Schurter Unveils Connectors Enabling Smart Power Entry Modules

Swiss electronic components manufacturer Schurter recently released a pair of “Smart Connector”-branded products offering versatility for several applications, from monitoring and visualizing processes to recording energy consumption to planning preventive maintenance and management for fleets. 

 

Schurter’s DS11 Smart Connector. Image used courtesy of Schurter

 

The company’s internal DS11 Smart Connector power entry module is paired with the DT31 external add-on device. Both share functionalities, offer wireless LAN WiFi (standard 802.11 b/g/n) or Bluetooth 4.2 connections, and are compatible with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)’s 60320 appliance coupler standards. However, DT31 is ideal for upgrading after-market equipment. As a standalone device, DT31 can be used to upgrade existing equipment via a daisy chain from the IEC 60320 C14 inlet and the C13 outlet. 

 

Schurter’s external DT31 Smart Connector. Image used courtesy of Schurter

 

The selling point of the pluggable DT31 is its ability to connect to existing devices without additional installation, thus saving customers engineering time and related costs. DT31’s main purpose is to monitor devices’ usage and consumption, a valuable function across a diverse range of applications. Schurter’s news release cited a use case in hospitals, where users can monitor medical devices’ operating hours to see how frequently they’re being used. 

 

Features and Specifications

The Smart Connectors start at $71 each for 50 pieces. Both are rated at ten amps/250 VAC and 50 Hertz and offer low standby energy consumption of under 0.5 watts. 

Schurter’s website bills DS11 as a “first-of-its-kind” device on the market, offering bi-directional cloud connection and compatibility with V-Lock cord retention. It features a serial interface for connecting to the host device directly and an integrated energy live measurement function with an update rate of up to 60 seconds. 

 

DS11 Smart Connector from Schurter. Image used courtesy of Schurter

 

DT31 offers easy integration with existing devices and an integrated energy sensor meter. Like DS11, the DT31 has an application programming interface allowing customers to transfer data directly to their cloud platforms. 

 

Software Included With DS11 and DT31

The power entry modules come with Schurter’s basic software package, which is available in Android and Apple iOS applications. With its Smart App, users can manage their connected devices with remote monitoring and control. 

Aside from the basic platform, Schurter offers four additional software packages with different functions depending on customers’ demands. 

 

Video used courtesy of Schurter

 

The software packages, available for free to DT11 and DT31 customers, are part of the company’s cloud-based Smart Ecosystem, introduced alongside the smart connectors. Together, the products offer additional functionality to plant and equipment manufacturers, providing a cost-effective tool for turning conventional electronic devices into smart devices with extended configuration, monitor, and control features. 

 

Schurter’s New Ownership 

The devices are part of Schurter’s portfolio of connectors, listed among 43 power entry modules without filters. Overall, its connector catalog currently totals 405 products. 

More broadly, Schurter sells components, input systems, smart products, and custom solutions to customers across its key segments: industrial and medical equipment, automotive, avionics and space, energy, data center, and communication applications. 

The family-owned, privately-held company announced earlier this year that Switzerland-based middle-market investor Capvis would acquire a majority interest in Schurter Group. The transaction won’t impact the company’s 2,200-person workforce and is slated to close this spring, pending European regulators’ approval. In announcing in January, Schurter also disclosed that it earned 330 million Swiss francs in revenue last year, equivalent to $364.2 million.