Pinebox – Smart IIoT Gateway
Collect, process, display and forward data – from idea to solution in minutes!
With our versatile Pinebox you can acquire data from smart IO-Link® sensors and devices1 and create applications for
- Condition monitoring
- Smart metering
- Machine uptime reporting
- and many more
Pinebox Features
- 4x IO-Link®-compatible ports
- Data processing with integrated Node-RED® using JavaScript
- Forwaring to external Databases (e.g., MySQL, AWS S3, InfluxDB, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MS SQL)
- Forwarding to internal sqLite database
- Creation of Messages (e.g., email, Signal message, SMS, WhatsApp),
- Display of Dashboads (as integrated Node-RED dashboards),
- other Communication (e.g., MQTT, HTTP, Websocket, TCP, UDP, Modbus TCP, OPC/UA).
Got questions? Please contact us with the contact form:
Order now with 25% discount
The Pinebox is available since November 2024. Order the Pinebox now with 25% product introduction discount (available for orders until end of 2024).
Pinebox PT-1010
650€ 487,50€
Introduction price
Further information and contact
All prices indicated are net prices excl. shipping.
Please contact us for larger quantities, delivery to countries other than listed or any other questions:
See the Pinebox in action
Short demo of the Pinebox
Full demo of the Pinebox
Pinebox – Machine Smartification Example Usecase
Existing system without smart functions
The extisting system shall be upgraded with smart features to improve production quality and minimize downtime.
Smartification/Upgrade with the Pinebox
In addition to the installed controls, smart sensors are installed without interfering with the existing control system. The sensors are connected to the Pinebox and the Pinebox is configured – no PLC programming skills required.
Measure, report and optimize
The data is processed on the Pinebox and displayed via dashboards, forwarded to databases or via cloud connection, or alarms are generated in the event of deviations – the system is now smart!
Create smart applications in just 4 steps
Connect sensors and devices and upload IODD file to the Pinebox
The IODD file of the respective device is either be obtained from the device manufacturer or downloaded from ioddfinder.io-link.com.
The IODD file is uploaded to the Pinebox web interface.
Configure device and exchange data via JSON
The device connected to the port is now configured via the web interface and its functions can be tested.
Transfer device-specific nodes to Node-RED
To process data in Node-RED, matching nodes are generated in the Pinebox‘s configuration interface.
The generated nodes are then imported into the Node-RED interface.
Configure and program Node-RED flows and dashboards
The Node-RED flows can be linked or specifically programmed. The data is either forwarded (e.g., to databases or as messages), or can be displayed on integrated dashboards.
Pinebox – Benefits
Supplier independence and sensor diversity
The Pinebox has 4 IO-Link® compatible ports for smart sensors and devices (manufacturer-independent, IODD V1.1). More than 20,000 different sensor types are available.
The integration of the sensors with the Pinebox web interface of the Pinebox is self-explanatory: Just download the IODD file from the website of the sensor/device manufacturer or via the catalog ioddfinder.io-link.com and upload it to the Pinebox
Simple configuration
No additional software, licenses or subscriptions are required for the configuration and programming. All functions can be accessed via the configuration web interface and the integrated Node-RED programming interface of the Pinebox. Operation is intuitive, so no additional external training is required.
Support is available as FAQs, tutorials, and manuals or as direct support from Pinetek Networks.
Integrated Node-RED
Node-RED is a programming interface for processing data: Node-RED is based on the graphical linking of input, output, and processing nodes.
Node-RED offers integrated dashboards to visualize data:
Full control over your data
Your data stays with you – Node-RED leaves you with the flexibility to store the acquired data only on the Pinebox, e.g., in the integrated sqLite database.
You can also forward the data to company internal systems (e.g. over MQTT) or to cloud systems. All relevant connectors are available via Node-RED.
It is your choice what happens with your data!
Additional Features and Information
- All sensor and actuator data (process data and parameter data) can be accessed via the JSON interface on the Pinebox. This method is particularly suitable if the data processing is performed on a PC system and not on the Pinebox. The JSON interface can be accessed with all commonly used programming languages.
- For more information about Node-RED, visit the Node-RED website. Additional Node-RED support is available through the Node-RED community.
- More complex functions in Node-RED can be performed using JavaScript.
Support
Knowledge Base
The online documentation can be found in the Knowledge Base:
Extended support
For extended support, please visit the Pinetek Networks Support Portal:
Downloads
Dokumentation
- Product manual: Pinebox_Product-Manual.pdf
- Quick start guides:
- Declaration of conformity: Pinebox_EU_Declaration-of-Conformity.pdf
Software
The most recent software is available in the download portal:
Technical Specifications
Mechanical
| Dimensions 90 x 72 x 63 mm |
| Installation DIN-Rail |
| Protection class IP20 |
| Temperature range -25°- 60°C |
Connections
| Power supply 24V DC (+/-20%) Power consumption max. 2400mA (incl. SDCI port supply) |
| 4 SDCI-Ports (IO-Link compatible) M12 (female) Class A (max. 1A per Port) Communication speeds COM1, COM2 (Auto-Detect), COM3 not supported Operating modes: IOL (DQ, DI in preparation) |
| Ethernet 100MBit, RJ45 IPv4 as DHCP client or with fixed IP address 2.4GHz WLAN via USB stick (future feature, stick avaiable as product option, USB shared with other USB devices) |
| HMI HDMI Port with Node-RED Dashboards in kiosk mode (future feature) 1 USB-A port for keyboard/mouse (future feature, USB shared with WLAN dongle) |
Communications
| Configuration IODD V1.1 Web-based configuration |
| LED indicators Status per port (red/green) System (red/green) Power (green) |
| Network communication protocol JSON/REST over Ethernet |
| Programming/linking Node-RED integrated Dashboards Graphical linking Javascript programming |
Node-RED Connectors
| Communication protocols MQTT HTTP Websocket TCP UDP Modbus TCP OPC/UA |
| Database/Cloud MySQL AWS S3 InfluxDB PostgreSQL MongoDB MS SQL |
| Messaging Signal SMS (via seven.io, additional costs apply) WhatsApp (via WhatsApp web, phone number required) |
Technical specifications are preliminary an are be subject to change.
FAQs
Which sensors and actuators can be connected to the Pinebox?
The Pinebox is compatible with SDCI devices according to IEC 61131-9 (brand name IO-Link®), which support the IODD format 1.1 and have less than 500mA current consumption (class A). The connection is made via M12, adapter cables may be required depending on the device.
Do I have to purchase a license for Node-RED or install Node-RED separately on the Pinebox?
Node-RED is royalty-free (Apache License 2.0) and installed on the Pinebox by default.
How can I connect to the Pinebox?
The Pinebox is connected via Ethernet, your device must have an Ethernet port or provide it e.g. via a USB Ethernet adapter. It is also possible to connect the pine.box to a network.
What are the hardware and software requirements for configuring and programming the Pinebox?
Configuration and programming is done via the web browser by accessing the pine.box web page. A PC (Windows, Linux, Mac, ChromeOS) with a current browser is required for access. Chrome, Edge and Firefox were tested.
Can I process data from multiple Pineboxes?
Yes, this is possible via the JSON interface. The two Pineboxes must be connected to each other via the network, e.g. via a router or switch.
Assuming Pinebox A handles the data processing, the data points are retrieved from the Node-RED flow on Pinebox A via JSON query from Pinebox B. Contact us for further details.
Where is the data stored?
No data is stored on the Pinebox when accessing the data via JSON. When processing the data via Node-RED, there is also no storage on the Pinebox. The history data for the dashboards is stored in the volatile memory of the Pinebox and is lost when the device is switched off.
Which programming languages can be used to read sensor data from the Pinebox?
There are no restrictions in the choice of programming language as long as TCP network connections and JSON format are supported. We provide programming examples for data retrieval using Python and C# on request. However, other programming languages are also possible.
- IO-Link is a registered trademark of PROFIBUS Nutzerorganisation e.V.: io-link.com, profibus.com
The Pinebox is compatible with IO-Link devices, it is not a certified IO-Link master. The certification is planned for Q1-Q2/2025. ↩︎