Monarco HAT.
Analog and digital inputs and outputs, RS-485 and 1-Wire bus for the Raspberry Pi

Turn Raspberry Pi minicomputer into a PLC or a mini industrial PC (IPC) and use it in your automation project.

Monitoring, archiving and control

  • Reading and archiving data from standard industrial sensors
  • Monitoring of machines
  • Providing communication gateway between various devices
  • Feedback control in non-critical applications

Those are the applications we had in mind when we designed the add-on board which we call the Monarco HAT.

Monarco HAT in action

Analog and digital I/O, RS-485 and 1-Wire in compact form

  • 4x digital IN, 4x digital OUT
  • 2x analog IN, 2x analog OUT
  • 1x RS-485
  • 1x 1-Wire bus
  • 9 LED indicators
  • Power supply: 10-30 VDC
  • Battery-backed RTC chip
  • Hardware watchdog
  • High quality push-in terminals, detachable connector

Download full technical specification of the Monarco HAT and review the assembly instructions.

Developing solutions with the Monarco HAT

It's the software which pumps blood into any hardware. Use the Monarco HAT with the appropriate software platform.

Commercial software

Our first choice for programming is the REX Control System, a family of software products for projects in automation, robotics, data acquisition, process control and feedback control in general.

The REX Control System offers a graphical development environment for programming the algorithms. You can use standard desktop or laptop PC. You create the algorithms from the so-called function blocks. The library includes countless items (timers, comparators, filters, PID controllers and many more).

REX logo

Open source

We undestand the value of open source software and therefore we provide:

Programming with the REX Control System

  • Graphical programming without hand-coding
  • Industry-proven control algorithms
  • User interface (HMI) for desktop, tablet and smartphone
  • Easy integration into business IT infrastructure (ERP/BMS)
  • REST API for integration with virtually any framework or programming language
  • Up to 2 ms sampling rate with standard Raspbian distribution

Explore the Getting started guide for using the Monarco HAT with REX Control System.

Monarco HAT turns your Raspberry Pi into a versatile controller or data logging device

Automation kit with RexCore Pro

  • Monarco HAT with accessories
  • Raspberry Pi 3
  • Preinstalled 8 GB micro SD card
  • RexCore Professional (REX Control System runtime)
  • Aluminium case for DIN-rail mounting
  • Shipping worldwide

359,- EUR

Automation kit with RexCore Plus

  • Monarco HAT with accessories
  • Raspberry Pi 3
  • Preinstalled 8 GB micro SD card
  • RexCore Plus (REX Control System runtime)
  • Aluminium case for DIN-rail mounting
  • Shipping worldwide

279,- EUR

Plain board with optional housing

  • Monarco HAT
  • Detachable connector with push-in terminals
  • Metal spacers and screws
  • Optional: aluminium case
  • Optional: cable for powering the official 7" Raspberry Pi display
  • Shipping worldwide

129,- EUR

Looking for a local Monarco HAT distributor?

Then check out the list of Monarco HAT resellers.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Additional information about the Monarco HAT

What does HAT mean?

A 'HAT' (Hardware Attached on Top) is an add-on board for Raspberry Pi that conforms to the HAT specification published by the Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Can I use multiple HATs with a single Raspberry Pi?

No, HATs are not stackable by definition. A HAT has to have an EEPROM onboard that automatically configures it. This mechanism does not support stacking and will just fail if you try it.

Is the MCU of the Monarco HAT meant for running my own algorithms?

No, the internal MCU of the Monarco HAT only handles the input and output signals and communicates with the Raspberry Pi, the one and only "brain" to run your algorithms.

How does the Monarco HAT communicate with the Raspberry Pi?

Monarco HAT is connected via SPI and it also contains a few I2C devices onboard. RS-485 bus occupies the UART of the Raspberry Pi but it can be disabled. See full technical specification of the Monarco HAT and Monarco HAT documentation on GitHub for details.

Can I still use the GPIO pins of the Raspberry Pi?

Apart from SPI-0, UART, I2C-0 and I2C-1, the only GPIO pins occupied by the Monarco HAT are GPIO20, GPIO21 and GPIO26. You are free to use the remaining GPIO pins of the Raspberry Pi. See full technical specification of the Monarco HAT and Monarco HAT documentation on GitHub for details.

When will I receive my Monarco HAT?

We typically dispatch the Monarco HATs in 1-2 business days after your order is placed. Delivery time is about 3-5 business days within Europe and 10-12 days outside Europe.

  • Raspberry Pi is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
  • 1-Wire is a trademark of Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.