Revolutionizing Industrial Automation with HSYCO & Strato Pi Max

Discover how HSYCO and Sfera Labs’ Strato Pi Max edge server enhance industrial automation with advanced features and robust reliability.

From Concept to Reality: How HSYCO Leveraged the Modular Industrial Server, Strato Pi Max, from Sfera Labs

In the realm of industrial automation, reliability and customization are paramount. For HSYCO, a leading SCADA platform provider, these needs drove the creation of Sfera Labs, an affiliate company focused on delivering hardware solutions tailored to HSYCO’s demanding requirements. This article delves into the journey that led to the development of the Strato Pi Max, an advanced industrial edge server, highlighting the synergy between HSYCO’s software prowess and Sfera Labs’ hardware innovations.

HSYCO and the Strato Pi Max from Sfera Labs form a powerful combination for industrial automation. HSYCO’s robust SCADA platform seamlessly integrates with the Strato Pi Max, an advanced industrial edge server, to deliver unparalleled reliability and customization. By leveraging the strengths of both systems, users can achieve efficient, real-time monitoring and control across diverse industrial environments.

The Accidental Innovation: Birth of Sfera Labs and Strato Pi Base

Sfera Labs’ inception was far from a traditional business launch. In 2013, the Raspberry Pi Model B, with its 512 MB of RAM, presented a new opportunity for HSYCO. The device’s capability was sufficient to run HSYCO’s SCADA platform, prompting the idea of an entry-level appliance based on the Pi B+. However, deploying a bare Raspberry Pi in an industrial setting posed significant challenges.

Key Features for Industrial Robustness: The Essential Components of Strato Pi Max

To transition from a concept to a viable industrial product, several critical features were identified:

• Reliable Power Supply Stage
• Hardware Watchdog
• Real-Time Clock with Battery Backup
• Serial Ports
• Additional Features: Internal buzzer, secure element chip
• DIN-Rail Enclosure and Terminal Blocks

These components were essential for ensuring the device’s robustness and reliability in an industrial environment. With no comparable solutions on the market, Sfera Labs designed a custom circuit board encapsulated in a DIN-rail enclosure, giving birth to their first product, the Strato Pi Base.

Meeting Market Demands: The Proliferation of Strato Pi Versions

Following the launch of Strato Pi Base, both internal needs and market demands spurred the development of various product iterations. Enhancements included integrating features like an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), CAN bus, and digital/analog I/O. Each variant was a response to specific requirements, expanding the product line to cater to a broader audience.

Leveraging Raspberry Pi Compute Module: Advancements in Strato Pi Technology

The introduction of the Raspberry Pi Compute Module marked a significant milestone, offering greater flexibility in hardware design and mechanical form factor. This advancement facilitated the creation of a new range of products, building upon the original concept and pushing the boundaries of what could be achieved.

Managing Complexity: Lessons Learned from Strato Pi’s Evolution

As the product lineup expanded, so did the complexity. With product part counts approaching 1000 components, managing production risks became increasingly challenging. A single unavailable part could halt production, highlighting the need for a more modular and resilient design approach. This led to a strategic pivot towards a new hardware architecture, aimed at balancing flexibility, expandability, and core feature integration.

Introducing Strato Pi Max: The Pinnacle of Modular Industrial Servers

Strato Pi Max represents the culmination of these efforts, embodying the features of previous products while leveraging the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4. Key innovations include:

• Internal Expansion Slots: Up to four, providing modularity and customization.
• Modular Design: Moving non-core features to expansion boards, reducing costs and increasing customer options.
• Core Feature Integration: Maintaining critical functionalities from existing products.

This modular approach not only mitigates complexity and production risks but also aligns with the diverse and evolving needs of HSYCO’s industrial automation projects.

Comprehensive Features of Strato Pi Max

HSYCO Strato Pi Max is available in two versions: XS, with a single expansion slot, and XL, with four expansion slots.
It is possible to freely combine these boards until all available slots are occupied.


X2-Series Digital I/O Expansion Board

Industrial Digital I/O expansion board featuring seven current-sinking 24 V IEC 61131-2 compliant industrial digital inputs with diagnostics and seven 640 mA, 24 V outputs that can be configured as high-side switches or push-pull drivers.

X2-Series UPS Expansion Board
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) expansion board with auxiliary supply output. Requires an external lead acid or AGM battery.

X2-Series CAN and Dual RS-485 Expansion Board
Expansion board featuring one galvanically isolated CAN V2.0B interface and two galvanically isolated RS-485 serial ports.

X2-Series RS-232 and RS-485 Expansion Board
Expansion board featuring one galvanically isolated RS-485 serial port and one RS-232 serial port with hardware flow control.

Expanding Capabilities with Strato Pi Max Expansion Boards

Strato Pi Max is now the hardware platform for HSYCO Core (Strato Pi Max XS) and HSYCO Pro (Strato Pi Max XL).

HSYCO Core is the essential integrated graphical platform for efficient automation system management. It is available in KNX or MyHome license versions (which also support 8 cameras, one anti burglar security panel, and an additional drivers) or in the Automation license, which supports up to 8 drivers (excluding anti burglar control panels, KNX, and MyHome).

HSYCO Pro is the full-featured version of HSYCO, dedicated to building and industrial automation and Hi-End installations; the perfect solution for complex applications, from automation to energy management, from data logging to technical alarm notification, from security to environment control. The license supports up to 50 KNX and 50 My Home buses, 50 cameras, 50 anti burglar panels and 50 additional drivers.

Seamless Integration: HSYCO’s Support for Strato Pi Max

As with the Strato Base, Mini, and UPS, a communication driver has been implemented between HSYCO and Strato Pi Max. This driver allows automatic management of certain hardware functionalities, such as the buzzer and the watchdog. The driver also automatically manages redundancy between the NVMe hard disk and the eMMC installed on the Raspberry CM4. HSYCO always boots from the NVMe hard disk, but in the event of a failure, it will boot from the eMMC mode, ensuring the supervisor’s functionality. The new 480GB Swissbit hard disk is incredibly faster than the moving head rotating disks previously used on HSYCO, while still guaranteeing industrial-grade reliability and robustness.

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Conclusion: The Synergy Between HSYCO Software and Sfera Labs Hardware

The journey from the initial Strato Pi Base to the sophisticated Strato Pi Max underscores the dynamic interplay between HSYCO’s software capabilities and Sfera Labs’ hardware innovation. Through iterative development and a keen focus on customer needs, HSYCO and Sfera Labs have established a robust platform that is both reliable and adaptable, poised to meet the challenges of modern industrial environments.