C4 Marine Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Nally - KMI Media Group

taCtronICs
For Tactronics, which specializes
in providing rugged computing
solutions and digital backbone
systems for special forces, the first
step in the production of rugged
computers is to source a computing
system on module (SOM) from
a vendor using industrial grade
components, specially created for
Tactronics’ requirements, notably
temperature and vibration.
Bob Ciappa
But that is only the start, as Bob
Ciappa, technical support manager bciappa@tactronics.com
at Tactronics, explained. “The SOM
is just a processor and a couple of chips and some memory,” he
said. “We then design the peripheral interfaces such as serial SATA
for the hard drives and the Ethernet stack on our carrier board
along with the protected and EMI compliant power supply. We also
design it with the proper compatible materials. One of the toughest
things to do when working with wide temperature ranges is
that the electronic components and enclosure expand and contract
with temperature fluctuations, so you have to select materials and
components that have the same thermal coefficient for expansion
and contraction.”
Tactronics machines its enclosures using billet aluminum.
The inside is milled out and what remains is a one piece enclosure
with a single cover. This approach ensures that there are as few
ingress points as possible for dirt and water, which also significantly
aids in radiated and conducted EMI performance. The aluminium
is then treated with a chemical film coating, which doesn’t
affect the conductive properties but stops the corrosion in severe
environments.
“You are left with one continuous surface,” Ciappa said. “For
the interfaces to the outside such as access doors and connectors,
we find the right material that is both EMI safe and environmentally
safe. Usually those two things don’t happen at once. We use
conductive rubberized gasketing on all surfaces, and we have to
make sure that where the surfaces meet they are unpainted so that
there is a good seal both mechanically and for EMI. It sounds like
common sense, but it isn’t always done by others.”
Ciappa noted that the company has precise torque specs for
screws so as not to warp the surfaces. “We also have our own
testing facilities, including a full EMI chamber that will test
everything down to MIL-STD-461G, and environmental chambers
for shock, vibration, high temperature, low temperature, salt fog
and direct immersion. Before the unit leaves our facility we know
it is very rugged and will perform in the harshest environments,”
he said.
While every product is tested to the same exacting standards,
each generation brings improvements to other areas of performance.
“All our next generation equipment uses less power, which
reduces heat, the optical qualities of the displays improve and computers
are more powerful. Our current generation is half the size,
half the weight and uses less power than the former generation and
that is really important for vehicles. Every cubic inch of space is
critical given the highly burdened vehicle space claims. That’s why
size, weight and power savings are important,” Ciappa said.
seCure CommunICatIon systems
Secure Communication Systems
launched a number of new products
at AUSA conference, including the
latest version of the EDM Tablet
PC for the Army’s Air Warrior program,
where it is used as an electronic
flight bag and runs a range
of applications that includes blue
force tracking and moving map
applications.
Michael Boice
“These are now deployed, and
the new version will be replacing
mboice@securecomm.com the old EDM. The new device uses
a new 1.6 GHz Atom processor, and
has more memory, better EMI performance and a lower price. We
are delivering 900 this quarter,” said Michael Boice, vice president
sales and marketing,
To date, Secure Communication Systems has delivered more
than 5,000 EDMs. Other features of the new EDM include a daylight
readable transflective 6.4 inch LCD screen with LED backlight and
an internal 64 Gb SSD.
Improvements to ruggedization continue at the company, Boice
said. “We have improved a lot of items. Our new touch-screen technology,
for example, uses a new micromesh touch screen, improving
the EMI performance of the screen with a glass front so that
it is now immersion proof as well. That’s a big improvement and
something the earlier version didn’t have.”
BarCo
Barco’s Display Processing Module
(DPM)-3 is the company’s latest
rugged computer offering. “The
DPM-1 was Barco’s first step into
rugged computer business, and
was developed in France and Belgium,”
said Douglas Jarus, systems
applications engineer at Barco. “Its
successor, the DPM-2, was developed
in Duluth, Ga., for a Future
Douglas Jarus Combat Systems program, and
the new DPM-3 is a joint develop-
douglas.jarus@barcofederal.com ment between Barco in France,
Belgium and the United States,
harvesting the experiences of this multi-site approach. We have
decreased the size of the DPM-2 by half, maintaining the same
capabilities, yet adding extra expansion. The DPM-3 was designed
to survive in almost any environment, including immediately adjacent
to a 155mm cannon, so the shock levels were off the chart.”
In addition to reductions in size, weight and power, other
innovations facilitate maintenance in the field. The CMOS battery
in the DPM-2 was located such that replacement required
disassembly and reassembly. For the DPM-3, a removable drive
door provides almost immediate access to the necessary parts
when needed.
Barco’s second new product is linked to the DPM-3 and its
TX display technology. The SV126 is a combination of DPM and
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