Case Study: Rugged Multiport Custom Gigabit Ethernet Switch achieves industrial/transportation readiness and stackable scalability with Happiest Minds

Rugged multiport custom Gigabit Ethernet Switch

Happiest Minds was engaged to design and develop a rugged, multiport custom Gigabit Ethernet switch, including hardware design, firmware/application customization and post-delivery production support. The primary challenge was to create a compact, ruggedized device that supports IPv4/IPv6, allows field updates, and reliably operates in extreme industrial and transportation environments.

The solution used a Vitesse Gigabit switch with a 416 MHz MIPS processor running WebStaX on eCos, offering web and serial flash/configuration updates; deliverables included schematics, 6‑layer PCB layout (OrCAD/Allegro), firmware customization, prototype bring-up, thermal cycling and performance verification. The result is a compact, stackable, industrial‑temperature (−40 to +85°C) switch that enabled the customer to enter industrial and transportation segments with a scalable, rugged product.