AMD G-Series SOC integrates CPU, GPU and I ... - ICC Media GmbH

COVER STORYAMD G-Series SOC integrates CPU,GPU and I/O controller onto a single dieSpecial Features Transportation Safety & Security Solar Power Test & Measurement

VIEWPOINTDear Reader,If you look as an expert in theembedded industry at the communicationsindustry and as wellin the industrial automation youmust be quite happy. Because thetrend towards the internet of things(IoT) and to Industry 4.0 will bringa bright future to cyber physicalsystems – formerly known as embeddedsystems. According to thedefinition of Wikipedia “a cyberphysicalsystem (CPS) is a systemfeaturing a tight combination of,and coordination between, thecomputational and physical elements of the system. Today, a precursorgeneration of cyber-physical systems can be found in areas asdiverse as aerospace, automotive, chemical processes, civil infrastructure,energy, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, entertainment,and consumer appliances. This generation is often referred to asembedded systems. In embedded systems the emphasis tends to bemore on the computational elements, and less on an intense link betweenthe computational and physical elements. Unlike more traditionalembedded systems, a full-fledged CPS is typically designed as anetwork of interacting elements with physical input and outputinstead of as standalone devices. Mobile cyber physical systems, inwhich the physical system in question has inherent mobility, are aprominent subcategory of cyber physical systems. Examples of mobilephysical systems include mobile robotics and electronics transportedby humans or animals. The rise in popularity of smartphones hasincreased interest in the area of mobile cyber physical systems. Smartphoneplatforms make ideal mobile cyber physical systems for anumber of reasons. What means the convergence between consumerapps and industrial applications is still going on.Especially for mobile cyber physical systems the highest possible integrationand performance by lowest power consumption is paramount.An example for one of these early mobile CPS you can take the newAMD G-Series SoCs, described in our cover story starting at page 6.This new device offers a highly scalable single-chip platform for innovativesmall form factor applications based on x86 technology to thedeveloper of embedded systems nowadays and cyber physical systemsin future.Yours sincerelyWolfgang PatelayEditor3 May 2013

CONTENTSViewpoint 3Cover StoryAMD G-Series SOC integrates CPU,GPU and I/O controller onto a single die 6TansportationComputer systems for railwayapplications 8Getting to the core of ruggedtransportation systems 12Embedded computing technologyimproves rail hygiene 15Box PCsA small form factor challenge:box PC with camera system 18Safety & SecuritySafety in civil airplanes via DO-254certifiable MIL-STD-1553 interfaces 20MainboardsMainboards in precision scalespull their weight 24Product News 26-30COVER STORYAMD G-Series SOC integrates CPU,GPU and I/O controller onto a single dieCover Story:AMD G-Series SOC integrates CPU, PAGE 6GPU and I/O controller onto a single dieWith the introduction of the G-Series SOC, AMD has completed theprocess of evolution from CPU,chipset and dedicated graphics viaAPU and controller hub to a singlefully-integrated x86 building block.What benefits can developersexpect from the new G-Series SOCplatform?Computer systems for railwaytransportation systems PAGE 8More and more electronic systems arebeing built into trains, the underground,streetcars and buses. If you talk aboutthe overall railway engineering market,you don’t only mean vehicles – in whichareas and applications can one findthese computers and which functionsdo they take over? And why are they so different to the office PCor the one at home?Getting to the core of ruggedtransportation systems PAGE 12Mobility and environmental extremes are critical in transportationapplications; by selecting the right core and rugged framework,focusing on and prioritizing any added customization becomesmuch simpler.A small form factor challenge:box PC with camera system PAGE 18Trivial looking demands may turn intotough challenges once there areenough of them to be combined.Here we describe a small box PCbased camera system for military securityapplications like face and objectrecognition in a forbidding outdoorenvironment. The question is whetherto buy or to make if time is short and costs must not explode?Special Features Transportation Safety & Security Solar Power Test & MeasurementAMDSafety in civil airplanes via DO-254certifiable MIL-STD-1553 interfaces PAGE 20This article introduces a wide range of MIL-STD-1553 components,test cards, rugged embedded cards, and software from asingle company. Originally intended for military requirements,the standard is increasingly considered for use in civil aircraft.May 2013 4

COVER STORYAMD G-Series SOC integrates CPU,GPU and I/O controller onto a single dieBy Craig Bryant, AMD Embedded SolutionsWith the introduction ofthe G-Series SOC, AMD hascompleted the process ofevolution from CPU, chipsetand dedicated graphicsvia APU and controller hubto a single fully-integratedx86 building block. Whatbenefits can developersexpect from the newG-Series SOC platform? With the introduction of the AMD EmbeddedG-Series in 2011, a low-power CPU and adiscrete-class GPU was combined into a singleAccelerated Processing Unit (APU). The AMDEmbedded G-Series APU resulted in a spaceefficienttwo-chip solution – comprising theAPU and a companion I/O controller hub –that offered high multimedia and parallel processingperformance on a low-power platform.With the introduction of the new AMD EmbeddedG-Series SOC platform, AMD hasbuilt on the strength of the G-Series processorarchitecture and is completing the evolutionby reducing the two-chip architecture of theG-Series APU to a single chip. At the sametime it delivers multimedia and heterogeneousprocessing capabilities that promise superiorperformance-per-watt in the low-power x86-capable microprocessor class of products whenrunning multiple industry standard benchmarks.Additionally, it supports enterpriseclasserror-correction code (ECC) memory.The new AMD G-Series SOCs are available indual- and quad-core variants. Featuring thenext-generation Jaguar-CPU core with 28 nmtechnology and an enhanced integrated RadeonGPU core with frequency increase and instructionsper cycle (IPC) improvement, G-SeriesSOCs deliver up to a 113% CPU performanceimprovement compared to G-Series APUs, anda 125% CPU improvement versus Intel Atomwhen running multiple industry-standard compute-intensivebenchmarks. New features includeenhanced Universal Video Decode (UVD) hardwareacceleration (H.264, VC-1, MPEG 2 andmore) and new video encode capabilities withenhanced clock gating and C6 deep powerdowncapabilities that lower overall power consumption.G-Series SOCs also support remotewireless display capabilities with minimal latency.Another new feature is the ECC support, which,up until now, has been limited to power-hungryprocessor platforms. However, the evolution ofa new class of ultra energy-efficient, computeintensivex86 IT infrastructure and precisioncontrol systems makes ECC an increasingly importantrequirement. The ability of the G-SeriesSOC platform to support enterprise-class ECCmemory distinguishes it as an excellent fit forapplications requiring high levels of data integritywithout compromising energy efficiency.The integrated GPU supports DirectX 11.1,OpenGL 4.2 and OpenCL 1.2, enabling highspeedparallel processing and high-performancegraphics processing that provides up to 20%improvement over G-Series APUs and 5x improvementversus Intel Atom. Support for thesecomputing frameworks affords a host of softwaredevelopment options with advanced graphicsAPIs, while extending application lifetime therebyhelping to minimize software developmentcosts and maximize ROI. OpenCL-enabledCPU/GPU parallel processing can be especiallybeneficial to high-precision applications suchas industrial control and automation, securityand surveillance, and communications infrastructure,allowing OpenCL APIs to access theintegrated GPU with 256 GFLOPs per clockcompute power. Meanwhile, seamless DirectX11 and OpenGL support complements theAMD G-Series SOC DisplayPort 1.2-enableddual independent display capability, providinghigh-resolution multi-display support for graphics-drivenapplications spanning digital signage,digital gaming, thin client and human machineinterface (HMI). On the mechanical side, theFigure 1. A complete system on a single chip:the AMD Embedded G-Series SOC platformintegrates CPU, GPU and I/O controller ona single die.May 2013 6

COVER STORYhighly integrated AMD Embedded G-SeriesSOC platform with 28 nm technology offers a33% footprint reduction versus G-Series APUs.The AMD G-Series SOC BGA package requiresonly 600.25mm² (24.5mm x 24.5mm) on thePCB, which is 290 mm² less than the AMD G-Series APU FT1, and the controller hub twochipplatform requires (361 mm² for the APUand 529 mm² for the controller hub). The reductionof the two-chip APU platform architectureto a single chip streamlines design cyclesand can help lower BOM costs with a potentialto reduce board layers and simplify powersupply design. The low power attributes of theAMD G-Series SOC can also enable fanless designs,further driving down system costs, helpingto reduce system noise, and boosting system reliabilityby eliminating the failure points inherentto moving parts.Figure 2. With uniformpin compatibilityacross the productfamily, the AMD G-Series SOC platformallows OEMs to utilizea single boarddesign to enablesolution scalabilityfrom entry level tohigh end productofferings.The AMD G-Series SOC platform design makespossible new levels of performance in smallSBC and COMs form factors, enabled in partby the reduction in board layers via the singlechipSOC architecture. This helps designers tomore easily and cost-effectively implement theG-Series SOC platform into innovative, smallform factor designs such as Pico-ITX, Qseven,PCIe/104, ETX and COM Express. Additionally,the I/O controller integrated within the AMDG-Series SOCs offers expansion capabilities toaddress a wide range of market needs, supportingPCIe, SATA and even USB 3.0 as wellas other mainstream I/O interfaces. Offeringan array of dual- and quad-core performanceoptions and SKUs spanning from 9W to 25Wwith uniform pin compatibility across theproduct family, the AMD G-Series SOC platformallows OEMs to utilize a single board designto enable solution scalability from entrylevel to high end product offerings. This commonplatform design approach may simplifyproduct development business of OEMs onboth the supply and the production sides,which could result in significant cost savings.With the AMD Embedded G-Series SOCs ahighly scalable single-chip platform for innovativesmall form factor applications based onx86 technology is offered to developers. Therich ecosystem of industry-standard, x86-optimizedsoftware, applications, operating systemsand development environments readily availableto embedded designers contributes to a lowtotal cost of ownership, multi-generation productlongevity and greater investment protectionfor systems based on AMD G-Series SOCs.Providing x86 computing agility with enterprise-classfeatures like ECC, this device helpsprovide tight integration with enterprise ITnetworks, Internet backbone infrastructure andx86-based distributed control systems, whichintroduces additional benefits for the myriadapplications hosted on these networks. 7 May 2013

TANSPORTATIONComputer systems for railwayapplicationsBy Barbara Schmitz, MEN Mikro ElektronikMore and more electronicsystems are being built intotrains, the underground,streetcars and buses. If youtalk about the overall railwayengineering market, youdon’t only mean vehicles – inwhich areas and applicationscan one find these computersand which functions do theytake over? And why are theyso different to the office PCor the one at home?Figure 1. Redundant railsignalling system in 2oo3architecture Common studies like that of the SCI Verkehrroughly divide the railway market into vehicles,system technology and infrastructure. Whilethe overall market has a volume of 143 billioneuros (according to UNIFE 2012 for 2011),about 60% of the business amounts to vehicles,just over 30% to infrastructure and less than10% to system technology. The term infrastructureincludes the track system and electrificationwhere no computers are needed.System technology comprises traffic managementand train protection as well as informationtechnology, including passenger information,passenger safety and fare management.In all areas computers are of vital importance.What’s obvious in passenger information,which is customer-oriented to meet the usualconvenience and standard of living, has to beclarified for traffic management and train protection.Ever increasing speeds with more andmore dense traffic on the track and finally theharmonization of rail networks across countries(ERTMS, CRTMS, PTC) as well as the increasein safety and economic efficiency would beimpossible to achieve without powerful computerson the wayside and in the railwaycontrol center or in the central control room.This makes system technology the smallestbut fastest growing segment of the railwaymarket – not just in Asia, with a market shareof over 30%, but also in Western Europe (insecond place with almost 30%) and NorthAmerica/NAFTA (third place with nearly 20%).While UNIFE assumes that the entire worldwidemarket will annually grow by 2.0% to2.5% until 2015/16, it expects an annual growthof 6% for traffic management and train protection,and of 4% for information technology.Let’s go back to the vehicles, which take up almosttwo thirds of the global market volume.The average annual growth rates depend onthe vehicle type and country (and new acquisitionor maintenance) and are between 0 and4%. The biggest driving force behind this liesin equipping the vehicles with computers fortrain protection and control. Of course, thecomputers on board the vehicles fulfil manyother tasks, too. These include the control ofvital functions (e.g. drive, brake, power supply,tilting technology), safety management (doors,light, etc), and convenience functions (heating,air conditioning, etc) inside the vehicle.If you compare a computer inside a rail vehicleor in train protection with computers in otherembedded applications, you will see two strikingdifferences. On one hand, electronics for arailway-compliant control have to meet moresevere requirements with respect to robustness,reliability and availability, and demand correspondingprecautions and thorough knowledgein design, production, qualification and productcare. The EN 50155 standard defines rules regardingdifferent environmental impacts. Theoperating temperature is divided into twoclasses. Tx prescribes that the computer canbe operated between -40°C and +70°C, for example,and for 10 minutes even up to +85°C.The electronics in the system must be coatedby a special varnish for protection against humidityor condensation. It may also be necessaryto protect the housing against splashingwater. The standard also prescribes shock andvibration tests over a specific frequency range.In addition to common EMC inspections, thebehaviour in case of overvoltage is tested. Failure-freeoperation of electronics must be guaranteedeven with supply voltages between 70%and 125% of the nominal voltage. The basicmaterial for printed circuit boards is definedwith regard to flammability. Solder connectionsor other connections with insulation displacementare subject to the respective standards,and so on.Depending on the application, only parts ofthe EN 50155 standard need be observed, orelse all of its provisions. The European DINEN 50155 standard (German VDE 0115, internationalIEC 571-x) „Railway applications -Electronic equipment used on rolling stock“is issued by the European organization forelectro-technical standardization, CENELEC,and was first published in 1995. It is very de-May 2013 8

TANSPORTATIONFigure 2.Evaluation model of IRIStailed and refers to approximately 50 otherstandards, many of which need to be observedin addition. EN 50155 demands operation ofelectronic equipment in trains for 20 yearswith the already-mentioned requirements –without regular periodical maintenance.The second main difference relates to applicationsthat also require the safety of the electronicsystems. A safe system is a system witha defined error behaviour. Fail-safe systemsare switched off in case of an error, they havegot a safe state – a train, for example, wouldstop. Fault-tolerant systems have to continueoperation correctly when part of the systemfails – an absolute must, e.g. in a railwaycontrol center. This is achieved through redundantcomputer architectures and permanenttesting of all components. The reliabilityrequired according to so-called SIL levels (SIL= safety integrity level) has a scale of SIL 1 toSIL 4 and is defined by the frequency of use.They are defined in IEC 61508 (Functionalsafety of electrical/electronic/programmableelectronic safety-related systems). Additionally,the following standards are relevant for thedesign of railway-compliant computers:EN50126 (Railway Applications - the specificationand demonstration of transport),EN50126 (Railway Applications - Software forrailway control and protection system), andEN50126 (Railway Applications - Safety relatedelectronic systems for signaling).Last but not least, a company needs to qualifyas a supplier for the railway market also from acommercial point of view. The IRIS (InternationalRailway Industry Standard) standard isthe best example of what is demanded here.IRIS is a quality management system built onISO 9001 but requires very detailed documentationof the procedures and processes usingkey figures in order to guarantee a high qualityof the entire supply chain inside the railway industry.IRIS processes include risk management,knowledge management or obsolescence management,among others. Long-term availabilityis extremely important in the railway market,because the vehicles have to pass complex acceptancetests before first operation and arethen in use for several decades. The most significantIRIS procedures include RAMS (Reliability– Availability – Maintainability – Safety)and FAI (First Article Inspection). And finallyall 12 knock-out criteria of IRIS, one of thembeing design validation, must be fulfilled duringa certification audit, without exception.How such a railway-compliant computer isbuilt up obviously depends on its job. Still,many functions have to be specially designedfor the specific application, but with consistentproduct planning and the electronics supplierroad map, more and more computers can atleast be partially built up of standard components.This saves time and costs. Due to itsmodularity, maintainability and robustnessthe CompactPCI bus system, based on theEurocard format, proved itself in the area of19“ solutions. Initially based on the parallelPCI bus, at present there are further developmentswith CompactPCI PlusIO and CompactPCISerial that possess serial interfacearchitecture. This means PCI Express, SATA,USB and Ethernet on the bus backplane.CompactPCI systems are ideal for applicationin passenger information as content servers ormultimedia access units and in passenger andtrain surveillance for the recording and managementof camera data, or for ticketing. Theycan be combined with diagnosis, maintenanceand service functions. One or several CPUcards in the same system can take over differentcontrol jobs and can exchange results. In termsof processor architecture, the most up-to-dateIntel platforms are available – currently theCore i7 (first and second generation) or typesof the Intel Atom family, and also backwardscompatibleCPU board models down to9 May 2013

TANSPORTATIONFigure 5. Maintenance-free Fast Ethernet switch. The rugged aluminum enclosure is IP67compliantprocessors are also used in many cases. Withless than one watt of power dissipation, sometypes of the PowerQUICC II and III familiesare very power saving, while the high-performancetypes of the QorIQ family offer up toeight processor cores. Even combinations ofIntel-based host CPUs with PowerPC basedslave CPUs inside the same system are common,for example for diagnosis and maintenancefunctions in different applications. A slaveCPU connected via Ethernet could act as a diagnosisbuffer. The PowerPC card running theVxWorks real-time operating system needswell under two seconds to boot and is readyfor operation long before the Intel host is.No matter whether you deal with a Compact-PCI (Serial) or another type of embedded system– the top priorities are always compactand robust design, and standard conformity.Computer-On-Modules (COMs) also allowsetting up small systems in a very flexible andinexpensive way. While the COM as a standardcomponent already implements the entire computerarchitecture, carrier boards tailored tothe specific application can be designed withinshort time. COM standards like ESMexpressand ESMini are enclosed by an aluminumcase that is connected to the housing wall totransfer the heat. They have been designed forfanless conductive-cooling systems right fromthe beginning. Based on this, standard systemssuch as box computers are also available. Theycan be used to control different vehicle functions,and special enclosure models can alsobe protected against splashing water (IP67).Intelligent display computers for passengerinformation systems (PIS) and driver cabinsystems are ideally set up with conductioncooling features, too, and are then availablefor applications up to the Tx temperaturerange (-40°C to +70°C in continuous operationand 10 minutes up to +85°C). Like Compact-PCI systems, box and display computers shouldhave railway-compliant networks and phoneconnections for wireless communication, inaddition to the usual computer interfaces –for instance to transfer service data to thecontrol center or to receive traffic information.Finally, Ethernet switches make communicationinside the vehicle work and distribute relevantinformation to different computer systems.They are currently being used mainly fordata-intensive newer equipment such as infotainmentand content servers, CCTV videosurveillance cameras, web access and wirelessservices like GPS or GSM. Other subsystemsstill more or less communicate via standardizedfieldbuses like WTB/MVB, CAN bus, ProfiNetor WorldFIP. However, some manufacturershave already taken the first step and haveestablished Ethernet IP as an information busbeside WTB as the train bus and MVB, CANetc as the vehicle bus. Ethernet switches canbe found as assemblies in CompactPCI systemsand are used as plug-in components for 19“systems and as compact, independent deviceswith IP67 protection.The train as a modern transportation systemis getting computerized to a growing extent.Computer systems for railway applicationshave to be able to include all current PC functionsand have all the up-to-date technology.But not only that: robustness, safety and longtermavailability are also demanded in thismarket. Possessing the relevant know-how andthe necessary key competences is importantfor the manufacturers of these kinds of computers.That’s how the worldwide renaissanceof rail traffic can have permanent success –and why not, as the future number 1 trafficcarrier? 11 May 2013

TRANSPORTATIONGetting to the core of ruggedtransportation systemsBy Jeff Munch, ADLINKMobility and environmentalextremes are criticalin transportation applications;by selecting the right core andrugged framework, focusingon and prioritizing anyadded customizationbecomes much simpler.Figure 1. The cPCI-6880 blade is availablewith an extended operating temperaturerange of -20°C to +70°C and supports aconducted cooling option. Transportation means movement. Movementmeans variability. Variability means design challenges.When building a small form factor embeddedcomputer for transportation applications,there are inherent design challenges regardlessof application-specific requirements.In fact, it can be argued that small form factordesign trends are paradoxical. As form factorsize decreases, functionality requirements increase.And at the same time that processingpower requirements heighten, lower powerconsumption and thermal output is expected.Now add to that the requirement for ruggednessto accommodate for the shock, vibration, humidity,and temperature extremes and varianceinherent in mobile and outdoor applications;developers are often left wondering where theycan safely compromise while still meetingoverall application design specifications. Knowingthe application needs and what alreadyexists on the market fitting those requirementsmakes transportation design less daunting.Adlink has made a blade available with an extendedoperating temperature range of -20°Cto +70°C. To withstand high-vibration environments,the blade can be configured withjust 4 GB of solder-down memory, and it containsan on-card 4 GB USB based NAND flash.The blade also supports a conduction-cooledoption. With up to 8 GB of system memory,the cPCI-6880 has a GM45 memory controllerthat supports two channels of memory. Theblade routes one channel to 4 GB of solderdownmemory and the second channel to anSO-DIMM connector that can support an additional4 GB of memory. The ability to handle8 GB of memory as well as its VT-d1 supportmatches up well with virtualization environments.Dual BIOS PROMs provide redundancyin the event of a BIOS corruption or a need toroll back the BIOS to a previous known goodrevision. Other peripherals include four PCIExpress based 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernetports, one DVI-I port, one analog CRT port,three USB 2.0 ports, a serial port, an onboardhard drive, 4 GB of NAND flash, and a PMCsite. Additional peripherals are available onthe rear transition module. The blade can doits job residing in either a CompactPCI systemslot or a peripheral slot and supports 5.0 Vand 3.3 V backplane V (I/O). A PCI-Expressto-PCI-bridgemakes it possible for a 66 MHz64-bit PCI interface to be used for the PMCand bridged for use on the CompactPCI bus.It is fully compliant with PICMG specifications2.0 R3.0, 2.1 R2.0, 2.9 R1.0, and 2.16 R1.0.PC/104 and Embedded Board eXpandable(EBX) are good format options for designsthat can handle slightly larger single boardcomputer (SBC) form factors. Intended fordata acquisition in rugged environments, thePC/104 embedded computing format has nobackplane, instead allowing modules to stacktogether like building blocks more ruggedthan typical bus connections in PCs. And withjust 46 square inches of surface area (8“ x5.75“), EBX balances size and functionalitywith a bolt-down SBC format supportingrugged embedded designs with higher-performancecentral processing units (CPUs), suchas those using multicore technology for networking,digital signal processing (DSP), andgraphics-heavy applications, and generous onboardinput/output (I/O) functions to supporteverything from large data exchange to video.However, the most extendable and customizableapplication design method accommodatesa broad range of custom and off-the-shelfneeds by using modularity. Computer-on-Modules (COMs) are complete embeddedcomputers built on a single circuit board foruse in small or specialized applications requiringlow power consumption or small physicalsize. Though they are compact (ETX/XTX at114 x 95mm and COM Express at 125 x95mm) and highly integrated, COMs can accommodatecomplex CPUs. With the COMapproach, all generic PC functions are readilyavailable in an off-the-shelf core module. Acustom-designed carrier board complementsthe COM with additional functionality that isrequired for specific applications. The carrierboard provides all the interface connectors forMay 2013 12

TRANSPORTATIONperipherals, such as storage, Ethernet, keyboard/mouse,and display. This modularityallows the designer to upgrade the COM onthe carrier board without changing any otherboard design features, and also allows morecustomization of peripherals as dictated by aspecific application.COMs allow system developers to focus ontheir core competencies and the unique functionsof their systems. The COM Express formfactor offers flexibility in the development andadvancement of ultra-rugged embedded applicationsfor a plethora of industries, includingtransportation. By using the modular processingblock, the designer creates a price andvalue advantage; he/she is not locked into asingle vendor for board creation and can customizebased on pricing and performance requirements.Because it is easily swapped froma carrier board and comes in one of thesmallest form factors, COM Express is idealfor long-life embedded applications with acritical development cycle, as well as moreprogressive applications that require frequentprocessor upgrades without affecting otherapplication design elements. Transportationsolutions are most often housed outdoors orin moving vehicles, where exposure to a varietyof climates dictates the need to operate inextended temperatures and to power up inany extreme. The easiest initial step is to selecta rugged board or system that is designed forharsh environments from the ground up. Tosupport the extremes of shock, vibration, humidity,and temperature, care is given to componentselection, circuit design, printed circuitboard (PCB) layout and materials, thermal solutions,enclosure design, and manufacturingprocess. Robust test methods, including highlyaccelerated life testing (HALT), ensure optimalproduct design phases in order to meet thestringent requirements of a product, such as-40°C to +85°C operating temperature range,MIL-STD, shock and vibration, and long-termreliability.Onboard train systems also deal with highconcentrations of sulphur and humidity whengoing through tunnels. Designers can look forboards with conformal coating to reduce degradationfrom such exposure. Conformal coatingis used in small form factor manufacturingrather than potting, which is a similar processthat uses a heavier material and is harder toinspect, test, and repair. Though consideredthe highest level of environmental protection,potting encapsulates the entire PCB, whichadds weight and expands dimensions of aunit. Even an extra mm can be critical insmall form factor design, which is why conformalcoating with a single-part material thatconforms to the board is a better option. A varietyof conformal coating materials (such asacrylic, polyurethane, epoxy, and silicone) andapplication methods (such as brushing, spraying,and dipping) are currently used to protectagainst moisture, dust, chemicals, and temperatureextremes that can potentially damageelectronics. The correct coating or applicationmethod varies depending on established standardoperating conditions for an application.With transportation applications, differentcoatings may be selected based on a primaryneed for moisture resistance versus abrasionresistance versus temperature stability.Transportation applications typically need asmuch functionality as possible in the smallestform factor, meaning the controller may beburdened with extreme loads of informationand intricate tasks. Rugged computing solutionsalso demand more memory space than everbefore for both data storage and applicationperformance. Options for storage include rotatinghard disk drives (HDDs) for economyor solid-state drives (SSDs), which are truly

TRANSPORTATIONrugged, but also come at a higher price point (cents per GB for HDDsversus dollars per GB for SSDs). HDDs contain spinning disks andmovable read/write heads, whereas SSDs use microchips that retaindata in non-volatile memory chips and contain no moving parts,making them less susceptible to physical shock, altitude, and vibrationissues. SSDs have faster access time and lower latency than do HDDs,but SDDs cannot provide the capacity of an HDD; because of thehigher cost per GB, SSDs are typically no larger than 120GB, whileHDDs average 500GB to 1TB. Higher performing HDDs also requireheavier materials than either a standard HDD or the flash memory andcircuit board materials of SSDs.With in-vehicle surveillance applications, vibration control is critical forcapturing quality video. Some rugged boards offer a thicker PCB fabricationto add rigidity so the board can withstand higher levels ofvibration strain. The thicker PCB offers stability to the overall surfacearea, protecting electronic components from damage due to vibration.The thicker PCB also offers the ability to use more copper betweenlayers for thermal considerations. Heat is a common unwanted byproductof processing power. In addition to cooling fans and large heatsinks, which may not always be possible for compact, mobile transportationdesigns, PCBs with adequate amounts of integrated copper facilitateheat conduction away from temperature-sensitive electronic componentsto prevent performance degradation. Another challenge with designingwith small form factors is that current power supply technology can putlimits on size reduction. In addition, rugged designs, specifically, requirea robust onboard power controller to support a wide operating temperaturerange on average of -20°C to +70°C. An onboard power controlleris also critical for mobile transportation applications to support multipledata usage requirements, such as collecting video, remotely checking thehealth of onboard system devices, and sending command controls. Foran in-vehicle or outdoor video/audio capture application design, theboard itself needs high-performance graphics and host interface supportfor multiple peripherals. In addition to the integration of a videocamera, features such as remote monitoring and wireless video downloadcall for some form of connectivity. Both satellite and cellular connectivityrequire either an antenna or antennaed device to connect directly to thesystem. Ample Ethernet and serial interface ports with at least one portsupporting RS-232/422/485 for transmit and receive are critical to accommodatefunction-specific peripherals.A leading global supplier of technology solutions for railroads wantedto develop an onboard locomotive video/audio capture system to aid inaccident investigations and provide safety training to crews. In additionto video and audio recording, requirements for the system included remotemonitoring and control, real-time health monitoring, and wirelessvideo download. The system should also incorporate solid-state mediain a sealed, tamper-resistant housing. Ampro by Adlink is a line ofextreme rugged embedded computers and systems that providesdesigners of rugged applications with a head start to development. Forthe onboard locomotive video/audio capture system, designers createda rugged solution around the Intel embedded architecture and EBXSBC form factor. The design accommodated both functionality andrugged requirements for the train system with dual Ethernet, CRT andflat panel video, multiple serial and USB ports, SATA and IDE interfaces,CompactFlash socket, PCIe Mini Card socket, high-definition audio,and General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) support.A critical by-product of on-site video/audio capture is reduced litigationand settlement costs due to accurate incident reporting. System reliabilityis critical to users in terms of return on investment, so designers shouldbuild using products that provide documented uptime in their specificationsand meet the industry standard of EN50155. Because of cost and the complexnature of embedded computing solutions for transportation, qualificationcan take a very long time, requiring designers to look for productswith a long lifecycle. One way to ensure system longevity is to build withproducts that follow the roadmap of an established architecture.Though designing for rugged, small form factor applications presentschallenges, there are form factors and manufacturing techniques that accommodatemost requirements for either general or application-specificdesign. Formats such as PC/104, EBX, and COMs have been createdspecifically to address rugged, embedded system needs while also handlingcomplex CPU technology for applications that require heavy processingpower. Modularity also helps designers to create customizations whiletaking into account cost and value requirements. The bottom line for anyrugged design, whether for transportation, military, energy, or infrastructure,is to understand all application requirements and how/whereexisting formats and products can address those needs. By selecting theright core and rugged framework, focusing on and prioritizing anyadded customization becomes a much simpler mission. Product News Sarsen: XMC module supports up to three Mini-PCIe cardsSarsen Technology announces the availability of the Xport5005, anew XMC module that can be quickly configured to support aplatform’s specific I/O or storage needs. By supporting up to threeMini-PCIe cards, the XPort5005 provides a flexible platform forhosting everything from wireless modules (WLAN, cellular, GPS) tocommunication modules (MIL-STD-1533, CAN, ARINC-429), andanything in between.News ID 17150May 2013 14

TRANSPORTATIONEmbedded computing technologyimproves rail hygieneBy Jenny Shepperd, EurotechA toilet out of commissionis not only an annoyancefor passengers, but alsoequates to a loss of theservice required from trainoperating companies,for which they can receivefinancial penalties. Thesefactors led train servicingcompany TBM Rail Group tocall on Eurotech to createa cloud-based technologypackage for toilet monitoring. Over the last two decades, railway travel hasrisen at a significant rate. Franchised passengerjourneys in the UK increased from 800 millionfor the financial year 1987/88 to 1.32 billionfor 2009/2010. This means that train operatorshave an increasingly complex and demandingoperation to manage, not least because of thetargets they have to meet on punctuality, reliabilityof service and customer satisfaction. Thefacilities and comfort on board trains are naturallyof major concern to passengers and makeall the difference between their having a positiveor a negative journey experience. With railfares being relatively high and with competitionfrom air and road travel alternatives an increasingthreat, customer service is a majorpriority for train operators in their efforts tomaintain and build passenger numbers.The condition of toilets on trains is a subjectthat passengers often complain about. Whilemodern on-board vacuum toilets are reliableand resilient to the wear and tear of normalusage, they are vulnerable to vandalism, inappropriateitems being flushed into the systemor blockages due to build-up of calcium in thepipework and other reasons. Vacuum systemsflush into a holding tank which in turn leadsto a CET (Controlled Emission Toilet) tankbeneath the train. Servicing programmes aresubject to manufacturer specifications and typicallythese are at 12 and 24 months, followedby an overhaul after six years of operation.Based at Crewe, TBM Rail Group performs awide range of train maintenance services forall the UK train operators, including hand driers,air ducts and toilets. Vacuum toilet systemscleaned and serviced include all makes of unitused in the UK. TBM supplies logistics packagesand a comprehensive spares service for customersand has extensive skills and experiencein rail sector engineering, consultancy andprocurement.Andy Hawker of TBM Rail explained that thepartnership between his company and Eurotechhad been initiated in 2012, because of the specificneed to reduce toilet downtime througha monitoring system that would alert maintenanceteams to problems so they could bedealt with at the earliest opportunity. Thiswould minimise the fines incurred because ofpassenger complaints or negative reports fromrail inspectors and lead to the improved conditionson trains that industry bodies and endusers alike were eager to see. Eurotech has suppliedTBM Rail with the robust hardware integratedwith a software platform based oncloud technology, that provides the facilitiesto monitor all the functions of a vacuum toiletsystem on board trains. If there is a blockageor valve failure, the system will warn in realtime through an alert message to the controlcentre so that TBM Rail can get a maintenanceteam out to deal with the problem. They mayboard the train at the next station or elsecarry out the required maintenance when thetrain reports back to the depot, if for instancethe toilet needs to be changed. The system willalso monitor the CET tank so that when it becomesfull it can be emptied at the depot.Eurotech experience in rolling stock covers keyareas that support driver and train safety andassist operators in managing and controllingservices. Compact, rugged, low-powered solutionshave been developed for rail network applicationswhich are suited to rolling stockprojects in performance, longevity and reliability.The onboard controller of the train toilet monitoringsystem is the rugged fanless DynaCORFigure 1. A sign in trains often says the toiletis out of order.15 May 2013

TRANSPORTATIONon the device that eases the application developmentand makes the device fully manageablethrough Everyware Cloud.Figure 2. Toilet system overviewFigure 3. The rugged SBC DynaCOR 10-0010-00 mobile computer platform. This lowpower (19W), fanless, off the shelf solution iswell suited for railway M2M applications andhas a range of features that make it an extraordinarilyversatile tool for the demands of thetransport sector. Critical to the TBM Railproject is the product compliance with EN50155international standard for electronic equipmentused on rolling stock. The standard involvestests on equipment that includes reliabilitywhen subject to electromagnetic interference,surges, ripple and interruptions in the supplyvoltage, vibration and shocks, together withhigh and low temperatures, high humidity andthe ingress of dust and fluids.The DynaCOR 10-00 is also certified againstother key EU and national standards. It iscompact (254mm long x 129mm wide x 57mmhigh) and has the rugged specifications suitablefor a range of demanding rail network androlling stock applications. Based on the powerfulIntel Atom Z510P 1.1GHz processor and withWind River Linux OS support, the computerplatform offers a wide range of wired and wirelesscommunication interfaces which has ensuredthe built-in flexibility demanded for TBM onboardrailway application and renders on-vehicleintegration an easy and failsafe process. Thesebenefits are enhanced because it supports EverywareSoftware Framework (ESF), a frameworkA powerful and flexible Machine to Machine(M2M) connectivity platform, EverywareCloud manages and connects devices to businessapplications quickly and without the needto create and maintain any infrastructure.Cloud computing provides an Internet-basedsolution offering shared resources on demand,similar to an electricity grid. It was developedthrough the Internet ability to provide ease ofaccess to remote computing sites, while at thesame time providing complete security of data.With Everyware Cloud, Eurotech has combinedproven cloud, M2M and IoT (Internet ofThings) technologies to provide the means toconnect and control an infinite range of devices.Data can be collected, stored and analysedand actioned in real time, offering a powerfulresource for data communication and management.Everyware Cloud provides the connectivityenvironment between business applications- such as database, ticketing, trackand trace, ERP and CRM - and the multi-servicegateways that in turn link to sensors, actuatorsand displays.Eurotech cloud solutions have proved of exceptionalvalue for rail and road transport operationsworldwide. Rugged high performancesystems have been devised for accurate locationtracking applications (AVL), enhanced communicationsand real time vehicle tracking.The transport expertise of the company alsoincludes the manufacture of automatic passengercounting (APC) systems. For example,the T1 Tramway operated by TEB is a popularcommuter asset running between the NorthernItalian towns of Bergamo and Albino and accuratestatistics are continuously required onthe number of passengers using T1 to identifythe travel peaks and troughs. The APC systemsupplied by Eurotech allows for real time planningof the route. Counting is carried out onpassengers entering and exiting the trams viathe DynaPCN 10-20 autonomous countingdevice, which is based on non-contact visiontechnology specifically designed for accuratelycounting passengers in real time entering orleaving public transport vehicles, includingtrains, metros or buses. Operating with highaccuracy under any lighting conditions thanksto its integrated high luminosity infrared LEDsystem, stereoscopic cameras capture the imagespassing the field of view below the device.When it is determined that a person is enteringor leaving, incoming or outgoing counters areincremented accordingly along with the timethe event occurred. This facility, which includesFast Ethernet, GPS and WiFi, acts as the launchpad for the next stage in the informationtransfer process via the cloud. May 2013 16

BOX PCSA small form factor challenge:box PC with camera systemBy Aksel Saltuklar and Eric Boger, Elma ElectronicTrivial looking demands mayturn into tough challenges oncethere are enoughof them to be combined.Here we describe a small box PCbased camera system formilitary security applicationslike face and object recognitionin a forbidding outdoorenvironment. The question iswhether to buy or to makeif time is short and costsmust not explode? Buy or make is an everlasting questioncoming along with the creation of embeddedsystems. Each method has its specific benefitsand there is no general rule when to go whichway. If it is about non-standard products, acustom design delivered by an EMS may be asuitable compromise. In practice a significantdecision point is what kind of know-how isrequired, and whether this can be providedby internal resources or needs to be sourcedby an external partner. The solution might betraining or consultancy service in the buildcase or a reasonably experienced systemintegrator or EMS in the buy case.In the scenario of the PC-based camera systemthe key features in the specification were: smallform factor (SFF), robust, waterproof (IP67),scalable and expandable, high-quality and reliable,fanless passive cooled, must work in extendedtemperature range (expandable into very lowtemperature areas below freezing point), and thesupplier must provide full system integration includingthe application software. An AC powersupply is not requested, supply voltage (9-36VDC) is provided separately. Such technical specscan probably be accomplished by a number ofembedded solution providers, system integratorsor EMS providers. However the tricky part hereis to preserve the thermal balance of the systemwithin a wide temperature range. To provide areliable solution a thermal simulation or atleast a number of thermal tests is vital. Morechallenges come with the other, non-technicaldemands: quick time to market (within a verychallenging timeframe), capability of providinglarge numbers of ready-to-use systems in ashort timeframe, a large set of specific qualitydocuments (for planning, simulation, design,review, test, inspection) plus strict confidentialityon the details of the implementation.There were two main reasons to contract thesystem development and manufacturing. First -the missing know-how in the area of sealed,weatherproof cases including all the side effectslike cooling and long-term durability, andsecond – the lack of confidence in keeping thetimeline with the available in-house resources.The profile for the ideal supplier was: musthave thorough experience with contract developmentand manufacturing, must have expertisewith custom boxing and waterproof housings,must be capable to provide application integration,must have ability for encapsulation of theproject to keep confidentiality, must have themanpower available to keep tight deadlines,must have experience in military contract anddocumentation work, and must not exceedbudget / reasonable pricing. To keep the timeand cost budget, high quality standard off-theshelf components are selected for the PC motherboardand USB camera. For good ruggednessand minimal size the housing is custom developedon the base of an Elma modular chassisfamily. For efficient fanless passive cooling, thechassis is thermally coupled with the heatsinkof the single board computer (SBC) by using asolid alloy heat spreader and high-end gap filler.To avoid problems with condensing humidity,the box is hermetically sealed; for operation atvery low temperatures a heating element canbe installed as an option. Internal wiring betweenthe components is secured to ensure a basiclevel of stress protection. Using a standard smallform factor computer board with an existingboard support package and a standard Linuxdistribution ensures quick and reliable systemintegration. CAD virtual prototypes (figure 1)and thermal simulations grant maximum designflexibility at no delay penalties. Each requirementper se was quite trivial, however the combinationof them all together was the real challenge,especially as experience and know-how in variousareas were required. Elma as the executingFigure 1. The CAD model is the foundationof simulation.May 2013 18

BOX PCSoutsourcing partner was able to provide the requiredexpertise and manpower with short noticeoff the engineering pool. Having all the requiredresources and know-how available inhousewas a definite plus for reaching the tightdeadlines. Using stock-available standard componentswherever possible saved additionaltime in developing and also later in the rolloutphase. The main effort and also risk factorwas the custom-specific layout of the smallsizedchassis with respect to the thermal requirementsof the motherboard. This was ensuredby thermal simulation with Flotherm toenable quick optimisation and verification ofthe fanless cooling concept. Right dimensionsand layout of the chassis could be found withouthaving the need to build numbers of differentprototypes. Setup was done pretty quickly withmost of the models available in-house. It wasno surprise that the heat dissipation characteristicsare pretty much dependent on the laterorientation of the box (i.e. horizontal, verticalor angular mount). Only simulation could ensurethat the board and its chipsets would notoverheat no matter what the orientation in thelater mission would be.Figures 2 and 3 show the system in idle stateand under maximum load. One of the nicebenefits of the Flotherm simulation softwareused is that the visibility of the physical componentscan be easily switched on or off. Herein the figures approximately one-third of theleft side of the system is made visible. This isenough to physically locate the critical parts(chip dies show up as a red slice with the alloyheat spreader on top) and to watch the imprintof the other components in the thermal plane.Figure 3 proves that under full load the heatdistributes uncritically and very equally withinthe sealed box. Long-time experience on militaryprojects was a big plus, by knowing whatto look at in harsh environments and havingprocesses set up to provide all required documentsand keep confidentiality in all the communicationprocesses. To select the appropriatewaterproof MIL connectors was a lot easier.The Box PC with camera system is a good examplehow basically simple things can developinto challenges. Use of pre-fabricated and preintegratedmodular components as well aslong-time experience and extensive know-howare keys to cost efficiency and project success.In many cases like this it is more efficient bymeans of cost, time and quality to outsourcetasks which are not core competency of theown business. Being not a first-timer butrather having access to a rich pool of experiencereduces stress and hassle a lot and can ensuremeeting even tight deadlines. Quality and successof outsourced projects are bound to theknow-how and experience of your solutionpartner. Be sure to choose the right one! Figure 2. Idle state – components reachedoperational temperature with almost no convection.For better visibility of thermal dissipationonly a slice of the physical componentsand housing is shown.Figure 3. Maximum load – components stillin safe operational temperature range withstrong heat dissipation through natural(unforced) convection outside.19 May 2013

SAFETY & SECURITYSafety in civil airplanes via DO-254certifiable MIL-STD-1553 interfacesBy George Los, Data Device CorporationThis article introducesa wide range of MIL-STD-1553components, test cards,rugged embedded cards,and software from a singlecompany. Originally intendedfor military requirements,the standard is increasinglyconsidered for use incivil aircraft. MIL-STD-1553 is a protocol standard thatdefines the electrical and functional characteristicsof a data bus used in military aircraft.The standard describes the method of communication,the data bus requirements, andthe electrical interface requirements for thedata bus. The 1553 data bus is dual-redundantand bidirectional, and features encoding andhigh bit error reliability. The bus architectureof MIL-STD-1553 allows for a reduction inthe size and weight of systems and the wiringthat interconnects them, is inherently reliable,and incorporates redundancies and electricalcharacteristics that make it a very safe databus solution.Data Device Corporation (DDC) designs andmanufactures a wide range of MIL-STD-1553components, test cards, rugged embeddedcards, and software. DDC also produces a lineof ARINC-429, AFDX, Ethernet, ARINC-407(Synchro), Fibre Channel, and solid state powercontroller products. The products of the companymeet military requirements such as highreliability, safety, low CPU utilization, realtimeperformance, and ruggedness for harshenvironments. The products also cover a flexiblerange of performance and cost requirements.DDC MIL-STD-1553 solutions have been designedinto such projects as the F-16 Falcon,the B-1 Bomber, the F-35 (JSF), the AH-64Apache attack helicopter, the M1A2 tank, theSpace Shuttle, the Eurofighter, the InternationalSpace Station, and the New Horizons spacecraft.In addition to military applications, the MIL-STD-1553 components have also been designedinto flight control applications on the AirbusA350. These components have more than 200million hours of flight history, which provestheir reliability and performance. DDC MIL-STD-1553 components also have unique attributesto further ensure the flight safety of aMIL-STD-1553 data bus.MIL-STD-1553 runs at a data rate of 1MHzand is connected to a bus architecture with 70ohm impedance wire. Electrically this is a biphasesignal where transmitters and receiversare coupled to the bus by isolation transformersand stub connectors, in conjunction with isolationresistors and coupling transformers withinthe transformer coupled case. MIL-STD-1553 defines two different connection methodsto the data bus. Connections can be made ineither long stub (transformer coupled) orshort stub (direct coupled) configuration methods.Direct coupling connections are wired directlyto the bus cabling, and allow a wirelength of up to 12 inches. The isolation resistorsand transformer are internal to the terminaldevice, so no additional coupling hardware isrequired. In comparison, transformer couplingutilizes a second transformer located externalto the terminal device with the isolation resistors,and a wire length of up to 20 feet is allowed.Transformer coupling provides electricalisolation, better impedance matching, andhigher noise rejection characteristics thandirect coupling. The electrical isolation preventsa terminal fault or stub impedance mismatchfrom affecting bus performance. The MIL-STD-1553 electrical bus characteristics includevoltage output of 18V to 27V peak to peak.The unique bus configuration, 1553 isolationtransformers, transformer coupling modes,and voltage range make MIL-STD-1553 a verysafe data bus providing high voltage lightningprotection without the need to design verycomplex external circuitry.MIL-STD-1553 has 3 operating modes definedas Bus Controller (BC), Remote Terminal (RT)and Monitor (MT). The bus is a flight criticalreliable bus by design, offering redundancyand reliability, along with resistance to EMI.Bus redundancy is built into the MIL-STD-1553 specification, and the specification is intendedto support system design. Each channelhas A and B buses which are completely independent.If a failure occurs on bus A and noresponse is received by the Bus Controllerthen the system can automatically switch overto the other bus. The Bus Controller commandsthe bus and can command an RT to receivedata, send data to the BC, or send data to anotherRT. The main function of the Bus Con-May 2013 20

SAFETY & SECURITYcan be ordered as RT only to ensure that thissafety-critical requirement is met. The Total-ACE and Total-AceXtreme series are BGA packagesthat include protocol, memory, transceiversand transformers inside one package that bringsout a signal which can be used to disable thedevice from acting as a Bus Controller. MIL-STD-1553 also has defined an RT validationtest plan to ensure that the bus is electricallysafe and reliable, and that all parameters arewithin specifications and that no external noiseor dynamic offset exists on the line. All ofDDC MIL-STD-1553 products have successfullyundergone full RT Validation.Figure 1.The Total-ACE and Total-AceXtreme series are BGA packages that include protocol,memory, transceivers and transformers inside one package.troller (BC) is to provide data flow control forall transmissions on the bus. All informationis communicated in a command and responseformat. The BC sends a command to the RTsthat then reply with a response. The RT neversends data on the bus unless it is commandedto do so by the BC.A Monitor is defined as a 1553 interface thatrecords all the traffic on the bus but can nevertransmit any data onto the bus. Some applicationsneed to record classified data as a monitorand ensure that a software glitch on the hostcomputer does not inadvertently transmit thisdata over an unclassified bus. DDC Tx Inhibitfeature on components allows end users toeasily accomplish this task. By setting one ofthe input pins of the device to the correct logiclevel, the device is inhibited from ever transmittingon the bus even if it is commanded to doso by the host computer. DDC has gone onestep further and brought out the internal dataconnection between the 1553 protocol logicand the 1553 transceivers to external ball connectionsets on the plastic BGA packages. Thesets must be connected in order for the deviceto function as a fully programmable BC/RT/MT.If the desired application is only monitoringdata from a classified bus and must never transmiton the bus, then these external connectionsare simply left unconnected on the layout. Thisis a very common concern among avionics systemsthat need to capture data but must neverre-transmit this data onto the bus. Safety concernsmust ensure that even if a software glitchor software error occurs the device never transmits,and DDC Total-ACE and Micro-ACEseries ensures this high level of safety.Another critical requirement that often comesup on systems acting as just a remote terminalis to ensure that the component can never takecontrol of the bus and act as a bus controller.Since the part is configurable as BC, RT, MTvia host software there needs to be a methodto disable the BC logic. DDC offers parts thatDO-254 is an FAA standard that providesguidelines for design assurance of complexairborne electronic hardware and calls out objectivesthat must be met by avionics equipmentmanufacturers to ensure continued airworthiness,safety, and reliability. There are five levelsof compliance, A-E, which depend on theeffect a failure will have on the operation ofthe aircraft. Level A is the most stringent, anddefines a failure as catastrophic, while a failureof Level E hardware will not affect the safetyof the aircraft. DO-254 certification is requiredfor all civil airborne electronic hardware, andmilitary contractors are also finding DO-254increasingly important for military aircraftthat must fly through civil airspace.Although MIL-STD-1553 was originally designedfor use with military avionics, due toits robustness and safety it has recently becomeincreasingly considered for use in commercialaircraft. MIL-STD-1553 has caught the attentionof commercial aircraft manufacturers,such as Airbus, who seek to capitalize upon1553 inherent reliability, robustness, maturity,and superior EMI performance. Airbus has selectedMIL-STD-1553 components from Data

SAFETY & SECURITYDevice Corporation for use in critical primaryflight control systems on the A350 XWB. Anotherimportant consideration influencing Airbuschoice was that DDC products facilitateachieving RTCA/DO-254 Level A certification,a significant factor in the avionics industry.DDC offers DO-254 certifiable MIL-STD-1553interfaces, such as the Enhanced Mini-ACE,Mini-ACE Mark 3, Micro-ACE and Total-ACEfamily of products which have extensive inservicehistory, and are supported by detaileddocumentation packages, as well as provenperformance, experience, safety and reliability.For MIL-STD-1553 components, DDC cansupply a documentation package that providesdata specific to the aspects of certification inaccordance with RTCA/DO-254 Level A. The1553 family of products of the company hasachieved over 200 million hours of in-flightoperation within over 1000 unique designs,and is an example of the qualification dataprovided.The company also offers a complete line ofboards and box level assemblies that offer amix of MIL-STD-1553 only, ARINC-429 only,or a combination of MIL-STD-1553/ARINC-429 on one board or box. Other common interfacesinclude, but are not limited to, digitaland avionics (+35V) level discrete I/O, IRIG-Binput/output, RS-232/422/485 serial I/O channels,CANBus, ARINC-717 and AFDX. Thecards, just like the components, are designedto meet strict safety and reliability concerns ofthe military avionics community. With this inmind DDC has implemented a way to enableend users to configure the card to meet thesesafety concerns. In addition to full BC validationand RT validation, each card is a fully functionaldevice that has the capability to operate as abus controller or multi-remote terminal, eachoptionally running a concurrent bus monitor.Each card has the ability to inhibit the transmittersfor monitoring only applications ordisable the Bus Controller for RT only applicationson a channel by channel basis. This isdone via a customer configuration utility thatis run once on the card. Once each 1553 channelon the card is configured in the desiredmanner then host software cannot change thisconfiguration. If the software commands thecard to transmit data as a bus controller onchannel 1, the hardware will not do so if thedefined channel is inhibited or BC disabled.Pre-defined versions can also be ordered if theend user does not want to configure each card.This ensures the safety and reliability of thesystems that include these cards. Each of thecards and boxes that DDC sells go through CEcertification. This ensures that the productscomply with the Low Voltage Directive andEMC Directive to be sold as electronic productsin Europe to address user safety concerns. GE: rugged 6U OpenVPX GPGPUmultiprocessorGE Intelligent Platforms announced the ruggedIPN251 6U OpenVPX GPGPU Multiprocessor.A successor to the IPN250, the IPN251 combinesthe latest 384-core NVIDIA KeplerGPGPU technology with a third generationIntel Core i7 quad core processor to deliveroutstanding computing performance in a widerange of demanding data-intensive applications,particularly ISR (intelligence, surveillance,reconnaissance).News ID 17035 Kontron: 3U VPX graphics board providesdesktop-class AMD graphics in ruggedform factorKontron has launched the Kontron 3U VPXgraphics board VX3324 in an embedded formfactor targeting military and aerospace applications.It has been designed for long lifecycleapplications and is equipped with the AMDRadeon E6460 graphics processing unit. Thenew VPX graphics board has been optimizedfor size, weight, power and cooling constrainedapplications and supports the latest high-endgraphics performance features such as DirectX11 OpenGL 4.0 and Shader model 5.0,providing an immersive 3D user experience.News ID 17117 Emerson: VPX system chassis simplifiesdevelopment, testing and deploymentEmerson Network Power announces its latestVPX system chassis: the KR8-VPX-3-6-1. Designedprimarily for development, testing andlab duties, the KR8-VPX-3-6-1 can also bedeployed in ground benign installations as itmeets Emerson’s standard safety, electromagneticcompatibility and environmentalrequirements.News ID 17174 Artila: ARM9 Linux computer with 8-portisolated RS-485Artila Electronics releases Matrix-516, the newgeneration of its ARM-based box computer.Artila’s Matrix-516 industrial box computer isa small form-factor, low power consumption,and Linux-ready computing platform. With a400MHz Atmel AT91SAM9G20 CPU, 64MBSDRAM and 128MB NAND Flash inside, Matrix-516ensures system high performance.Matrix-516 is equipped with multiple I/O interfaces,including 2 LANs, 8 x isolated RS-485 serial ports, 2 x USB hosts, 1x micro-SDand 21 x GPIOs. It is easy to develop pureC/C++programs or Web-based applicationssuch as SQLite+ and PHP to run on top of theMatrix-516.News ID 17146Product News SECO: energy-efficient CUDA ARMdevelopment kitSECO unveiled its latest energy-efficient DevKit– powered by the NVIDIA Tegra 3-based Qsevenmodule on a Mini ITX form factor carrierboard – the SECO mITX GPU DevKit. TheSECO mITX GPU DevKit is a GPU computingdevelopment kit designed to support the growingworldwide demand for power-efficientARM/ and ARM+GPU HPC and server solutions.Integrating a PCI Express x4 interfaceon PCI-e x16, the SECO mITX GPU DevKitallows the use of a range of NVIDIA GPUs,including those based on the NVIDIA Keplercompute architecture.News ID 17058 MSC: Qseven starter kit withAMD Embedded G-Series APUMSC is announcing the availability of a newQseven Starter Kit based on MSC’s Qsevenmodules featuring the AMD Embedded G-SeriesAPU. The MSC Q7-SK-A50M-EP4 StarterKit consists of MSC’s 3.5” Qseven baseboardQ7-MB-EP4 with suitable heatspreader andheatsink and an integrated power supply withcable kit. The kit comes with a ready-to-runLinux installation in Flash Disk to enable anout-of-the-box functional experience.News ID 17086 Trenz: compatible all-programmableSoMs feature Artix, Kintex, and ZynqTrenz Electronic presents its new series ofFPGA and SoC modules. They are based onthe latest Xilinx all-programmable devices(Artix, Kintex, and Zynq-7000) and are availablein a uniform 4×5 cm form factor. TrenzElectronic’s new product series is comprisedof FPGA and SoC industrial modules, whichcan also be deployed in harsh environments,such as those occurring in the industry andaeronautics.News ID 17088 DFI: complete line ofComputer-On-Module productsDue to the increasing demand of Computer-On-Module products, aside from Type 2, DFIcompleted its COM Express product line byadding Type 6, Type 10, and Mini form factor.In addition, we added several COM Expressproducts that use BGA-package processor tosatisfy vertical markets that require productstability. DFI now offers Type 2, Type 6, andType 10 in Mini, Compact and Basic formfactors. At present, DFI has 19 Computer-On-Module products that are readily available forshipment and 14 more modules that will bereleased throughout the year.News ID 17121May 2013 22

SAFETY & SECURITY Artila: two ports serial to EthernetModbus gatewayArtila Electronics announce the launch ofAport-212, two ports serial to Ethernet Modbusgateway. Aport-212 provides maximum flexibilityto integrate Modbus networks of alltype and sizes. Built with 32-bit ARM CortexM3 processor and real time FreeRTOS, Aport-212 can converts data between Modbus TCPand RTU/ASCII up to 16 Modbus TCP mastersand 32 Modbus slaves in almost any modecombination simultaneously.News ID 17053 Emerson: ATCA systems ready fordeep packet inspectionEmerson Network Power announced new application-readyplatforms for deep packet inspectionapplications. Emerson has integratedits new FlowPilot load balancing software withits Centellis series 40G ATCA systems to createplatforms that enable network equipmentproviders to accelerate the development anddelivery of applications that use DPI. Theseinclude ‘bump in the wire’ applications suchas policy enforcement, security gateways, andfirewalls as well as network monitoring andoptimization, and lawful intercept.News ID 17115 VadaTech supplies MicroTCA cloudcomputing platformVadaTech has started shipping a novel chassisdesigned specifically for application serverplatforms. As well as meeting the cost and reliabilityrequirements of cloud computing, thechassis is carefully engineered for thermal performance.The MicroTCA architecture is implementedwith VadaTech’s modular infrastructureproducts, allowing field-proven softwareto be used for platform managementand remote monitoring capability.News ID 17212 IPC2U: slim mini-ITX mainboard withAtom D2550 processorIPC2U presents with the mini-ITX boardAMB-D255T1 a new industry board, boastingbeside compact mini-ITX boards a smallheight. Beside power-saving and powerful IntelAtom D2550 Dual Core processor with 1.86GHz and maximal memory up to 4GB DDR3the board offers a lot of interfaces such as 1xGbit LAN, 6x USB2.0 (two of them internal)and 4x COM.News ID 17106 Axiomtek: high-end Mini ITX motherboardfeatures 3rd gen i7/i5/i3 processorsAxiomtek’s MANO873 Mini ITX motherboardbased on the Intel Q77 Express chipset is designedfor the 3rd Generation Intel Corei7/i5/i3 processors in the LGA1155 socket. Thehigh-performance MANO873 supports Intel3-D transistor, Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 technology,Intel Hyper-Threading technology, 16 GBDDR3 1333/1600 system memory, and PCIExpress 3.0 x16 slot. It also supports IntelActive Management Technology 8.0, Intel SmallBusiness Advantage solution, Intel Smart ResponseTechnology, Intel Rapid Storage Technology,Intel vPro, Trusted Platform Module1.2, and SATA RAID for various mission criticalapplications.News ID 17148 BVM: low cost Mini-ITX SBC for highvolume embedded applicationsThe competitively priced IMB-171 Mini-ITXmotherboard is the latest product to be added toThe BVM Group’s portfolio of industrial gradeSBCs. Manufactured by ASRock Industrial it isbased on the Q77 chipset and supports IntelCore i7/i5/i3/Celeron Sandy Bridge and IvyBridge processors in the LGA1155 socket. Two204 pin slots accept up to 16GB of Dual ChannelDDR3 1066/1333/1600 MHz SDRAM; two SA-TAII 3.0Gb/s and two SATAIII 6.0Gb/s portssupport RAID 0/1/5 configuration hard drives.News ID 17211 VIA: ARM Cortex-A9 based Pico-ITXboard for in-vehicle applicationsVIA Technologies announced the VIA VAB-600 Pico-ITX embedded board. Featuring an800MHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor, the VIAVAB-600 combines a wide operating temperaturerange with extremely low power consumptionand optional 3G connectivity tofuel in-vehicle innovation as well as a broadrange of mobile and healthcare applications.The VAB-600 features a rich I/O set withsuperb multimedia performance, including abuilt-in Multi-standard decoder for playbacksupport of the most demanding video formatsin resolutions up to 1080p.News ID 17216 AMP: 4 channel H.264 encoder boastsless than 40ms compression delayAMP announced immediate availability of itslowest latency H.264 encoding engine in a PCI-104 form factor. Targeted at video distributionapplications which demand a near real-timeuser experience, the H264ULL encodes four fullframe rate, full resolution video inputs in parallelwith latency of less than 4oms on all channelsand with minimal CPU overhead. When pairedwith AMPs H264ULL-Decoder, glass-to-glasslatency of less than 100ms is achieved. Applicationssuch as teleoperation of high speed vehiclesand precise remote manipulation of objectsacross a low bandwidth communications channelrequire both highly efficient compression andshort round-trip delay. AMP’s H264ULL-Encoderdelivers both of these capabilities in aneasy to integrate single PCI-104 card.News ID 1723723 May 2013

MAINBOARDSMainboards in precision scalespull their weightPeter Hoser, Fujitsu Technology SolutionsThis article showshow modern precision scalesfor supermarkets are ableto weigh, organise, and orderin HD quality, with highreliability even under toughcircumstances due toembedded computer boards.Figure 1. The pictures of the products, weightand costs are shown coloured and in highresolution on the second screen of the scale. Place fruit on scale, press the correspondingbutton, take out sticker and hurry to the checkout– a scenario of mainly historical interestas the technology used today in the majorityof food scales in European supermarkets ismore sophisticated. Among the manufacturersof modern precision scales is the Portuguesecompany Balanças Marques. Since 1989, theyhave been producing and distributing completeweighing solutions for the commercial and industrialsectors on the Iberian peninsula, inEurope, and in Northern Africa. Balanças Marquesproduce, among other things, modernprecision and control scales based on Fujitsuindustrial Mini-ITX-Motherboard D3003-S1with AMD G-Series processors for supermarketsequipped with two displays for customersand employees. The fully developed productsalso include an integrated management softwarewhich is responsible not only for weighing,but also for a very wide variety of other taskssuch as taking orders, managing current accountsof customers and suppliers, and inventorymanagement.For precision and counting scales operated infresh food areas of shops, reliability even undertough circumstances such as moisture andhigh or low temperatures is a basic requirement.In refrigerated display cases, in the fruit andvegetable department, or at the check-out, thescales are not only subject to various levels oftemperature and moisture, but are also usedat a high frequency by customers and employees.Scales in the food sector need to operatereliably and continuously. Balanças Marqueshad repeatedly experienced problems withthe ruggedness and reliability of scales. Furthermore,the company wanted to reduce thenumber of components to cut costs, and tohave an internal LVDS on the platform. In additionto industrial scales, vehicle scales, loadcells, and customised weighing solutions, thePortuguese company, a part of the Jose PimentaMarques Group, manufactures precision scalesfor the food sector. The precision and controlscale BM5 has load capacities ranging from6/15 kg to 15/30 kg. It features touch technologywith an integrated management software(ETPOS) that was developed in-house. Inorder to operate it smoothly, we needed amainboard combining high quality with agood cost-performance ratio.The software makes it possible not only to displaythe weight but also to issue tickets forcustomers. Employees, on the other hand, cancheck current accounts which can be activatedthrough an RFID tag. Furthermore, the inventorycan be managed from the check-out byplacing orders, printing invoices, and accessingreports on previous purchases. The system automaticallygenerates statistical graphics ofdaily operations which can be transferred tothe back-office via wireless networks for furtherprocessing. All scales are connected with eachother, including the control scales at the checkouts– even the cash drawer can be connectedwith sensor feedback. In the retail market allresults must be recorded, this is mandatoryand can only make use of certified softwarelike ETPOS.Conventional desktop mainboards usually cannotguarantee the reliability and ruggednessunder adverse enviromental conditions thatBalanças Marques requires, as these boardsare neither designed for continuous operationnor for changes in temperature. This was thereason why, back in January 2011, BalançasMarques had equipped their scales with an industrialmainboard by Fujitsu, the Mini-ITXmainboard D2963-S, designed for digital signageand PoS applications. In April 2012, thecompany switched to the successor, the currentMini-ITX board D3003-S1. It is specificallydesigned for demanding applications in an extendedtemperature range and therefore complieseven more precisely with the requirementsof the customer. Several special features of themainboard ensure safe operation of the wholemachine. The possibility of system-independentremote maintenance can do away with costlyand time-consuming field service by a maintenancetechnician. Particularly with systemsinstalled in places that are difficult to access,May 2013 24

MAINBOARDSauthorisations (console redirection). The rangeof functions further encompasses remote bootingfrom a remote drive or image file (mediaredirection), changing the BIOS settings (BIOSmanagement), monitoring the components ofthe system (remote system health monitoring),and others.Figure 2. The precision and control scaleBM5 has load capacities and features touchtechnology.Figure 3. Mini-ITX-Mainboard D3003-S1 isspecifically designed for demanding applicationsin an extended temperature range andtherefore complies even more precisely withthe requirements of the customer.which is the case with scales, out-of-bandmanageability significantly facilitates the detectionand fixing of errors.Remote administration of PC systems is not anew technology. So-called in-band management,for example, refers to the remote maintenanceof a fully functioning computer withits operating system up and running. Out-ofbandtechnologies, on the other hand, are capableof remote interventions into a systemthat is switched off, stuck, or in stand-bymode, for maintenance or trouble-shootingpurposes. The D3003-S1 platform is equippedwith the DASH out-of-band management technology.The current DASH 1.1.specificationcontains a number of useful functions, suchas switching on and off the system from a remotemanagement console (remote powercontrol), or a standardised interface for addingusers, changing passwords, or assigning accessThanks to the integrated alert system, userscan receive information about the state of thesystem without actively monitoring it. Thismakes it possible to implement preventive remotemanagement on demand. Developedand produced by Fujitsu, the PCIe GbE cardD2907-A with its DASH-compliant Ethernetcontroller by Broadcom reliably reacts to outof-bandaccess via DASH 1.1, supported bythe BIOS of the D3003-S. Apart from this outof-bandmanagement functionality, furtherfeatures guaranteeing safe operation of theboard and hence of the scales include thewatchdog, which not only monitors the operatingsystem but also the boot process, andwhich performs a restart or shutdown in caseof malfunction.After a number of tests on a variety of mainboards,Balanças Marques decided in favour ofFujitsu due to the test results and the accuracyof fit regarding the product specifications ofthe BM5. The design-in was completed sixmonths later, with production delivery of themainboards starting on 9 May 2012. It is toolssuch as LVDS Settings (for unassisted adaptationof the video BIOS to an LVDS panel), Silent-FanConfig (for adapting the ventilation to thecustomer specifications), and CDV Adapt (forflashing customer-specific BIOS parameterswithout manual settings) that conveniently supportdesign-in and system production procedures.The contact between manufacturer andsupplier was established by distributor Rutronik,who has been a supplier to Balanças Marquesin other product areas for years. Balanças Marquesalready see a significant reduction of costsbecause introducing the Fujitsu mainboard allowedto reduce some components which arenow powered by the board. This did away withthe need for an external DC/DC transformeror a complex mains adapter. A large number ofcables have also become unnecessary. By eliminatingthese components, the product has becomemore reliable, and the possibility of faultshas decreased. The end customers are also moresatisfied because the cost of service and maintenancehas decreased sharply.The mainboard comes with an additionalLVDS controller supporting 24-bit dual channelLVDS for operating display sizes of more than12” in HD quality. This was a very importantaspect – being able to operate two monitorssimultaneously in the best possible resolution,because the monitors of the scales are equipped25 May 2013

MAINBOARDSwith a 15” display with touch-screen for employeesand a second one at a size of 12” or 7”for customers. Both monitors can be operatedwith the board at the best possible resolution.Model D3003-S1 supports the AMD FT1 (eOntario)single-core T44R (9W) processor. TheCPU comes with an integrated high-performanceATI graphics controller.Long-term availability and lifecycle managementare another crucial concern of the Portuguesecompany with regard to their productsaimed at the food industries. In contrast tothe consumer electronics sector, retailers inthe food sector do not demand new equipmentevery year. Thus, components should remain DFI: full size PICMG 1.3 board withH61 Express chipsetDFI launches PIC-H61, a new Full Size PICMG1.3 board in its cost-reduced Intel H61 productline. It is powered by the 3rd/2nd Gen IntelCore processor family paired with the IntelH61 Express chipset. PIC H61 is cross compatiblewith the new 3rd Gen Intel Core processorsbuilt on 22-nanometer process technologyand with the 2nd Gen Intel Core processorsbuilt on 32-nanometer process technology.This cost-effective board is powerful and yetenergy-efficient.News ID 17041 Pentair: embedded systems from standardcomponents for various requirementsWith its systems based on the Schroff brandedmodular 19“ subracks, Pentair Equipment Protectionoffers an ideal platform on which variousdemands can be satisfied. Drawing on awide portfolio of standard components, systemscan be assembled for every necessary level ofruggedness.News ID 17043 Curtiss-Wright and CoreAVI announcepartnershipCurtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutionshas partnered with Channel One and its subsidiaryCoreAvionics & Industrial (CoreAVI)to provide the defense and aerospace embeddedCOTS market with a 15-year lifetime supportguarantee for the XMC-715 graphics controllerand future generations of AMD Radeon-basedembedded Graphics Processing Units.News ID 17059 Yamaichi: test system for COM ExpressmodulesYamaichi Electronics presents a new test systemfor COM Express modules developed in theEuropean Design Centre. In many productionfacilities the regular main board is used forProduct Newstesting of COM Express modules. The modulesare plugged into the usual COM Express connectors.Due to the limited number of matingcycles of the COM Express connectors, themain boards have to be replaced after 30 to 40test cycles. The replacement of the 220 pinconnector with a pitch of 0.5 mm is consideredas very difficult and unreliable.News ID 17071 Micron: PCIe I/O accelerator in 2.5-inchform factorMicron announced a new PCIe all-flash I/Oaccelerator to improve overall performance inenterprise servers, appliances and storage platforms.The new Micron P420m combines consistentperformance with the inherent powerefficiency of an all-flash system to deliver improvedeconomics for enterprise data centers.The P420m accelerates performance of today’sdemanding data center applications, includingonline transaction processing, data warehousingand virtualization.News ID 17234 Wind River: Yocto project compatiblecarrier grade LinuxWind River has introduced the Wind RiverLinux Carrier Grade Profile for the latest versionof Wind River Linux. Formally registered forthe CGL 5.0 specification with the Linux Foundation,the profile is the first delivery of CarrierGrade Linux functionalities on top of a YoctoProject Compatible product. With Wind RiverLinux as a base, the Wind River Linux CG Profilegives customers a turnkey platform that allowsthem to meet their CGL requirements.Additional profiles for Wind River Linux willcontinue to be developed to address a varietyof market specific needs. The mix and matchnature of these profiles for Wind River Linuxoffers developers flexibility and choice to meeta diverse range of specialized needs.News ID 17082available for the longest possible term andusers should be informed as early as possibleabout any changes the manufacturer may intendso they can react in time. In addition tothe long-time availability of their mainboards,Fujitsu also offer a strict lifecycle managementguaranteeing users that they receive early informationabout any changes. The needs ofusers from the field of embedded computingare usually different from those of the consumermarket. For manufacturers of embedded applications,the indispensable condition forworking with a supplier is the long-term availabilityof components, not a yearly release ofnew platforms with a huge diversity of newprocessors and chipsets. This is because availabilityof components is one of the biggestproblems with regard to follow-up costs. Almostevery PC system requires some sort ofadaptation of the software. This produces costsfor the adaptation itself, but also its evaluation.Thanks to long-term availability, it is possiblefor our customers to achieve an economicallysound ROI within the lifecycle. The D3003-S1board used here has an extended lifecycle ofup to five years – compared to a lifecycle of nomore than 12 or 15 months for a conventionaldesktop board. Balanças Marques are satisfiedwith the responses they have received fromtheir customers so far and have already placedan order with Fujitsu for another productiondelivery. Acrosser: all-in-one gaming board withAMD Embedded G-Series T56N APUACROSSER launches a new all-in-one gamingboard, the AMB-A55EG1. Acrosser AMB-A55EG1 is powered by AMD low power G-SeriesT56N dual core platform that uses anAMD Radeon HD 6320 graphic controller.The DirectX 11 support lets you enjoy awesomegraphics performance, stunning 3D visual effectsand dynamic interactivity. Discrete-levelGPU with OpenGL 4.0 and OpenCL 1.1 supportdevice provides the tools to build the designsof tomorrow, today.News ID 17126 Schroff: new air baffles provide efficientheat dissipationThe MicroTCA.4 sub-specification, Enhancementsfor Rear I/O and Precision Timing, hasbeen defined in order that experiments carriedout by physics research centers can also beused in other market segments in industry,such as in Test & Measurement. This requires,on the one hand, additional rear transitionmodules to accommodate the large numberof I/Os on the rear front panels and to physicallyseparate digital and analog I/Os.News ID 17165 IBASE: PICMG 1.0 full-size CPU card withQ77 Express chipsetIBASE has launched the IB970 PICMG 1.0full-size CPU card. The latest IB970 is basedon the Intel Q77 Express Chipset, a singlechipsetdesigned to support 3rd generationIntel Core and Pentium processors that providesimproved performance as well as increasedbandwidth and stability. Intel® Q77Express Chipset enables the iGPU function, tosupport integrated graphic performance withlatest Intel Core Processor through IB970’sgraphics interfaces for VGA CRT, DVI-D and24-bit dual channel LVDS displays.News ID 17196May 2013 26

Kontron is M2M partner ofDeutsche TelekomKontron announced its cooperation withDeutsche Telekom. The goal of this partnershipis the promotion of Kontron’s M2M solutions.For distributed systems requiring cellular networkconnection, Kontron offers the matchingindustrial grade nodes to connect the terminaldevices to the cloud applications and the Internet-of-Things.News ID 17219 MEN: IRIS certification confirmedMEN Mikro Elektronik has obtained an aboveaverageresult in the IRIS reaudit. In order tosuccessfully acquire orders from the transportationmarket the IRIS certification is ofgreat importance. The train manufacturers associatedto the IRIS (International RailwayIndustry Standard) commit to only place orderswith subcontractors which have been certifiedaccording to the IRIS standards.News ID 17227 VersaLogic: rugged CPU module withoptional IPC class 3 assemblyVersaLogic announced the VL-COMm-26 –an extremely small, extraordinarily ruggedComputer on Module board. The product isbased on the industry-standard COM Expressmini form factor. About the size of a creditcard, the VL-COMm-26 is a highly-integratedembedded computer that combines the IntelAtom E6x0T low power processor with an optionalTPM security chip and a Type 10 COMinterface. It is designed for high reliability indemanding environments that include extremetemperature, impact, and vibration.The VL-COMm-26 is available manufactured to IPC-A-610 Class 2 standards. As a first in the industry,Class 3 assembly is also available whereextreme reliability is required. Designed andtested for industrial temperature operation,the rugged VL-COMm-26 meets MIL-STD-202G specifications to withstand high impactand vibration. Soldered-on RAM (up to 2GB) and fanless thermal solutions provide additionalprotection within harsh environments.News ID 17097 ADLINK: high capacity 18-slotPXI Express chassisADLINK announced a new PXI Express chassisfor applications requiring enhanced bandwidthand higher density and capacity. ADLINK’sPXES-2780, an 18-slot PXI Express chassiswith ten hybrid peripheral slots provides aconfigurable PCIe switch fabric, enabling configurationwith two-link x8, and four-link x4PXI express deployments, allowing full utilizationof the PCIe gen2 bandwidth.News ID 17137 Sealevel: eI/O-170E and eI/O-170PoEmultifunction modulesSealevel Systems announces two new eI/Oproducts available with and without Powerover Ethernet. Featuring analog and dry contactinputs and solid state relays, Sealevel’s eI/Oproducts provide system designers with a compact,cost effective alternative for monitoringand control. They are perfect for a widevariety of applicatio ns including process control,facility management, security, and broadcastautomation.News ID 17241 Advantech: compact micro computersystems for machine automationAdvantech has released a series of AiMC compactmicro computer systems for machine automationapplications. Each self-containedmicro computer features a small footprint, eitherperformance computing or low powerconsumption, intelligent management, securityand longevity. Each comes with Advantech’sSUSIAccess software for intelligent monitoringand control.News ID 17060 X-ES: Core i7 based fanless embeddedBox PCExtreme Engineering Solutions has introducedthe XPand6103 rugged Fanless Embedded BoxPC utilizing the Intel Core i7 processor. TheXPand6103 is a reliable and maintenance-freehigh-performance computing platform ideallysuited for environmentally challenging andspace constrained situations. The XPand6103maximizes processing performance, thermalperformance, and modularity while minimizingcost and size by integrating support for thelatest industry standard components.News ID 17080 DSM: 2U 19-inch industrial computerprovides one 5.25 inch slimline and two3.5 inch baysDSM Computer’s robust 2-U 19-inch 96I2380-MBQ67 system has an installation depth ofonly 380 mm. Despite its compact construction,the flexible Infinity industrial computer providesone 5.25 inch slimline bay and two 3.5 inchbays. This allows, for example, the installationof four 2.5 inch hard disks in two 3.5 inch removableframes. A 500 GB 3.5 inch SATA II300 hard disk (or larger) is integrated as standard.A DVD-RW drive (slimline) or a 2.5inch SSD drive can be installed as an option.Two PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots, one of whichwith four lanes, and two PCI slots (32 bit, 33MHz) are available for system extensions.News ID 17064

PRODUCT NEWS IEI: advanced Industrial Panel PCs withAtom N2600 processorIEI introduced an advanced low power consumptionIndustrial Panel PC, the PPC 37 series,featuring the 3rd generation Intel AtomN2600 processor to provide high performancewith reduced power consumption for industrialcomputing. The PPC 37 series, PPC-3708A-N26, PPC-3710A-N26, PPC-3712A-N26, isavailable in three sizes, 8.4”, 10.4” and 12.1”.The PPC 37 series uses the high-brightnessTFT LCD panel with LED backlight.News ID 17099 Ecrin and Barco team up to distributerugged displaysBarco and Ecrin Systems have signed an agreementon the distribution of rugged displaysfor the defense and aerospace markets. Besidesdistribution & VAR activities, ECRIN Systemsintegrates and manufactures embedded solutionsby customizing its own range of productsto fit customer-specified requirements andwork environments.News ID 17101 NEXCOM: compact low powerARM-based vehicle terminalNEXCOM has launched the mini ARM-basedvehicle terminal VTC 100 which can run telematicsapplications on 8 watts of power and bootin 10 seconds. The VTC 100 features low powerARM Cortex-A8 processor, pre-installed operatingsystem, various wireless and CAN buscommunications and smart power management.This vehicle terminal can step up mobility andassist with driver hours of service compliancefor a variety of dispatch service, including taxi,truck, airport shuttle, and ambulance.News ID 17108 Kithara: image acquisition andprocessing in real-timeKithara Software closes a gap and creates a coherentreal-time cycle with image acquisition,image processing and output under Windowsthrough the new Vision Module. The newsoftware component now enables the immediateimage processing in real-time by user’simage processing algorithms, as well as by thecomprehensive image processing library HAL-CON from MVTec.News ID 17135 Kontron: airborne servers for high-speednetworking requirements on aircraftKontron launches its next-generation of theACE Flight 600 general purpose airborneservers product line, helping avionics systemsdevelopers fast-track the design to deploymentprocess of best-in-class flight communicationand wireless server applications. The ACEFlight 600 is a complete, highly integrated application-readyplatform that is specificallydesigned to meet advanced communicationapplication requirements for Ethernet-basednetwork installations on both linefit and retrofitaircraft.News ID 17114 IEI: Panel PCs with Windows Embedded 8supportIEI Technology introduces the AFOLUX GENII series with Windows Embedded 8 support.The innovative product design of the AFOLUXGEN II series includes advanced technologysuch as projected capacitive multi-touch andresistive single touch screen options, LED dashsystem for eye-catching notification, integratedEM or Mifare RFID reader, and light fanlessdesign to enhance system stability by the autoon/off fan.News ID 17140 VersaLogic: Mini PCIe modules forfull industrial temperatureVersaLogic announced a new portfolio of MiniPCIe modules. Mini PCIe modules provide asimple, economical, standardized way to addI/O and storage functions to embedded computerproducts. Unlike typical expansionboards, Mini PCIe allows additional functionsto be added to a system with almost no increasein overall package size. VersaLogic’s new MiniPCIe modules are unique in that they are alldesigned for high reliability in demanding environments.News ID 17173 GE: latest AMD processors in newindustrial computing modulesGE Intelligent Platforms announced that itwill develop a range of rugged COM Expressmodules based on the new AMD EmbeddedG-Series SOC processors. First shipments areexpected in late2013. Including AMD processorsin the new products will enable GE to developmore compact ‘Type 10’ modules in theso-called ‘mini’ format, measuring just 84 x55m and allowing customers to deploy themin a broader range of environments.News ID 17184 Rutronik: industrial SATA II SSDs from16GB to 512GBThe X 500 Series Industrial SATA II SSD fromSwissbit achieves a data rate on SATA II of upto 240MB/sec and an impressive 15,000 IOPSwith 4k random accesses. It is available at distributorRutronik. To ensure the absolute reliabilityof the power fail protected X 500 Series,Swissbit combines sophisticated mechanismsand augments these with the S.M.A.R.T. (selfmonitoring,analysis and reporting technology)protocol, the lifetime monitoring tool or SDKand an efficient BCH-ECC (error correctioncode) unit.News ID 17220 DSM: robust industrial server withdual Intel Xeon E5An industrial ATX mainboard with the IntelC602 chipset and two Intel Xeon E5-2418Lprocessors (2.0 GHz, 10 MB cache, fourcores) has been integrated in the extremelypowerful 4-U 19-inch industrial server InfinityS4 from DSM Computer. There are sixDIMM slots available on the board for up to96 GB per CPU. DDR3 memory moduleswith a capacity of 16 GB are equipped asstandard. The main memory can be expandedup to 192 GB. For high-demanding applications,a server based on two Intel Xeon E5-2448L processors (1.8 GHz, 20 MB cache,eight cores) can be supplied.News ID 17230 IPC2U: XEON ATX board for servers andindustrial applicationsIPC2U presents with the IMBA-C604EN anATX mainboard, which was particularly designedfor deployment in data centers andhigh-performance company servers. This industryboard is equipped with a LGA 1356socket for high powerful Intel Xeon E5-2400CPUs produced with 32nm technology withup to 8 cores and Intel XEON C604 chipset.In 6 different memory sockets up to 192GB1333/1600MHz memory can be installed,whereas the board meets almost all requirementsfor demanding applications.News ID 17102 Kontron: SAMRC kit comes cable-connected,ready to plug-and-evaluateWith the introduction of Kontron’s ready-touseSMARC Starterkit, the company enablesdevelopers to gain fast entry into the world ofembedded ARM processors, which is nowhighly scalable thanks to SMARC Computeron-Modules.The SMARC kit comes in a sturdytransport case, has all the cables already connectedand is equipped with all the necessarycomponents, including a display and powersupply.News ID 17129 Cadia: Embedded SBC features FreescaleCortex A9 CPUCadia Networks, an innovative global supplierof application specific board levelproducts and systems for a wide range ofembedded computing applications, introducedits latest ARM product. The ESBC-3200 is a highly integrated single boardcomputer based on Freescale’s Cortex A9i.MX6 processor. Simply plug-in 9-24VDCpower and this small form factor SBC bootsright out of the box with its native Androidor Linux operating system from the 8GB ofiNAND flash and the onboard 2GB of systemmemory.News ID 17209May 2013 28

PRODUCT NEWS Wind River: VxWorks MILS platformcompliant to separation kernelprotection profileWind River has introduced the latest versionof Wind River VxWorks MILS Platform, a secureseparation kernel that is compliant to theSeparation Kernel Protection Profile (SKPP).Part of the Wind River portfolio of trustedsystems, the Type 1 hypervisor–based, multipleindependent levels of security platform is readyfor use in security-critical systems that mayrequire system-level high assurance evaluationor certification and accreditation.News ID 17182 WinSystems: PC/104-Plus two-channelGigabit Ethernet card supports POEWinSystems introduces the PPM-GIGE-2-POE PC/104-Plus module integrating twoindependent Gigabit Ethernet ports withPower Sourcing Equipment circuits. It isideal to source two remote tethered 802.3af/atcompliant POE devices supporting up to25W each from an external DC source. Applicationareas include security, transportation,and industrial control where centralizedpower can simplify integration and reducewiring costs.News ID 17077COMPANYPAGEAAEON 13ARROW 7Artila 23congatec 21 MSC: starter kit for COM Express moduleswith AMD Embedded R-series APUsFor quick evaluation and prototyping of embeddedsystems based on COM Express moduleswith AMD Embedded R-Series AcceleratedProcessing Unit, MSC offers a complete starterkit. The intelligent starter kit MSC C6-SK-A7-T6T2 contains a COM Express Type 6 baseboard,an active heat sink with fan and twoDDR3 memory modules.News ID 17232 LDRA: compliance management systemdetails steps to certificationLDRA releases the LDRA Compliance ManagementSystem to help companies developthe infrastructure to become DO-178B/C, DO-278A, and DO-254 compliant. LDRA CertificationServices experts, fully accredited acrossall aviation disciplines, walk customers throughthe fully compliant plans, standards and otherlifecycle documents, process checklists, andproblem reports to help customers managecertification planning, development, verification,and regulatory activities.News ID 17167 RoweBots: availability of wirelesscomponents on the Embedded SoftwareStoreRoweBots announced the availability of itsUnison OS wireless components on the EmbeddedSoftware Store. These componentsprovide out of the box support for WiFi,Bluetooth, UHF, cellular networks and 6loW-PAN for wireless connectivity in just 10 minutesfor either free evaluation or commerciallicensing.News ID 17022 Green Hills: INTEGRITY-178B RTOS selectedfor flight management systemGreen Hills Software has announced EsterlineCMC Electronics’ selection of the INTEGRI-TY-178B single-core operating system as thebasis for their CMA-4000 Flight ManagementSystem. CMC will leverage the DO-178BLevel A robust partitioning capabilities ofthe INTEGRITY-178B real-time operatingsystem in support of delivering the FlightManagement System for an avionics upgradeprogram.News ID 17092Advertisers IndexDigi-Key 2E.E.P.D. 11Ecrin Systems 19Elma Electronic 14Green Hills 5MEN Mikro Elektronik 25MSC 3msi 27PowerBridge 929 May 2013

PRODUCT NEWS Texim offers slim bezel Panel PC withIntel Atom D2550 from AvalueTexim Europe introduces the BFC-10W7 fromAvalue, a 10.1“ 16:9 slim bezel panel PC. TheBFC10W7 features a stylish metal housingalong with Projected Capacitive Touch screensupporting multi-touch. The front of thispanel PC is IP-65 dust and water proof. TheBFC-10W7 is powered by the Intel AtomD2550 dual-core processor and Intel NM10express chipset, having low power consumptionaccompanied by good performance.News ID 17170 CES adds PCIe over P0 capability to itsRIO6 VME64x SBCsCreative Electronic Systems announced theRIO6-8096, the latest member of the RIO6family of 6U VME64x single board computersfeaturing the Freescale QorIQ P2010 or P2020processor, with an optional user-programmableXilinx Spartan-6 FPGA. The RIO6-8096 providesa PCIe x4 link over the standard VME-P0connector on any existing VME64x backplane.News ID 17056 Pentek: line of AMC products for signalprocessing I/OPentek has launched the 56xxx family of AdvancedMezzanine Card products giving customers instantaccess to the extensive line of signal processingproducts in the Pentek catalog. Pentek is leveragingtheir modular product architectures to bring alarge array of options to market in a very shorttime. The Pentek 56xxx products fill a major I/Oproduct gap in the AMC ecosystem by offering15 different modules.News ID 17062 Curtiss-Wright brings 10-bit 25 GS/s DACto OpenVPX COTS systemsCurtiss-Wright will bring the data conversionperformance of Tektronix’ newly introducedTDAC-25 10-bit 25 GS/s DAC ASIC to the defense,aerospace, telecom, commercial, andmedical markets on its new CHAMP-WB familyof rugged OpenVPX modules. Curtiss-Wright will first deliver the TDAC-25 on therecently announced CHAMP-WB-DRFM cardset featuring the Tektronix 12.5 GS ADC/DACbasedTADF-4300 module. The TADF-4300was jointly developed by Curtiss-Wright andTektronix for use with the CHAMP-WB XilinxVirtex-7 based 6U VPX card.News ID 17085 Curtiss-Wright adds NIST FIPS 140-2encrypted memory storage to its ruggedNAS solutionCurtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutionshas announced that its Vortex Compact NetworkStorage rugged network attached storagesolution now supports solid-state Flash StorageModules that are certified to NIST FIPS140-2 for secure data encryption. When configuredwith one or more Curtiss-WrightVortex FSM modules, the CNS provides ascalable, low risk solution for deployingAES256-bit encrypted data in demandingdefense and aerospace applications.News ID 17156 Kontron: starter kit for embedded high-endgraphics based on COM Express Type 6Kontron announced the new COM ExpressStarterkit Reference T6 for the accelerateddevelopment of a broad range of Small FormFactor (SFF) multimedia applications, providinga rich user experience ranging frombattery-powered portable solutions up tostationary multi-display installations. Followingthe launch of the Kontron COM ExpressStarterkit Eval T6, the new ReferenceT6 Starterkit was compiled specifically forOEMs which need to design fully featuredSFF applications using COM Express.News ID 17141 Hectronic: industrial temperature rangeQseven module with AMD Embedded GHectronic has announced an industrial operatingtemperature range version of the existingproduct H6059, a CPU module basedon AMD Embedded G-Series APUs. An APUis a combination of a low-power CPU and anadvanced graphics processing unit integratedinto a single embedded device. The newH6059 version addresses the demand for CPUmodules for harsh environments.News ID 17143 CASwell: “T-type Aluminum-ExtrudedTrack” desktop applianceCASwell has released the all new design fanlessnetwork security desktop appliance, CAF-1000.The CAF-1000 is not a regular fanless appliance.It features a fantastic cooling design, “T-typeAluminum-Extruded Track” and powered bythe new AMD ultra-low wattage platform.News ID 17098More information about each news is available onwww.Embedded-Control-Europe.com/bas-magazineYou just have to type in the “News ID”. —EditorsJürgen Hübnerphone +49(0)8092-2477413fax +49(0)8092-2477429jh@iccmedia.comWolfgang Patelaywp@iccmedia.comTony Devereuxdevrex@teyboyz.freeserve.co.ukFor Reader Inquiries and Address Changesplease contact:info@iccmedia.comSales & Marketing DirectorManfred Blumoserphone +49(0)8092-2477411fax +49(0)8092-2477429mb@iccmedia.comClaudia Melleincm@iccmedia.comChristiane Locknercl@iccmedia.comSales Office - UK and USA, Benelux,ScandinaviaBlue Sky CommunicationsMalcolm Cameron21 Cliffe AvenueWestbrook,Margate, Kent CT9 5DU, UKphone +44 (0)77 88-10 84 11fax +44 (0)80 82-8010 57mc@blue-sky-communications.comSales Office - AsiaJean Cheng, jean@i-media.com.twVivian Hung, vivian@i-media.com.twInnovative Media Information & Services7F-3, No. 26, Sec. 2, Ming-Quan East Rd.Taipei 104 Taiwanphone +886 2 2563 1186Head OfficeICC Media GmbHRauwagnerstr. 585560 Ebersberg / GermanyEditorial Office UK36a Blackacre RoadTheydon BoisEssex, CM16 7LUCopyright© All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted inany form or by any means without the prior express writtenpermission of ICC Media.Although we make every effort to present up-to- date, accurateinformation, boards&solutions will not be responsible for anyerrors or omissions or for any results obtained from the use ofsuch information. The magazine will not be liable for any losscaused by the reliance on information obtained on this site.Furthermore, boards&solutions does not warrant the accuracyor completeness of the information, text, graphics in this magazine.The opinions expressed in the articles are those of theauthors and not necessarily the opinions of the publisher.May 2013 30