Arduino Launches IP40-Rated Edge Control Enclosure Kit with On-Board LCD User Interface
New case kit is designed for local status reporting on its integrated display, protection from dust and impact, and DIN rail mounting.
Arduino has launched a kit designed to make its Edge Control board a little more robust, offering an IP40-rated enclosure with on-board LCD and button interface for quick status updates: the Arduino Edge Control Enclosure Kit.
Arduino unveiled the Edge Control last year, aiming the board at agricultural automation and other industrial control tasks. The heart of the Edge Control is a Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840 system-on-chip powered by an Arm Cortex-M4F CPU running at 64MHz with 1MB of on-board flash, 2MB of external QSPI flash, and Bluetooth connectivity.
As an industrial control device, power to the Edge Control board is supplied through a 12V input — and given its focus on agriculture, a solar system is recommended with a 5Ah battery offering a 34-month operational lifespan between charges, depending on connected devices and duty cycle.
Putting the board in an industrial environment, though, means it needs a little protection — which is where Arduino's enclosure design comes in. Designed with IP40 certification for dust ingress, but not for weatherproofing, Arduino's bespoke case design offers integrated DIN rail mount support for ease of mounting.
The kit isn't just a simple housing, however: The Edge Control Enclosure Kit also includes a two-row 16-character LCD display with white backlight, linked to a push button designed to scroll through status reports and sensor readings.
"It can be customized by users to instantly visualize sensor data, such as weather conditions and soil parameters," Arduino explains. "Different data can be displayed at every push of the button, on the spot and in real time, without requiring connectivity."
The kit is now available through the Arduino Store, priced at $54 including the LCD interface; the Edge Control board is priced at $228.90, with support for MKR-compatible radio add-on modules starting at $37 for extended connectivity options.