Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, has further expanded the depth and breadth of its linecard by adding a number of new manufacturers to its range. These global agreements with market-leading brands provide customers with access to several new product lines in key market sectors, covering the Interconnect, Passives & Electromechanical (IP&E) and Semiconductor product categories.

“These new franchises show our continued commitment to providing our customers with access to a broad choice of market leading, innovative products, helping them create technologies that can change their businesses and the world”, says Chris Breslin, President, Premier Farnell. He continues, “Enhanced choice and the addition of new stock means that customers can be confident when they come to Premier Farnell for the products they need, when they need them.”

Premier Farnell’s extended linecard provides customers with more products to support applications in markets such as Automotive, Industrial, Mobile, Smart Grid, Metering, Industrial Automation, Building Automation, Energy Management, Network Infrastructure, Office Automation and more. The new global franchises, with products now in stock at Farnell element14 in Europe, Newark element14 in North America and element14 in APAC, include:

• Osram Opto Semiconductors, a key player in the opto-electronics semiconductor market, with more than 40 years’ experience developing cutting-edge products in the fields of illumination, visualisation and sensor technology. Premier Farnell’s global franchise brings high-performance light-emitting diodes (LEDs), infrared emitters, lasers and sensors to its range.

• Nidec Copal,  is the market-leading manufacturer of optical, electronic and mechanical equipment including switches, fans and potentiometers bringing products suitable for the medical, automotive, industrial, and white goods sectors. Premier Farnell is stocking Nidel Copals range of Switches, Passives and Fans.

• Taoglas, a leading supplier of antennas and filters, provide a comprehensive range of external, embedded and base station antenna solutions for M2M applications. Premier Farnell businesses now stock Taoglas products for industry applications including Automotive, Smart Grid, Metering, Telemetry, Home Automation and Medical.

As the Development Distributor, Premier Farnell continues to expand its already robust linecard for customers to ensure their access to the world’s leading manufacturers. By developing new relationships, and by also building upon the strength of parent company Avnet’s established partnerships, Premier Farnell is ideally positioned to provide the broadest selection of solutions and related support in the industry for any developer small or large.

Farnell element14 will be presenting its range of intelligent technology for intelligent solutions at electronica 2018, at Hall C5, Booth 101.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, is launching an ebook entitled “The Embedded Interviews 2018” featuring the views of several leading experts in the embedded systems sector. The book will be launch at the electronica 2018 Exhibition in Munich (13-16 November) and available to download from http://www.element14.com/ebooks.

“Recent advances in embedded systems design are allowing engineers and makers to use off-the-shelf hardware and software to create complex products faster and more easily than ever before”, says Ralf Buehler, Senior Vice-President, Sales & Marketing, at Premier Farnell and Farnell element14: “Today’s microcontrollers are generally differentiated by on-chip peripherals and software from the vendors, who are no longer just suppliers of silicon, and these interviews with some of the leading engineers in the largest and most innovative embedded processor companies reveal how they build knowledge of the needs of their customers to deliver optimal solutions to the challenges of developing modern embedded products.”

The interviews cover a range of topics, including views about tools, predictions on the future of the embedded market and an overview of embedded products This breadth of coverage supports Premier Farnell’s positioning as the Development Distributor and complements their philosophy of providing their customers with access to the thoughts of some of the most influential people in the industry.

The ebook includes interviews with:

• Cliff Ortmeyer, Global Head of Solutions Development for Premier Farnell
• Jack Ogawa, Senior Marketing Director, IoT Compute & Wireless Business Unit, Cypress Semiconductor
• Geoff Lees, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Microcontrollers at NXP
• Andy Harding, Director, Broad-based Solutions, Renesas
• Øivind Loe, Senior Marketing Manager, IoT Products, at Silicon Labs
• Laurent Vera, Director, EMEA Microcontroller Marketing, STMicroelectronics
• Adrian Fernandez, Microcontroller Development Experience Manager, and Henry Wiechman, Embedded Processor Software Marketing & Strategy, Texas Instruments

“We are delighted that such influential leaders in the embedded world have given their time to this book, and we hope that the embedded community will find their interviews helpful and interesting”, adds Ralf Buehler.

The Embedded Interviews 2018 ebook can be downloaded from http://www.element14.com/ebooks

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, is now stocking the Tektronix AFG31000 Arbitrary Function Generator: a best-in-class waveform generation platform designed for the most demanding expectations on performance and versatility throughout the whole process of product realization.

The new AFG31000 series incorporates four industry firsts that result in an unprecedented user experience for researchers and engineers:

• A 9-inch capacitive touch display and a shallow menu tree makes locating and changing settings quicker, whilst also making browsing easier.
• The ability to monitor the generated waveform on the device under test in real time using InstaView™. This simplifies the user’s job by verifying what the generated waveform looks like in real time when the signal is output from the AFG31000 to the test point in the circuit under test. InstaView™ eliminates the need to use an oscilloscope to probe at that test point and as such adds confidence for users.
• An advanced sequence mode for creating long or complex waveforms makes the AFG31000 an alternative for users who need long, non-repeating waveforms, or multiple waveforms with complex timing.
• The ability to “draw” a waveform on-screen with fingertips using the built-in waveform creation tool. The built-in ArbBuilder enables arbitrary waveform creation and editing software eliminates the need to connect to a PC or use a USB memory to load arbitrary waveforms.

James McGregor, Global Head Test, Tools and Production Supplies at Premier Farnell said: “As the Development Distributor, Premier Farnell has the broadest range of in-stock test & measurement products in the high service distribution market. The AFG31000 combines industry firsts that will make it easier for engineers and researches who need to generate increasingly complex test cases for debugging, troubleshooting, characterizing and validating devices under test to focus on the task at hand without having to learn how to use the tool.”

The generator is available in 1- and 2-channel models, each having an output amplitude range from 1 mVP-P to 10 VP-P into 50-ohm loads. A wide range of operating modes are available including:

• Sine waves from 25 to 250 MHz
• Sampling (at 14-bit vertical resolution) from 250 MS/s to 2 GS/s,
• Continuous, modulation, sweeping and burst run modes (with 128 kpoints arbitrary waveform memory on each channel).

A variety of more complex waveforms are also available in the advanced sequence mode, which adds value for design or failure analysis engineers, by verifying whether their circuit will operate as planned or how it will respond under extreme or stressed conditions.

The Tektronix AFG31000 Arbitrary Function Generator is available from Farnell element14 in EMEA, Newark element14 in North America and element14 in Asia Pacific and can be seen at electronica 2018 in Farnell element14’s ‘Build and Test’ zone located within the Avnet stand in Hall C5, Stand 101

Farnell element14 is now stocking Symbisa, an Excel-integrated IoT device built by UK firm Hanhaa. Symbisa combines the possibilities of IoT with the power of Microsoft Excel, offering developers and IT professionals an entirely new way to build Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Symbisa is exclusively available from Farnell element14 in Europe and Newark element14 in North America.

The Symbisa module is an all-in-one, always-connected device, approximately the size of a smartphone, that carries sensors capable of detecting and collecting environmental information including GPS location, orientation, temperature, light and humidity. Typical applications include the monitoring of temperature and humidity of greenhouses or storage areas, or tracking of equipment on hire, including whether it has been in an accident or dropped in transit.

Microsoft Excel is the command centre for Symbisa units and use of an Excel add-in enables users to bring real-world data streams directly into any desktop or mobile device that runs Excel for Office 365. Each Symbisa sensor is associated with a custom function in Excel, as are pre-configured events, meaning sensor data flows directly into Excel worksheet cells. Users can also push data from Excel up to a unit’s e-ink display. As a result, anyone with basic spreadsheet knowledge can start exploring the possibilities of IoT, interpreting sensor data, developing dashboards and triggering events that require follow-on actions in a matter of minutes – without coding, engineering capabilities, or a WiFi or network link-up.

Users also benefit from a well-defined end user cost model, made possible by connectivity through Hanhaa’s own secure global mobile network which charges by how often data is captured rather than the amount of data used. Users can send messages or barcodes direct from Excel to be displayed on the e-ink display on the module, ready for a person or machine to read and action in the field.

Ralf Buehler, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Premier Farnell and Farnell element14 said: “As the Development Distributor, we are always seeking opportunities to help our customers bring their products to market more quickly and efficiently. We met Hanhaa when they were part of Startupbootcamp, an innovation accelerator which we sponsor, and were incredibly impressed with the technology they had developed. Symbisa places the combined power of data and analytical strength of Microsoft Office 365 in the hands of the user, allowing them to access actionable insights without the need for coding or engineering experience. We are delighted to be launching this in collaboration with Microsoft.”

Ben Summers, Senior Product Manager for the Office 365 Ecosystem team at Microsoft added; “We’re really excited about the possibilities we’re unlocking here. The Symbisa product taps into the power and reach of Excel and empowers people to build simple, powerful IoT experiences and insights with ease.”

Azhar Hussain, CEO and founder of Hanhaa, stated: “We set out to make deploying global IoT solutions easier and faster and now, thanks to Symbisa, if you can run a spreadsheet, you can explore the possibilities of IoT – from unboxing to live data streams in just minutes. We already have large corporations integrating Symbisa into their operations and as a result of our collaboration with Microsoft and Farnell element14 this opportunity is now open to everyone.”

Key sensor parameters are:

• Location accuracy: Standard GNSS resolution down to 3 meters (accuracy provided with PDOP Position Dilution of Precision parameter)
• Shock detection Up to ±16g
• Ambient light detection wavelength: 560nm
• Ambient light detection light threshold: 0.01 lux to 83k lux
• Pressure sensing range: 260 to 1260 hPa
• Pressure sensing resolution: ±1 hPascals RMS
• Humidity sensing range: 5 to 90% non-condensing
• Humidity sensing accuracy: ±3.5% rH, 20 to +80% rH, ±5% rH 0 to 100%
• Temperature operating range: -15°C to +50 °C
• Temperature sensing resolution: ± 0.5 °C

The Symbisa board measures 130mm (W) x 100mm (H) and 10.5mm (D), weighs just 160g and has quad band GSM radio for comms. Units also carry an e-ink display for text and/or barcode messaging, a battery sufficient for over 2 weeks’ standalone use, and a USB 2.0 connector for re-charging or hard-wired configuration.

Symbisa comes with an online portal which enables users to manage multiple devices and users. To get users started, the device comes with 500 free credits as well as a free trial of Office 365 developers licence. To find out more or purchase Symbisa visit http://www.element14.com/symbisa

Farnell element14, the Development Distributor, will be presenting its range of intelligent technology for intelligent solutions at the 28^th  Electronica Trade Fair in Munich, Germany, 13-16 November, Hall C5 Stand 101. The stand will showcase popular and exclusive products, tools and solutions to help customers, from start-ups to large organisations, shape the future through intelligent design.

Visitors to the stand, which is part of the Avnet booth, can follow the design journey from research and design through to production and maintenance, with the support of demonstrations of the latest technologies available for embedded applications, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, machine learning and 3D printing. Technical experts will be on stand to talk about new ways that customers can accelerate their time to market by deploying intelligent technology at every stage of design. Farnell element14 will also present the benefits of accessing the unique ecosystem of support provided by Farnell element14 as part of the Avnet organisation – from its maker to market service and full design and manufacturing support, to scaling for volume production.

The stand will also feature Farnell element’s extensive education and maker offering. The Education to Maker zone will display Farnell element14’s continuing support to develop the next generation of engineers, and champion makers, through a range of products developed to inspire and challenge different age groups and abilities. The zone will include demonstrations using the BBC Micro:bit , robotics, Raspberry Pi and Lego.

Ralf Buehler, SVP Sales and Marketing for Premier Farnell and Farnell element14 said: “Farnell element14 is working with some of the world’s most innovative companies to provide access to new technologies that make it easier for our customers to focus on what’s important. Our customers want to create intelligent designs that add real value, letting the technology take care of the rest. Customers can rely on Farnell element14 to provide simple to deploy, cost effective, yet innovative products, supported by the full range of components, tools and services so that they, in turn, can deliver more to their customers than ever before. At electronica 2018, we will be showcasing a range of products that have the potential to disrupt the market and change the way products are designed and delivered and we encourage visitors to come and talk to us to find out how working with Farnell element14 could help them achieve their goals.”

Learn more about Farnell element14 at Electronica at our microsite.

Notes to editors

Journalists can pre-arrange a media meeting with some of our executives who will be on stand. If you would like to arrange a media meeting please contact our PR agencies.

Newark element14, the Development Distributor, is enabling customers to bring the future of automation to their projects today, with availability of Opto 22’s groov EPIC, a groundbreaking new industrial system that addresses the needs of automation engineers and developers solving challenging automation and industrial internet of things (IIoT) problems in today’s fast-moving, data-centric environment.

The new groov EPIC® system helps solve the challenges of current IIoT solutions which have multiple moving parts, are expensive to build, difficult to troubleshoot and require multi-domain expertise. The systems combines I/O, control, data processing, and visualization into one secure, maintainable, edge-of-network industrial system, letting engineers and developers focus on delivering value, rather than triaging loosely connected components.

groov EPIC offers field-proven industrial hardware design with a modern software ensemble, to produce the results that visionary engineers want today, making it possible to connect legacy systems, control processes and automate machines, subscribe to web services and create mashups, acquire and publish data, visualize that data wherever it is needed, and mobilize operators.

Danny Weiss, Senior Product Manager from Newark element14 added; “As the Development Distributor, we aim to provide our customers with access to the latest technologies that enable them to focus on what is important. The Opto22 groov EPIC is exactly that type of device, helping engineers deliver more for their businesses as they focus on adding additional value, whilst the system delivers security and performance with little reliance on IT personnel.”

“groov EPIC creates a new category of IIoT solutions as an Edge Programmable Industrial Controller,” says Bob Sheffres, Opto 22 vice president. “It’s the first device of its kind to be stocked by Newark element14 and ready for shipment. Along with Newark element14’s great customer service and support, you’ll find all the groov EPIC products and technical specifications available on their website.”

Features of the new system include:

• Industrial modular intelligent I/O, real-time Linux-based automation controller, and edge
• gateway in a single stainless-steel chassis
• UL Hazardous Locations approved and ATEX compliant
• Integrated high-resolution color touchscreen with HDMI output for optional external monitor
• Compact footprint with integrated power supply and dead-front design
• On-board system configuration, commissioning, and troubleshooting; no PC required
• Remote configuration and troubleshooting from any web browser on any device
• Dual, independent Gigabit Ethernet network interfaces
• Dual USB ports for serial communications, touchscreen monitors, or WiFi adapters4
• Multiple power supply options including AC, DC, and pass-through
• Wide -20 to 70 °C operating temperature range
• Touch-sensitive pad on I/O modules for configuring, commissioning, and testing
• Spring-clamp terminal strip directly atop I/O module accommodating up to 14 AWG wire
• LED indicators for module health at a glance, and for individual discrete channels
• I/O module density of up to 24 channels per module
• Multi-featured analog inputs supporting voltage, current, and loop sourcing in single module
• Analog input resolution of 20 bits at 0.1% accuracy over span
• Channel-to-channel isolation available for most I/O modules
• Real-time, open-source Linux OS running on an industrial quad-core ARM® processor
• 2 GB RAM, 6 GB user space on industrial solid-state drive

Software features include:

• groov Manage software for tool-less configuration, commissioning, and debugging on-board and from anywhere on the network
• PAC Control flowchart-based control development environment w/ scripting and visual debugger
• groov View visualization server for creating and viewing HMIs, trends, and events for any
• mobile device or web browser; also viewable locally on integral touchscreen
• Node-RED flow-based development environment and runtime for edge data processing,
• handling, and communications
• Ignition Edge® from Inductive Automation® with drivers to Allen-Bradley®, Siemens®, and more
• MQTT/Sparkplug protocol for efficient, industrial publish/subscribe communications
• 100% backward compatible with SNAP PAC systems and SNAP Ethernet I/O
• Available secure shell access, SDKs, and cross-compiler for custom user-written applications

The Opto 22 groov EPIC is available from Newark element14 in North America.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, has announced the availability of the Ultra96™, an ARM-based Ultra96 development board jointly created by Avnet, Xilinx, and 96Boards. The development board is based on the Linaro 96Boards Consumer Edition specification, features the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC and provides developers with a unique and powerful environment to simplify machine learning. The 96Boards' specifications are open and define a standard board layout for development platforms.

The Ultra96 is uniquely designed to offer a wide range of potential peripherals and features programmable logic acceleration engines which help to deliver complexity with simplicity. It allows software developers to accelerate the development process for applications that require intense processing and high performance in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, virtual reality, IoT and industrial control.

Cliff Ortmeyer, Global Head of Solutions Development for Premier Farnell said: “As the Development Distributor, our aim is to provide design engineers with the latest technologies that enable them to speed up their design process and get products to market faster. The Ultra96 board combines Arm processing with programmable logic in a convenient, low-cost and expandable board which showcases a wide range of potential peripherals and acceleration engines that will help design engineers counter software bottlenecks.”

The Ultra96 boots from the industrial rated Delkin 16GB MicroSD card (supplied with the Ultra96 board), preloaded with Embedded Linux. Design engineers can connect to the Ultra96 through a Web server using its integrated wireless access point capability, or use the pre-loaded Embedded Linux plus Enlightenment Desktop via integrated Mini DisplayPort video output. Multiple application examples and on-board development options are provided as examples.

The board includes four user-controllable LEDs. Design engineers can also interact with the board through the 96Boards-compatible low-speed and high-speed expansion connectors by adding peripheral accessories such as those included in Seeed Studio’s Grove Starter Kit for 96Boards.

Features include:

• Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC ZU3EG A484
• Micron 2 GB (512M x32) LPDDR4 RAM
• 16 GB microSD card pre-loaded with Embedded Linux OS
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 (provides both Classic & BLE)
• Mini DisplayPort (MiniDP or mDP)
• 1x USB 3.0 Type Micro-B upstream (Device) port
• 2x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0 Type A downstream (Host) ports
• 40-pin Low-speed expansion header
• 60-pin High-speed expansion header

The Ultra96 development board is available from Farnell element14 in EMEA, Newark element14 in North America and element14 in Asia Pacific.