Panel builders and OEM manufacturers adding cellular connectivity to industrial equipment face a specific constraint that general-purpose routers do not address: form factor. An industrial panel designed for a 40mm DIN rail slot cannot accommodate a standard desktop router. The Milesight UF31 at 90 x 72 x 15mm is designed to go inside equipment rather than beside it.
The Embedded 5G Problem
Adding 5G to a new OEM product line means choosing between three approaches: a consumer 5G dongle (consumer-grade, no management, no industrial temperature rating), a conventional router mounted externally (additional enclosure, cable runs, more to fail), or a purpose-built embedded cellular module (designed for the application). The UF31 is the third option.
UF31 Key Specifications for Panel Builders
- Dimensions: 90 x 72 x 15mm – fits on standard DIN rail
- Power: 3.9W typical, 5-24VDC input – works from panel supply rails without additional regulation
- Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, dual SIM
- 5G: NSA and SA Sub-6 GHz, UK band support including N1, N28, N78
- GNSS: Built-in GPS/GLONASS for location-aware applications
- Management: DeviceHub for remote fleet management across deployed units
- Temperature: -40 to +70°C industrial rating
4G to 5G Migration for Existing OEM Products
OEM products currently using 4G embedded modules that need to upgrade to 5G face a straightforward hardware migration if the existing module is Ethernet-connected. The UF31 replaces the 4G module in the same DIN rail space, connecting to the same Ethernet port. The software interface from the OEM product perspective is unchanged. DeviceHub manages the fleet of upgraded units remotely.
Recommended Product
Milesight UF31 – embedded 5G module for OEM and panel building applications