Industrial automation and IoT company ControlByWeb released two new cellular controllers that allow customers to integrate third-party hardware for installations without a local network, thanks to embedded cellular connectivity. ControlByWeb, a division of Xytronix Research & Design Inc., specializes in monitoring and control hardware.

The X-400 model enhances the company’s flexible and expandable I/O platform and brings affordable scalability to remote installations. The X-404C model adds cellular communication to the Modbus RS-485 module that is used mainly for remote monitoring of liquid levels in tanks. It connects to an array of level sensors designed for the heavy-duty environments found in the oil and gas, water and wastewater and chemical industries.

Jake Rippstein, president of ControlByWeb, detailed the impact the embedded cellular modems will have. "Our goal is to make remote monitoring easier and more reliable for our customers. Our new cellular I/O modules will provide the trustworthy controls and high-quality data our customers need to optimize their operations,” he explained.

This remote monitoring capability is especially necessary as workforces are becoming increasingly remote and mobile, and in light of concerns such as the strain on the global supply chain, demands of heightened regulatory compliance and increasing competition, Rippstein added.

Engineers and technicians can mix and match I/O to meet their needs for any given data acquisition or process control application using the X-400 platform’s expansion modules. Control systems with this level of scalability are generally not affordable for smaller installations. Through affordability and scalability over time, the X-400 platform innovation makes powerful monitoring and control accessible for more uses.

With the addition of cellular connectivity to the platform, the X-400C extends the reach of this control system to more locations.

For more information, visit the ControlByWeb website.