Industrial Control, Reimagined.
A modular, open-architecture PLC replacement built on proven embedded hardware. No vendor lock-in. No proprietary black boxes. Just reliable industrial automation you own completely.
Built for the way modern automation should work.
Traditional PLCs demand proprietary software, expensive licensing, and vendor approval to change a chip. The MS1 was designed to break that model entirely.
You Own the Design
Full schematics, open firmware, standard connectors. If a component goes end-of-life, you redesign the board — not your entire control architecture.
Works with Modern Tools
Standard C/Python on Raspberry Pi and RP2040 means GitHub Copilot, Claude, and every modern dev tool can assist your engineers from day one.
Dramatically Lower Cost
Commodity hardware, no licensing fees, and a modular expansion model that lets you pay only for the IO your application actually needs.
Everything in its right place.
The MS1 backplane is the backbone. A Raspberry Pi acts as the supervisor and programmer. Each IO module carries its own RP2040 — isolated, deterministic, replaceable.
Raspberry Pi
Connected via 40-pin ribbon. Handles HMI, networking, programming each module over UART, and high-level logic.
MS1 Backplane
Houses dual 24V→5V supplies (Pi and MCU rails), the UART multiplexer for per-module debug/programming, and standardized module slots.
Custom IO Modules
Each module is a purpose-built PCB with a socketed RP2040. Swap, add, or redesign modules independently without touching the rest of the system.
Purpose-built for industrial reality.
Each module is a self-contained PCB with a socketed RP2040. Designed for the signals that actually exist in industrial environments — not lab conditions.
Digital & Analog IO Module
The workhorse module. Handles mixed digital and analog signals at industrial voltage levels, with 4–20mA current loop support for long-distance, noise-immune sensing.
- 3× Digital Output — 24V sourcing
- 4× Digital Input — 24V compatible
- 3× Analog Input — 4–20mA current loop
- 1× Analog Output — 4–20mA current loop
- RP2040 microcontroller on-board
Intelligent Gateway & Node Module
Expand connectivity to downstream devices and sensors. Eight multiplexed ports support both UART and I²C, letting one module manage an array of smart field devices.
- 8× UART or I²C ports
- On-board multiplexing — select per port
- Ideal for barcode readers, displays, smart sensors
- RP2040 microcontroller on-board
Adaptive Data Link Module
Bridges your MS1 system to Ethernet networks and legacy RS-485 fieldbus. The Mongoose embedded networking stack enables robust TCP/IP without a full Linux overhead.
- Ethernet — Mongoose embedded stack
- RS-485 half-duplex fieldbus
- Modbus RTU / TCP capable
- RP2040 microcontroller on-board
The freedom your engineering team deserves.
The MS1 is a platform, not a product. Designed to be understood, modified, and extended by the engineers who use it.
AI Tool Compatible
Standard C firmware on RP2040 and Python on Raspberry Pi means your team can use GitHub Copilot, Claude, or any modern AI coding assistant to develop, debug, and document — from day one.
Supply Chain Resilient
When a component goes end-of-life, you modify a board — not your entire control system. Open schematics mean any competent EE can adapt the design to available parts.
No Licensing, No Subscriptions
No annual fees. No per-seat software licenses. No approval required to update firmware. You own what you buy, completely.
Designed to Expand
Need a custom IO type? Design a new module PCB to fit the same backplane slot. The architecture supports your application — not the other way around.
"Industrial automation shouldn't require a vendor relationship to change a line of code. The MS1 gives engineers the control they were always supposed to have."MSI Automation · Design Philosophy
Built here.
Owned by you.
The MS1 is designed and built in the United States. No offshore black boxes, no foreign firmware dependencies. Just open, auditable hardware your team can understand, modify, and trust — for the long haul.
Ready to move beyond the black box?
Contact our team to discuss your application, request a demo system, or learn how the MS1 fits your automation architecture.