Product overview and engineering role
The SimtoLink TSN time-synchronization edge server is for IEEE 802.1AS/Qbv and the other time-sensitive networking jobs on this page. The ratings are there for selection, for a technical clause in a tender, and for a later spot check. At the edge it splits clock domains, watches sync state, and pushes a traffic-shaping policy, so motion control, audio and video, and sampling links keep a known delay. The hardware is built for multi-port switching, redundant power, and industrial EMC. Firmware signature check and remote configuration support volume delivery and a long service life.
Multi-port industrial Ethernet and a management port are standard, so the server can join an existing control network and a network-management platform. SimtoLink supplies a gPTP domain example, a northbound interface for sync-state reports, and a bulk configuration template, which shortens joint debug. Volume jobs can include enclosure silkscreen, a set harness length, and a grounding note.
Reliability and field fit
Electrical safety and EMC follow the related IEC 61000-4 level-4 test items. Ports include surge and reverse-polarity protection. Reinforced grounding and a partitioned layout cut ground-loop and common-mode risk. Outdoor or coastal sites can take a higher ingress rating and a corrosion-resistant coating.
gPTP/802.1AS domains can be set, sync alarms can be raised, and a diagnostic capture can be exported, depending on the model. Switch firmware and policy update over the air. Acceptance on site is a power-on self-test, a check that Grandmaster election works, and a watch on link jitter. For metering or safety use, SimtoLink helps with a submission to a third-party metrology institute and supplies the type-test file.
Key hardware parameters
The table is a typical build of this server, for selection and for a technical clause in a tender. A wider range, redundant power, or an intrinsically safe version is quoted separately; ask SimtoLink for the hardware specification and the installation and commissioning guide. Order codes in the family can differ slightly. The nameplate and the papers shipped with the server govern.
| Parameter | Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Time sync | IEEE 802.1AS / gPTP | BC/OC depends on the switch silicon and the firmware |
| TSN switching | Multi-port gigabit / 2.5G (TSN features depend on the silicon) | Qbv/Qbu and the rest follow the order code |
| Control CPU | x86 or ARM management SoC | Fanless or with a fan |
| Memory | 8～32 GB (by build) | Logs and cache |
| Storage | SSD / eMMC | Configuration, images, and diagnostics kept on disk |
| Time in and out | GNSS / 1PPS / ToD optional | Holdover and disciplining depend on the model |
| Management and orchestration | Network management and policy push (containerized components optional) | OTA / configuration rollback |
| Network ports | Several copper ports; SFP optional | Redundant links and a ring protocol depend on the model |
| Operating temperature | -20～55 ℃ (typical rack build) | An outdoor build can be ordered |
| Supply and mechanics | DC 12～48 V / AC optional; redundant PSU optional | 19-inch / DIN rail; earth and lightning protection follow the site code |
Typical applications
Four forms this server usually takes, for design and for judging the return:
Motion control and CNC lines
Servo, spindle, and vision inspection share the network. Microsecond-class sync and jitter watch keep the scrap rate down.
Vehicle final assembly and test
Tightening, electrical test, and MES events share one timeline, for traceability and for a tighter takt.
Energy PMU and substation secondary systems
Phasor measurement and protection devices stay on the same time, which helps wide-area monitoring and fault location.
A high-rate acquisition backbone for research
Several DAQ units and the controller share one clock, for synchronous sampling and triggered experiments.
Installation, grounding, and maintenance
- Confirm supply range and polarity before the server is powered. When needed, measure bus voltage and breaker rating with a multimeter.
- Use shielded twisted pair, ground the shield at one end, and do not run it for a long distance bundled with high-power cable.
- On the first connection, prove bidirectional read and write and a threshold trip against the platform in the lab, then move the server to site.
- Outdoors, give the enclosure a drain path and a way to breathe. Inspect the seal face on rounds. Lightning-protection earth resistance has to meet the local code.
- Every 6 months, check sync offset and error counts on the critical ports, and archive the configuration and the logs.
Ordering, documentation, and support
SimtoLink can supply the hardware specification, outline drawings, a wiring table, and an example project for this server. Volume orders can include a sample review and inspection at the factory. Warranty and calibration follow the contract and the papers shipped with the server.