Linux control unit customises Rafi touch operating panels to save time
Rafi’s Glasscape touch displays and control panels can be customised with complete processor units for control and visualisation tasks. The company’s embedded control units (ECUs) can be used for time-saving and efficient implementation of customer projects in industrial, automotive, and medical applications, says Rafi.
Device manufacturers receive complete, ready-to-install touch control solutions including housings and drivers from a single source. There are three performance classes, the Eco-ECU series offers cost-optimised solutions for simple control and display tasks, the Balance-ECU series supports touch displays with resolutions up to 800 x 600 pixels and are suitable for displaying animated graphics, the third class is the most powerful. The Power-ECU supports high-quality 3D visualisations, multi-touch input, and full high definition (HD) screen resolution for display diagonals up to 24-inch (610mm). An Arm Cortex-A9 processor provides the necessary computing power. It is clocked at 800MHz. There is also a 1Gbyte DDR3 SDRAM and 1Gbyte NAND flash memory.
The Power-ECUs are also available with a Yocto-based embedded Linux operating system as an alternative to Windows Embedded Compact 2013 or 7. Users can integrate control systems into their own applications securely, says Rafi. The company believes the inherent advantages of the Linux environment includes transparency and ongoing development of the kernel by a global Linux community. The Power-ECU units are designed as plug-in modules for a baseboard with a scalable periphery, supplied by Rafi with custom form factor, customer-specified interfaces and all necessary drivers. Rafi also offers Power-ECU evaluation kits for customers seeking to develop their own applications.
Rafi was founded in 1900. It develops and produces electromechanical components such as pushbuttons and switches, operating systems such as touch screens, keyboards, electronic components, and systems for man-machine communication. Rafi products are employed in medical equipment, mechanical engineering, road and railway vehicles, household appliances, and telecommunications markets.
