The Hirschmann BOBCAT BRS20-4TX-EEC-HL is a specialised variant of Hirschmann’s compact 4-port managed Fast Ethernet BOBCAT switch, adding ISA12.12.01 hazardous location certification to the standard wide-temperature EEC performance envelope, making it the choice for network nodes deployed within or adjacent to Ex-classified zones in oil and gas processing, petrochemical plants, offshore platforms, and chemical manufacturing facilities. Developed by Hirschmann, a Belden brand, it provides 4x 10/100BASE-TX RJ45 ports in a 57 mm wide fanless PC-ABS DIN rail housing rated from -40 to +70°C and IP30, consuming just 5 W — important in intrinsically safe area installations where power budgets and thermal dissipation are tightly controlled. TSN 802.1Qbv support across interfaces 1/1 to 1/3 enables deterministic real-time Ethernet communication, while the full industrial protocol suite — PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, and IEC61850 — ensures compatibility with PLCs, DCS platforms, and SCADA systems prevalent in process industries. Redundancy is comprehensively supported through HIPER-Ring, MRP (IEC62439-2) as both client and manager, RSTP, LACP, Link Backup, and Redundant Network Coupling, enabling participation in ring and star high-availability topologies from hazardous-area-rated field positions. Security features include Secure Boot, signed firmware, 802.1X port access control, RADIUS authentication, VLAN-based ACLs, and DoS prevention, meeting the OT cybersecurity requirements increasingly mandated in process industry environments. An MTBF exceeding 5.8 million hours and a 60-month guarantee provide the long-term reliability assurance critical in process plant applications where switch replacement is costly and disruptive. Available from Recab, your Nordic partner for Hirschmann industrial switch solutions.
