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SGT Solutions hat trick – wins Microchip FTS Platinum Award

SGT Solutions, which positions itself as one of SA’s leading systems integrators, was announced as the recipient of the Platinum Award for three consecutive years during Microchip’s Frequency and Timing Systems (FTS) EMEA Channel Partner Conference in April 2023.

A Platinum award is an accolade bestowed to a channel partner for sterling results. “This award is a tremendous honour for SGT Solutions. The Platinum award was based on the company’s significant EMEA revenue successes for the past year. Additionally, it draws particular attention to the close relationship between SGT and Microchip in enhancing our focus to deliver value to our customers,” highlights Suraj Ramlall, GM at SGT Solutions. The sterling success was derived from solutions with the flagship product TimeProvider 4100, the company notes.

The TimeProvider 4100 expands on three key core capabilities that are necessary for operators of critical infrastructure:

  • Redundancy via a software schema and direct ethernet connections between two units;
  • Resiliency with new GNSS multi-band support as well as a new super OCXO oscillator option for enhanced holdover and timekeeping; and
  • Security via new TACACS+ and RADIUS authentication mechanisms as well as additional anti-jamming and anti-spoofing measures.

TimeProvider 4100 is a best-in-class GrandMaster with extensive port fanout for packet-based timing and including legacy ports. TimeProvider 4100 is a family of devices that offers a choice of oscillators, expansion modules and operation modes. Operation modes are with specific capabilities all based on the same device that can act as a:

  • Gateway clock;
  • High-performance boundary clock;
  • Enhanced primary reference time clock (ePRTC); and
  • Virtual primary reference time clock (vPRTC – new architecture).

Virtual PRTC (vPRTC) architecture

This new architecture prescribes:

  • Leveraging the existing optical network to avoid using expensive dark fibre;
  • Using dedicated lambda to transport time in the most rapid way to provide the utmost resiliency;
  • A redundant source of time based on ePRTC that can deliver 30ns performance and use a combination of Cesium clocks and GNSS as the source of time;
  • Offering east and west flows of time to provide a redundant path from source to end point; and
  • Offering a chain of high-precision MD HPBCs that can meet the highest level of performance defined by T-BC Class D 5ns standards.

“It was great to engage with colleagues beyond the EMEA region. Getting together and discussing the current trends as well as getting technology updates. It is good to see that the pandemic did not stop the advancements in technology that resulted in Tekron merging with Microchip to strengthen the FTS bouquet,” said Gregory Lloyd, Business Unit Head at SGT Solutions.

GridTime 3000 GNSS Time Server

The Tekron merger brings in additional technology along with a knowledgeable team and widely adopted products. This increases the Microchip synchronisation and timing offering in today’s increasingly digital, networked world with products like GridTime 3000 GNSS Time Server.

The GridTime 3000 GNSS time server is a software-enabled solution that provides enhanced levels of redundant, secure and resilient timing for power utility substations. It generates precise time and frequency signals to synchronise analogue and digital communication systems within the substation.

The GridTime 3000 GNSS time server generates precise time and frequency signals to synchronise analogue and digital communication systems within the substation. It is a substation-hardened and licence-enabled GNSS Time Server and is a good fit in the following applications:

  • Synchronisation of station, bay and process-level equipment;
  • Time synchronisation for digital substation with process bus; and
  • Industrial automation and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA).

SGT Solutions was born out of the Grintek Group in 1993 and has been part of the Saab South Africa group of companies since 2005, trading as Saab Grintek Technologies. It was recently acquired by African Equity Empowerment Investments (AEEI) and renamed SGT Solutions, with 74% black ownership and 39% black women ownership and was recently awarded B-BBEE level one status.

For more information on the Microchip – FTS portfolio, please contact Gregory Lloyd on glloyd@sgtsolutions.co.za.

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