Arduino Opta: New Micro PLC with IIoT Capabilities

We are expanding our portfolio with the programmable logic controllers (PLCs) Opta from the Italian manufacturer Arduino, developed in partnership with Finder. These high-performance devices with Industrial IoT capabilities are designed for use in industrial automation and building automation applications. At the core of the Opta controllers is the STM32H747XI dual-core microcontroller, enabling a wide range of real-time control, monitoring, and predictive maintenance applications. The user-friendly devices support OTA firmware updates and integrate seamlessly into the open Arduino ecosystem, allowing flexible expansion of existing automation projects. An integrated security chip (ATECC608B) ensures data protection from hardware to the cloud.

The compact PLCs (89 × 70 × 62 mm) are available in three variants, differing in connectivity: Opta Lite (AFX00003) offers Ethernet and USB-C, while Opta RS485 (AFX00001) additionally includes an RS-485 half-duplex interface. The most versatile version, Opta Wi-Fi (AFX00002), supports Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) and Bluetooth Low Energy. All three variants share a supply voltage of 12–24 V DC, eight digital (0–24 V) and analog (0–10 V) inputs, four relay outputs with normally open contacts (NO, 10 A), as well as Ethernet support for TCP/IP and Modbus TCP. Designed for an operating temperature range of –20 to +50 °C, they achieve an MTBF of 87 years.

For more demanding automation tasks, Opta expansion modules are available to significantly extend system capabilities. The two Opta digital expansion modules each feature 16 programmable inputs (digital 0–24 V; analog 0–10 V or 0–24 V) and eight relay outputs. The D1608E variant (AFX00005) uses electromechanical relays (6 A / 250 V AC), while the D1608S variant (AFX00006) is based on solid-state relays (3 A / 24 V DC). In addition, the Opta analog expansion module (AFX00007) offers eight configurable inputs and outputs capable of measuring voltage (0–10 V / 0–11 V), current (0–25 mA), and temperature via PT100 RTDs. Four PWM outputs with freely programmable duty cycle are also included.

The Opta controllers can be programmed using the Arduino Desktop IDE, Arduino Cloud Editor, or the Arduino PLC IDE in accordance with IEC 61131-3. They feature IP20 protection and comply with international safety standards such as FCC, CE, UKCA, cULus, and ENEC. All variants are RoHS compliant.