On December 15th, we released the IQAN-MC4xFS series, with safety certification by RISE. 

The release means that we now have SIL2/PLd versions on all three sized of the MC4x series:

• IQAN-MC43FS
• IQAN-MC42FS
• IQAN-MC41FS

You can read more about the new product in the press release.

In the press release, we make a reference to the EN 13849-1:2015 update. The EN 13849-1 standard lets machine designers create safety functions either based on electronic components certified by the manufacturer (like the MC4xFS), or design safety functions based on the EN 13849-1 architectures. 

With the original 2006 release of the EN 13849-1 standard, there was great emphasis on on calculating hardware reliability, but requirements on safety related embedded software was not as clear as in IEC 61508. Now with the new 2015 update there is a clear limit, implementation of PLr=a and PLr=b functions are accepted on standard controllers, for PLr=c and higher, the use of controllers with safety certification is necessary. 

To learn more about this topic and how to design complete safety functions in accordance with EN 13849-1, you can sing up for the IQAN focused training on functional safety. 

For documentation of the MC4 product series, see the instruction book.

I recently discovered that the MC4x family does not have a RTC pin and therefore when you go to pull a log on a file, it simply gives you a "start number" and a base line of 12:00:00AM. This is not sufficient for what most of my customers needs are. 

Are there any plans to add in an RTC pin to enable us to have actual time available when logging.

A lot of new sensors operate on the market operate on 4-20mA. It would be helpful to start expending CINs on all modules.   

We have been talking about how beneficial it would be if there was a slave display available such as an XD4. When added to the system layout, a slave display would have pages that would be assigned to it and functional virtual channels that could be used in any master application that could also be assigned to a it or any other system display.

We understand multiple displays may be used currently but as a multi-master system and this greatly reduces the ability for system flexibility and compatibility when all displays cannot be connected when sending a new program. The ability for single master IQAN systems to be backwards compatible with multiple module configurations without re-flashing every slave module in the system is what sets it apart from others like Plus+1.

Does anyone know if it's possible to get replacement clips for panel mounting of MD4 modules?

Every once in a while they get lost in the assembly process and I've been unable to find a source to order replacements.

I have connected a buzzer to my MD4-7 inch display using the DOUT channel. 

The signal receives high frequency noise when it is not triggered. Could this be related to the diagnostics tests for internal faults?  - If so how can it be switched off via IQAN design. 

We have now released the first two variants in the IQAN-MD5 family, the 5" and the 8" variants.

You'll need IQANdesign 7.02 to use these, which also is available.

Product information are available on parker.com.

Would be nice for MD4 displays to have day/night mode where background and text properties would change without the need of creating extra layers.