Cutting-edge Automation.

Technical projects are often time critical. This is why our software and hardware solutions focus on making complex tasks easier to perform, production processes faster and more efficient, and on giving operators the ability to access their manufacturing systems anytime, from anywhere, seamlessly.

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Smart, flexible and affordable.

We provide low-cost but high-performance hardware devices and rich software applications that are presently being used across a wide spectrum of industries worldwide. We specialise in finding ways to reduce running costs, increase efficiency and integrate hardware that’s more powerful than classical PLCs (programmable logic controllers)

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Automation made easy

It's important that you're able to focus on running your project and not perfecting the required tools. Amescon prides itself on solving complex problems so that businesses can streamline their running processes and improve their output. Let us do the hard work for you.

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Pilot Nexus Overview

Industry Automation 4.0

Cloud

Big Data Analytics

Linux Single Board Computer

Visualization/HMI Data Aggregation Web Interface

Pilot Nexus Main Board

Real-Time Tasks

Modules

Connect to sensors, actors and machinery

Pilot Nexus Full Stack

Our innovative single board computer extension has been built to encompass a huge range of potential applications.

Pilot Nexus is not only an expanded connectivity layer, it’s a complete technology stack from hardware to firmware. Integrating everything from task-specific drivers to cloud storage, we’ve devised a way to increase productivity and vastly improve upon communications between multiple control devices.

Sensors

Connect any digital or analog sensor.

Motors

Directly drive motors

Pneumatic Valves

Easily integrate valve control

Switches

Physical or over the web

Power Meters

Easily connected and monitored

Wireless

From WiFi to LoRa

What Pilot Nexus can do

Amescon’s Pilot Nexus provides users with the ability to upgrade single board computers, e.g. The RaspberryPi, into very powerful automation platforms.

And with a range of low-cost plugin modules available, each with rich software applications to make installation and operation easy, the device is ideal for industrial automation and home automation alike. It boasts dynamic wiring and ultra-fast logic, a 32 bit ARM microcontroller for real-time operating, real-time clocking, and all software is made Open Source.

Install Pilot Software on Raspberry Pi

You need a Raspberry Pi with a compatible Raspbian or Ubuntu Mate installation, an internet connection on the Raspberry Pi and a terminal session (SSH or a Terminal window) open.

Make sure you have a kernel version to which a driver is available. Supported Kernel Versions:

Plug in the Pilot Mainboard and Modules

Create a user on amescon.com You will need username and password for the pilot-config tool. Check your email to verify your email address.

Install pilot-config Run: sudo -H pip3 install pilot-config

Run sudo pilot-config If you are running the tool for the first time, drivers are installed and a reboot is required.

After reboot, re-run sudo pilot-config

Log in with your user credentials.

Inserted boards should be automatically detected and you can build and install the firmware for it.

If no boards show up you might have an old firmware version on board. Just continue and program the board without detected modules and re-run the pilot-config tool. You should now see the modules listed and you can build and program the firmware for it.

After programming, you need to reload the drivers:


sudo modprobe -r pilot_fpga pilot_io pilot_plc pilot_rtc pilot_slcd pilot_ tty pilot
sudo modprobe pilot pilot_fpga pilot_io pilot_plc pilot_rtc pilot_slcd pilot_ tty

8 Digital Input PiloT Module
5-30V Input Voltage
Switching on 1/2 of the reference voltage with hysteresis
Jumper: internal (5V or 24V) or external (5-30V)
Possible configurations: Input-Module (GPIOs) or Counter (Interrupts)
Available with pin-header or pluggable spring-cage connector

Technical Specifications

Size: 36.6mm x 29.8mm (1.441in x 1.173in)

8 Input module with header connector

Pinout

How to use

First, connect the module and configure it using the pilot-config tool For a getting started Tutorial on the PiloT Platform in general visit http://amescon.com/pilots/getting-started/ When the driver is configured, you can use the Inputs like regular GPIOs on the Raspberry Pi. If it is the first GPIO module on the PiloT, the base address would be 55. So the GPIOs are 55-62 (I0-I7).

Export the IOs

echo 55 > /sys/class/gpio/export && 
echo 56 > /sys/class/gpio/export && 
echo 57 > /sys/class/gpio/export && 
echo 58 > /sys/class/gpio/export && 
echo 59 > /sys/class/gpio/export && 
echo 60 > /sys/class/gpio/export && 
echo 61 > /sys/class/gpio/export && 
echo 62 > /sys/class/gpio/export

Output current value of all 8 Inputs

cat /sys/class/gpio/gpio55/value && 
cat /sys/class/gpio/gpio56/value && 
cat /sys/class/gpio/gpio57/value && 
cat /sys/class/gpio/gpio58/value && 
cat /sys/class/gpio/gpio59/value && 
cat /sys/class/gpio/gpio60/value && 
cat /sys/class/gpio/gpio61/value && 
cat /sys/class/gpio/gpio62/value

Applications

Buttons, digital outputs of other devices, Smart-Metering

8 Digital Output PiloT Module for the PiloT Mainboard
5-50V Input Voltage
500 mA output source current capability
Direct drive of inductive loads (e.g relays) due to integrated clamp diodes
Jumper: internal (5V or 24V) or external (5-50V)
Available with pin-header or pluggable spring-cage connector
Size: 36.6mm x 29.8mm (1.441in x 1.173in)

Applications

Drive large relays
LEDs
Drive small motors

RS-232 Extension Module for the PiloT Mainboard
Speed: 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200 baud
Possible configurations: 2xRS-232 (Rx/Tx) or RS-232 + Hardware-Handshake

Applications

measurement systems
debug terminals
simple PC communication
PLCs
other RS-232 connected devices

RS-485 Extension Module for the PiloT Mainboard
Possible configurations: Full duplex (RS-485 4-wire) or 2 port half-duplex
Up to 128 transceivers
ESD protected
Speed: 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200 baud

- Size: 36.6mm x 29.8mm (1.441in x 1.173in)

Applications

Building Automation
Industrial Control Systems
Stage Lighting and Effects (DMX512)
solar inverters
other RS-485 enabled equipment

Our Customers Say

At Amescon we work for you. Supporting you to finish your project is our #1 priority. Our tools will save you time, money and nerves.

The Pilot Nexus saved me days, if not weeks in development. Your support was outstanding and very responsive when i got stuck. Thank you very much for this great user experience.

Rebecca - Developer

Building our connected industrial controllers was a lot of work. Thanks to Pilot Nexus we did not have to deal with the low level hardware side of the implementation and that paid off big time.

Michael - CTO @ Infinium

We built a small robot with the kids in christmas week. Everything worked out fine and it was a very smooth experience.

Judith - Tinkermom

Amescon Reference Projects

In the lead-up to and alongside developing Pilot Nexus, Amescon has fulfilled the needs of a diverse range of clients across multiple industry sectors. If you need software or hardware developed that would bring solutions to any technical problems that your business happens to be facing then please do contact us and we’ll be more than happy to help.