Project Overview
A leading European industrial automation company needed a robust IoT gateway to bridge legacy field devices with modern cloud platforms. InnovChip delivered a custom solution based on the STM32H7 dual-core MCU (Cortex-M7 at 480MHz + Cortex-M4 at 240MHz), providing real-time data acquisition, edge processing, and secure cloud connectivity.
Client
Industry: European Industrial Automation Manufacturer (Germany)
Project Duration: 12 weeks
Budget: €35,000
Industry
Industrial Automation / Smart Manufacturing (Industry 4.0)
Challenge
- Existing facility had 200+ legacy Modbus RTU devices with no network connectivity
- Required real-time data polling from multiple field buses simultaneously
- Needed edge computing capability for data preprocessing and filtering
- Mandatory TLS 1.3 encrypted communication with AWS IoT Core
- Had to operate reliably in industrial environments (-20°C to 70°C)
- CE and FCC certification requirements
Solution
- MCU: STM32H743 dual-core processor
- Connectivity: Dual Ethernet ports (100Mbps), Wi-Fi (ESP32 co-processor), 4G LTE (SIM7600 module)
- Protocols: Modbus RTU/TCP, MQTT, OPC-UA, HTTP/HTTPS
- Security: Hardware secure element (ATECC608A) for key storage, TLS 1.3, certificate-based authentication
- Edge Computing: FreeRTOS with custom data pipeline for local filtering and aggregation
- Cloud: AWS IoT Core with Device Shadow and OTA firmware updates
- PCB: 6-layer design with isolated power domains and industrial ESD protection
Technical Details
| Processor | STM32H743 (Cortex-M7 480MHz + Cortex-M4 240MHz) |
| RAM | 1MB SRAM + 64MB SDRAM (external) |
| Flash | 2MB internal + 16MB QSPI NOR Flash |
| Ethernet | 2x 100Base-TX with IEEE 1588 PTP |
| Serial Ports | 4x RS-485, 2x RS-232, 1x CAN FD |
| Digital I/O | 8x DI (24V), 4x DO (relay) |
| Power | 9-36V DC input with reverse polarity protection |
| Certifications | CE (EN 55032, EN 55035), FCC Part 15B |
Result
- Deployed 150+ units across 3 manufacturing facilities in Germany and Austria
- Data latency reduced from 5 seconds to under 200ms
- Edge filtering reduced cloud data transfer by 85%, saving €2,400/month in IoT data costs
- OTA update mechanism allowed remote firmware upgrades to all units in under 2 hours
- Certified for CE and FCC on first submission
- Project delivered on schedule within 12 weeks