Grid Connect, Inc. has introduced a new version of FireFly, a Bluetooth to RS232 serial adapter, as a replacement product for legacy versions with an obsolete Bluetooth module. Grid Connect’s FireFly serial adapter features the same form, fit and function as older versions.
As with its predecessors, Grid Connect FireFly gives any RS232 serial port Bluetooth connection capability. Machine owners and operators can use the Grid Connect Firefly with another Firefly in cable replacement mode to make their RS232 cable wireless, or they can pair it with any other Bluetooth device that supports Bluetooth SPP (Serial Port Profile).
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“As a cable replacement, the Grid Connect FireFly is beneficial for industrial applications like CNC machines where a facility manager could use a central location to communicate wirelessly with the facility’s machines,” said Ed Landell, senior software engineer for Grid Connect. “This gives a manager flexibility to remotely download instructions for the machines, instead of walking around to each piece of equipment. The FireFly eliminates dragging around serial cables, which can damage cables and lead to troubleshooting cabling programs.”
According to Landell, Grid Connect has maintained the new FireFly’s compatibility with older versions to ensure the transmitting power equals earlier models. That said, Landell notes the serial interface is more flexible than the older model. The Grid Connect FireFly is especially useful in industrial environments with older equipment where an owner wants to eliminate serial cabling and establish connections between machines and a laptop via USB and a laptop Bluetooth radio.
The Grid Connect Firefly attaches to a RS232 serial port making it a Bluetooth Class 1 wireless connection, capable of transmitting serial data up to 100 meters (330 feet). The Grid Connect Firefly supports the Bluetooth specification 2.0—which provides faster Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) and lower Bit Error Rate (BER)—and is compatible with devices supporting the older 1.x specifications. The Grid Connect Firefly also has dip switches to help access configuration and make pairing the devices quick and easy. And it supports “AT” like commands, which allow users to change the Grid Connect FireFly settings with messages sent through the serial port.