keyboards, and mice, or remotely connect through laptops, greatly improving the efficiency of on-site work.

Troubleshooting and maintenance

LED Status Indication

Meaning of LED color status

Run green flashing device ready

Always on startup/shutdown in progress

Turn off power or hardware failure

PDA yellow flashing ibaPDA update in progress

Always on ibaPDA server running

Error: Hardware error with red constant light (please contact technical support)

Lic yellow constant light demonstration license activation

The green constant light license is normal

Red always on, no license or encryption dog

Dat green constantly on, recording data

Yellow constantly on, waiting for start trigger

Red constant light data recording interruption/stop

Common problem handling

Unable to obtain IP address: In a managed network environment, IT department approval may be required for device access. You can contact the network administrator to add the MAC address of the device to the whitelist.

Unable to access shared folder: Check if "Network Discovery" and "File and Printer Sharing" are enabled in "Advanced Sharing Settings".

Remote Desktop cannot connect: Check the Remote Desktop settings in the "Info" tab of the device to ensure they are not disabled.