[Updated: Aug. 21] —Axiomtek’s Linux-ready, DIN-rail mounted “ICO500-518” IoT gateway runs on 7th Gen Core U-series CPUs and provides swappable SATA, 4x USB 3.0, 2x GbE, 2x mini-PCIe, and 2x “PIM” slots for options including 8x GbE or isolated serial and CANBus.

Axiomtek announced a compact modular edge gateway with ruggedization features for industrial IoT. Applications for the Intel 7th Gen Kaby Lake-U based ICO500-518 include transportation, public utility, smart building, solar energy, and factory automation.

ICO500-518 and detail view
(click images to enlarge)

Like Axiomtek’s smaller, Intel Apollo Lake based ICO100-839 IoT gateway, the ICO500-518 adopts a vertical DIN-rail form factor and also offers optional wall-mounting. The system ships with Linux and Windows 10 BSPs for the dual-core, 15W TDP Core i7-7600U, Core i5-7300U, Core i3-7100U, or Celeron 3965U, with clock rates ranging from 2.8GHz down to 2.2GHz for the Celeron.

 
Back to the future with full-size PCIe?

The fanless ICO500-518 features dual “PIM” (Plug-in I/O Module) expansion slots that stretch the dimensions to 155 x 145 x 125mm. PIM appears to be a full-size PCIe-based expansion scheme.

Lately, we’ve seen more and more embedded computers going back to the future by providing full-size PCIe slots in addition to the smaller mini-PCIe (and now M.2) slots that have largely replaced them on embedded PCs. The slots are generally not intended to serve legacy customers, but rather to enable more powerful, AI-enabled edge servers and networking gateways rather than the lightweight IoT gateways that were all the rage in the middle part of the 20-teens.

While many of the new PCIe-enabled embedded systems, such as Aaeon’s 6th or 7th Gen Boxer-6841M, provide PCIe slots for AI-enabled graphics cards, principally from Nvidia, the ICO500-518 offers PIM options that are intended to more substantially boost networking and I/O options compared to what mini-PCIe or M.2 could supply. The system can load two of four PIM modules that include 8x Gigabit Ethernet, 8x isolated RS-232/422/485, 8x isolated CANBus, and a combo module with 4x isolated RS-232/422/485 and isolated 8-in, 8-out DIO.

PIM101 (CAN) and at right, PIM200 (serial and DIO) modules
(click images to enlarge)

The ICO500-518 ships with up to 16GB DDR4-2133 and provides a swappable, 2.5-inch SATA bay and an external CFast storage slot. The 2x full-size mini-PCIe slots are accompanied by 4x SMA antenna mounts and a SIM card slot for 4G/3G, GPS, LoRaWAN, and WiFi/Bluetooth cards.

The ICO500-518 is further equipped with 2x GbE, 4x USB 3.0, and single RS-232/422/485 (DB9), HDMI, and VGA ports. You also get isolated DIO, 4x LEDs (2x programmable), a watchdog, and TPM 2.0 security.

The system provides a 12-48VDC terminal block input with OVP, UVP, OCP, and RPP power protection. Other ruggedization features on this aluminum extrusion and heavy-duty steel system includes IP40 protection and support for -40 to 70°C temperatures. Vibration resistance is listed at 3 Grms with SSD, and you get 10% to 95%, non-condensing humidity tolerance. The system is EN 50121-4 certified for railway applications and offers optional Axiomtek AMS software for device monitoring and remote management.

 
Further information

The ICO500-518 is available now at an undisclosed price. More information may be found in Axiomtek’s ICO500-518 announcement and product page.