Making Industry 4.0 a Reality Through Harsh Environment-Compatible RTC (Real-Time Clock) Backup Power Supply for Smart Factories

Adopted by: Sensor Manufacturer

Photo: Image of a smart factory production site progressing with factory DX

Development Background

As progress towards developing smart factories accelerates under the Industry 4.0 initiative, efforts to make data management and analysis consistently integrated throughout the factory are accelerating. This includes improving data visualization. Some devices incorporated into machine tools, FA equipment, and PLCs in factories have a real-time clock (RTC) chip to display the time in real-time, including seconds, even when the main power is cut off. With an RTC battery, time can continue to be tracked as a backup power supply even during battery replacement or power loss.

However, until now, using primary batteries as backup power supplies has led to the hassle of battery replacement and disposal. Even with secondary batteries, issues have arisen due to their inability to be used in harsh environments such as high temperatures or extreme cold in factories.

EnerCera is a battery that can address these issues. As a secondary battery, it does not require the hassle of replacement and can be utilized as an RTC power supply as it can operate even in harsh environments.

Table of Contents

The EnerCera Advantages

EnerCera Coin (ET1210C-H)
Use Cases

Can be used as a power source for RTCs in harsh environments.
Expected Technological Contribution

Supporting power supply for RTCs even in harsh environments and in a variety of fields.

The EnerCera Advantages

✔️ Can withstand harsh environments from -40 to 105°C
✔️ Ultra-thin, reflow mountable
✔️ Low degradation even with float charging in high-temperature environments

Usable in environments from -40 to 105°C

The EnerCera Coin (ET1210C-H) has heat resistance up to 105°C and can function provide power supply in high-temperature environments such as production sites where heat is generated. For backup applications, it can also operate in low-temperature environments down to -40°C, enabling operation across a wide temperature range from low to high temperatures.

Can be installed in narrow spaces and reflow mounted

EnerCera is a small and thin battery, making it possible to install in narrow spaces. The EnerCera Coin (ET1210C-H) has a low-profile design with a height of 1.3mm and can be reflow mounted on circuit boards. This allows it to be incorporated into electronic circuits during production, reducing manufacturing man-hours during mass production.

Low degradation even with float charging in high-temperature environments

EnerCera is ideal for RTC backup power supplies as it has low degradation and high safety. This is true even for float charging, where power is constantly supplied to the battery to maintain a full charge, commonly utilized in backup applications. It supports constant voltage charging, allowing continuous charging at a constant voltage like a capacitor, and maintains a 2.3V output until the end of discharge.

Use Cases

Examples of issues in harsh environments include the inability to encrypt and send data from AI cameras to the cloud in outdoor installations in cold regions, extremely cold regions, or tropical regions; the inability to install the battery in high-temperature areas such as the tool tip of high-speed machining centers due to rotation; and the inability to provide RTC backup for laser sensors, fiber sensors, and photoelectric sensors exposed to high temperatures. EnerCera, which can operate even in such harsh environments, can be utilized as an RTC power supply to solve these bottlenecks.

Expected Technological Contribution

In addition to the production site examples of smart factories progressing with factory DX, demand for RTC applications requiring accurate time is present in a wide range of fields such as automobiles, security devices, machine tools, FA equipment, PLCs, and smart home appliances. EnerCera will continue to support RTC power supplies in harsh environments across various fields in the future, ensuring a long real-time clock battery life for reliable operation.