MSC Industrial Reference Platform

The Industrial Reference Platform from MSC/GE-Research (shown in Figure 1) includes technology from Intel and Altera and is a highly scalable and re-configurable (proof-of-concept) platform targeted at low-power, high-performance industrial automation applications:

Medium-to-high complexity PLCs requiring low power, high performance, and compact form factor
Human machine interfaces (HMIs) and Panel PCs
High-performance slave systems
- PLC-based drive systems
- High-performance industrial systems such as image processing

Figure 1. MSC Industrial Reference Platform Featuring the Intel Atom Processor and Altera Arria Series FPGA

Figure 1. MSC Industrial Reference Platform Featuring the Intel Atom Processor and Altera Arria GX FPGA

Photo Courtesy: MSC/GE-Research

First launched in the European market by MSC Vertriebs GmbH at Embedded World 2009, the Industrial Reference Platform is initially available for customers in Europe, with global availability through additional channels to follow later this year.

The flexibility of the Industrial Reference Platform also makes this system a potential platform for military, automotive, and consumer applications requiring the scalable processor performance of the Intel^® Atom^TM and the re-programmability of Altera^® Arria^® series FPGAs.

Platform Advantages

The Industrial Reference Platform provides several key advantages:

Proof of concept
- Provides developers of PLC, HMIs, and industrial PCs with an automation reference design supporting industrial Ethernet and fieldbus connectivity, a PLC run-time environment, and industrial I/Os
- Enables you to implement any industrial Ethernet and fieldbus protocol standard (intellectual property) on the low-power, high-performance Arria series FPGAs with integrated transceivers, communicating with the Intel software drivers and protocol stacks on one reference design
High performance, low power, compact dimensions
- Compact Qseven CPU board with a 1.6-GHz Intel Atom processor Z530PT
- Low-power Intel Atom chipset (system controller hub) rated at 15 W
- Low-power, high-performance Arria series FPGAs with integrated transceivers, communicating with the Intel Atom processor across PCI Express
Flexibility
- Low-power Arria series FPGAs with integrated transceivers provide full re-programmability in an environment of ever-changing standards
- Platform leverages reuse of hardware and software/firmware investment and minimizes the need to re-pin PCBs
  - One platform can support multiple solutions
  - Industrial-specific I/O, display, and industrial Ethernet/fieldbus functions in one FPGA that can easily be migrated to new FPGA platforms
  - Code can scale with future generations of Intel processors
Solution replaces ASICs/ASSPs, MCUs, MPUs, and digital signal processors that would incur long development/porting cycles to upgrade
Long-term product availability
- Mitigates risk associated with product obsolescence typical with ASICS and ASSPs, including MCU, MPU, and digital signal processing (DSP) products

Figure 2 shows the base board with an Arria GX FPGA.

Figure 2. Base Board with Altera Arria Series FPGA

Figure 2. Base Board with Altera Arria GX Series FPGA

Photo Courtesy: MSC/GE-Research

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of system features for the Industrial Reference Platform.

Figure 3. Industrial Reference Platform Block Diagram

Figure 3. Industrial Reference Platform Block Diagram

Photo Courtesy: MSC/GE-Research

For more information on the Industrial Reference Platform, see a detailed list of features and specifications and an application example.

Pricing and Availability

Production units of the Industrial Reference Platform for the European market will be available Q2 2009. General availability to other geographies is expected later this year.

For additional details on the Industrial Reference Platform and details on pricing and availability please contact MSC Vertriebs GmbH.

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