PICMG Systems & Technology with Application Guide Winter 2019

Page 1

President’s Corner

PG. 3

Specifications Update

PG. 5

Key technical initiatives, industry updates PICMG and new IIoT specifications @PICMG_Tech


ADVERTISER INDEX PAGE ADVERTISER 15

Alphi Technology Corp – Mission-critical solutions

17

EKF Elektronik GmbH – Unleash the power

9

Elma Electronic – Cisco infused rugged solutions

19

embedded world – embedded world Exhibition & Conference … it’s a smarter world

24

13

GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR John McHale john.mchale@opensysmedia.com PRESIDENT OF PICMG Jessica Isquith jess@picmg.org ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Lisa Daigle lisa.daigle@opensysmedia.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Emma Helfrich emma.helfrich@opensysmedia.com DIRECTOR OF E-CAST LEAD GENERATION AND AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT Joy Gilmore joy.gilmore@opensysmedia.com

Vector Electronics & Technology – VME/VXS/cPCI chassis, backplanes, & accessories Verotec – Continuing 50 years of excellence in functional and elegant electronic packaging

ONLINE EVENTS SPECIALIST Sam Vukobratovich sam.vukobratovich@opensysmedia.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Stephanie Sweet stephanie.sweet@opensysmedia.com SENIOR WEB DEVELOPER Aaron Ganschow aaron.ganschow@opensysmedia.com WEB DEVELOPER Paul Nelson paul.nelson@opensysmedia.com CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Joann Toth joann.toth@opensysmedia.com EMAIL MARKETING SPECIALIST Drew Kaufman drew.kaufman@opensysmedia.com VITA EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jerry Gipper jerry.gipper@opensysmedia.com

SALES/MARKETING SALES MANAGER Tom Varcie tom.varcie@opensysmedia.com (586) 415-6500 MARKETING MANAGER Eric Henry eric.henry@opensysmedia.com (541) 760-5361 STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER Rebecca Barker rebecca.barker@opensysmedia.com (281) 724-8021

APPLICATION GUIDE INDEX ADVERTISER

PAGE

Communications & Networking Alphi Technology Corporation SECO

22 22

22

Military & Aerospace Advanced Micro Peripherals

STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER Kathleen Wackowski kathleen.wackowski@opensysmedia.com (978) 888-7367 SOUTHERN CAL REGIONAL SALES MANAGER Len Pettek len.pettek@opensysmedia.com (805) 231-9582 SOUTHWEST REGIONAL SALES MANAGER Barbara Quinlan barbara.quinlan@opensysmedia.com (480) 236-8818 STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER Glen Sundin glen.sundin@opensysmedia.com (973) 723-9672 INSIDE SALES Amy Russell amy.russell@opensysmedia.com

Industrial Automation & Control Hartmann Electronic

STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER Bill Barron bill.barron@opensysmedia.com (516) 376-9838

22

ASIA-PACIFIC SALES ACCOUNT MANAGER Patty Wu patty.wu@opensysmedia.com EUROPEAN MARKETING SPECIALIST Steven Jameson steven.jameson@opensysmedia.com +44 (0)7708976338 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EUROPE Rory Dear rory.dear@opensysmedia.com +44 (0)7921337498

WWW.OPENSYSMEDIA.COM PRESIDENT Patrick Hopper patrick.hopper@opensysmedia.com EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT John McHale john.mchale@opensysmedia.com EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Rich Nass rich.nass@opensysmedia.com

EVENTS 8th MicroTCA Workshop for Industry and Research at DESY December 4 & 5, 2019 Hamburg, Germany https://mtcaws.desy.de/

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Rosemary Kristoff rosemary.kristoff@opensysmedia.com EMBEDDED COMPUTING BRAND DIRECTOR Rich Nass rich.nass@opensysmedia.com ECD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brandon Lewis brandon.lewis@opensysmedia.com ASSOCIATE TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Laura Dolan laura.dolan@opensysmedia.com SENIOR EDITOR Sally Cole sally.cole@opensysmedia.com SENIOR TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Alix Paultre alix.paultre@opensysmedia.com TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Curt Schwaderer curt.schwaderer@opensysmedia.com CREATIVE PROJECTS Chris Rassiccia chris.rassiccia@opensysmedia.com PROJECT MANAGER Kristine Jennings kristine.jennings@opensysmedia.com

embedded world 2020 February 25-27, 2020 Nuremburg, Germany https://www.embedded-world.de/en

FINANCIAL ASSISTANT Emily Verhoeks emily.verhoeks@opensysmedia.com SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER subscriptions@opensysmedia.com CORPORATE OFFICE 1505 N. Hayden Rd. #105 • Scottsdale, AZ 85257 • Tel: (480) 967-5581 REPRINTS WRIGHT’S MEDIA REPRINT COORDINATOR Wyndell Hamilton whamilton@wrightsmedia.com (281) 419-5725

2

| Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

www.picmg.mil-embedded.com


President’s Corner

Key technical initiatives, industry updates By Jessica Isquith, President of PICMG

jess@picmg.org

Welcome! PICMG is celebrating its 25th year with great momentum: We currently have six active technical subcommittees, several busy marketing committees, and more than a dozen new members.

infrastructure. The second is focused on defining three key components: a binary sensor data model for IIoT, a Redfish sensor data model/schema, and network architecture specifications. The combination of these initiatives will provide plug-and-play interoperability at the sensor domain to the “last foot” of the IIoT network. The committees expect to have preliminary work product in early 2020.

In this issue we spotlight industrial IIoT, open standards for railway, and COM Express for AI. We also explore the critical need for active participation to ensure the success of new open specifications development.

MicroTCA community update › Workshops The MTCA/ATCA was held on June 23-25 at IHEP in Beijing, China. On October 5, Kay Rehlich of DESY conducted a MicroTCA workshop in conjunction with ICALEPCS in Brooklyn, NY. Our final 2019 event is the 8th MicroTCA Workshop for Industry and Research on December 4-5, 2019 at DESY. The goal and purpose of the workshops is to promote and coordinate development of MTCA/ATCA standard and systems.

Key technical initiatives for 2019 › COM-HPC In 2018, PICMG launched an important new project: COM-HPC. This new COM specification, led by Christian Eder of congatec, is under development in a parallel track with existing COM Express efforts. The subcommittee will be developing a next-generation COM standard and the accompanying Carrier Design Guide. The specification is expected to support two module sizes: one for highperformance computing and one for embedded computing. Initial plans include a new high-speed connector able to support PCI Express Gen 4/5 and 100 Gb Ethernet. The specification will target medium- to high-performance server-class processors. Twenty PICMG member companies have joined the group, sponsored by congatec, ADLINK, and Kontron. › IIoT initiatives Doug Sandy continues to lead our IIoT initiatives related to the sensor domain. We are moving forward with an aggressive program to advance IIoT. Our approach encourages a firewalled, secure network architecture that supports a variety of synchronization methods and a uniform data model that scales down to the sensor domain through binary encoding. Two formal technical subcommittees were formed. One is focused on the hardware component of connecting the sensors and actuators into the secure network www.picmg.mil-embedded.com

› MicroTCA (MTCA.0 R2.0) and AMC.2 Revision 2.0 Ratification AMC.2 Revision 2.0 includes the implementation of 1, 10, and 40 Gbps Ethernet links on AMC.0 modules and carrier boards. The MTCA.0 R2.0 revision defines a path to higher-speed Ethernet fabrics and provides corrections to Rev 1.0 of the MicroTCA Specification. As these initiatives are completed, a new group is working on defining the next proposed revision for MicroTCA. Announcements and calls for participation are expected in early 2020. New membership benefit In 2019 we launched a new member benefit: quarterly webinars by members for members. The program kicked off with an IIoT update led by Doug Sandy, while Christian Eder followed with a COM-HPC update. In October, Ethan Plotkin presented “How the Current PLM Model is Costing OEMs Millions … and What You Can Do About It.” New 2019 members/new university outreach We are pleased to welcome over a dozen new members in 2019, including SMART Embedded, Research Associates, LLC, Dolphin Interconnect Solutions, Galleon Embedded Computing, Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace, Addi-Data, Luminator Technology Group, GDCA, PAVO, H3C, Trenz Electronic, and American Megatrends (AMI). We also have our first two actively participating university members: Bielefeld University and Lodz University of Technology. Acknowledging Ellen Ricciardelli’s retirement Ellen has been a key member of our community since we started. She has spent the last 25 years committed to our members and being a constantly positive influence for all the officers, committee leads, and members. She has personally welcomed every new member and kept our administrative activities on track and above board. She will retire at the end of 2019 to spend more time with her wonderful family, including four young grandchildren. We all wish her the best for her next chapter and will always be grateful for her contributions and dedication to PICMG. Looking ahead I remain confident that increased participation will lead to innovations which will meet our industry’s evolving needs. Whether you are currently a member or planning to become one, I encourage you to contact us at info@picmg.org and let us know how we can work together. Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide |

3


WINTER 2019 VOLUME 23 NUMBER 2

Standards-based technology platforms for open innovation picmg-systems.com

@PICMG_Tech

On the cover The PICMG Systems & Technology 2020 Application Guide covers the use of PICMG standards in railway applications, the development of several new IIoT specifications, the value of individual and corporate participation in standards development, and extending legacy systems into the era of AI and IoT. The Application Guide also highlights some top PICMG industry products in the categories of communications and networking, industrial automation and control, and military and aerospace.

Open technologies, open markets: The value of standards participation

President’s Corner | Jessica Isquith

By Dylan Lang, Samtec

Technology Focus

6

3

Key technical initiatives, industry updates

Specifications Update | Doug Sandy 5

Two new IIoT specifications from PICMG taking shape

Technology Focus 6

Open technologies, open markets: The value of standards participation By Dylan Lang, Samtec

Application Feature Open standards for the railway computing market

By Markus Wiersch, MEN Mikroelektronik

Application Feature

8

8

Open standards for the railway computing market By Markus Wiersch, MEN Mikroelektronik

12

How to extend legacy systems into the AI & IoT era By Brandon Lewis

PICMG Consortium 16

PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers’ Group (PICMG) Consortium Info

22

2020 Application Guide

Published by:

How to extend legacy systems into the AI & IoT era

By Brandon Lewis

Application Feature

4

12

® 2019 OpenSystems Media ® CompactPCI, PICMG, PICMG, ATCA, AdvancedTCA, MicroTCA, AdvancedMC, GEN4, and their logos are registered trademarks of PICMG. TM xTCA is a trademark of PICMG. © 2019 PICMG Systems & Technology All registered brands and trademarks in AdvancedTCA & CompactPCI Systems are property of their respective owners.

| Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

Member since 1998

www.picmg.mil-embedded.com


Specifications Update

Two new IIoT specifications from PICMG taking shape By Doug Sandy, Chief Technology Officer of PICMG

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the fastest-growing segment of the IoT, with annual revenues expected to be larger than the commercial segment of the IoT through the first half of next decade. Within this segment are many traditional embedded markets, including defense and aerospace, transportation, energy, and industrial automation. Among these markets, smart factory (or industrial automation) is the fastest growing vertical (24% CAGR) as factory automation seeks to deploy intelligent factory equipment, tightly couple factory operations and back-end processes, leverage IT skillsets, and improve overall efficiencies through analytics. At the 2019 Embedded Technology Conference, I had the opportunity to present to a room of long-time industry professionals about the state of the Industrial Internet of Things. In part of the discussion I told the fictional story of how Mary, a director of operations at a smart factory, was faced with the monumental task of bringing up a new factory line while upgrading the factory equipment; however, she needed to leave the existing software infrastructure intact. To do this, Mary’s new hardware would need to plug and play with existing infrastructure and interoperate with disparate equipment at levels so far unachievable in industry. Mary moved forward with her plans, confident in positive results. Her upgrade was a huge success. Mary got a large promotion, and everyone lived happily ever after. The question I posed then is just as relevant today: “Is this a fairy tale, or could this really be possible?” At PICMG, we believe the answer is: “Not only is this possible, it is achievable today.” With collaboration between our member companies and other industry consortia, we are targeting open specifications to address the need for interoperable industrial computing solutions at www.picmg.mil-embedded.com

the sensor plane. The first two of these specifications were launched earlier this year and are expected to be released in the first half of 2020. Sensor data model and network architecture If IIoT sensors are to plug and play with the rest of the automation infrastructure, there must be agreement on network communication, feature reporting, and interactions with higher levels of the network. With IIoT, the first of these challenges – how to communicate – is largely taken care of by internet technologies like Ethernet, HTTP, and JSON. The second problem, how sensors report themselves and interact with the rest of the network, requires standardization of data models and network architectures. The first IIoT specification underway by PICMG addresses just this need: Key elements of the architecture under discussion today are a low-level binary data model definition that enables lightweight sensor nodes, a gateway architecture (for converting binary coded data models to DMTF Redfish), methods of synchronization of multiple endpoints, and security recommendations. This specification will enable an ecosystem of new smart sensor vendors to create sensors that interoperate seamlessly within the Redfish/PICMG sensor-domain network architecture. Existing vendors of Com Express and CompactPCI Serial will also benefit as potential gateway suppliers into the network. This proposal is expected to have two primary outputs: a DMTF Redfish-compatible data model and a specification which documents the system architecture of the sensor-domain network. New small-form-factor module The second specification currently underway proposes a new microcontroller-agnostic ultra-small-form-factor module for enabling smart sensors. This module, which is expected to be no more than 30 mm2, will provide a hardware platform for traditional sensor vendors wishing to quickly create smart sensors. When combined with the PICMG sensor domain network architecture and data model, sensors will seamlessly integrate into the network with plug-and-play interoperability. We envision that this specification will benefit the industry in three specific ways. First, it will enable sensor vendors to create smart sensors without having to manufacture the control circuitry and/or software by purchasing these components from PICMGcompliant suppliers. Second, it will enable controller suppliers who wish to create smart sensors or smart-sensor components to do so in a way that is interoperable with other suppliers. Last, it will accelerate the uptake of smart-sensor technology through open specifications and interoperability. Joining the efforts At PICMG, we are excited about these two new contributions aimed at accelerating the adoption of standards-based IIoT. Together we are working on moving “plug and play” at the sensor domain from fantasy to reality. If you are interested in joining the efforts, please visit the consortium’s web site at www.picmg.org or contact me directly at doug@picmg.org. We always welcome new members who are enthusiastic about making a positive difference for the industry. Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide |

5


Technology Focus

Open technologies, open markets: The value of standards participation By Dylan Lang In today’s embedded market, opportunities for new technologies have become a necessity. From more adept design-in solutions to entirely new bleeding-edge technologies, embedded systems thrive on “new.” One of the biggest vehicles driving the development of new technologies are standards development organizations, or SDOs. Many of these groups are considered to be “open.” What does this mean? An open standard is one that is readily available to the public and allows for adoption from any user for a variety of applications and end uses. In brief, an open standard allows the technology to stay open and available for mass use. This differs from a “corporate” or “de facto” standard that may employ closed technologies only accessible to a select group. While open standards offer many benefits, there are also many challenges in getting them off the ground. As would be expected, participation is crucial. Often, this involves much more than just attending and observing a meeting. Active participation from various industry leaders is essential. Without active participation and contributions from the work group, the benefits of being open are lost and progress can grind to a halt. This article will briefly discuss some of the challenges facing SDOs today and how they are overcome, not just in the embedded realm but throughout various technology areas.

6

| Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

Challenge one: Not a member of an SDO While perhaps more obvious than some of the other challenges facing standard development, nonmembership is one of the most common. Often, this can create insurmountable obstacles to participation, collaboration, and ultimate completion of standards and specifications. Due to bylaws and potential nondisclosure agreements, nonmembers often are denied access to documentation as well as denied voting rights. This can cause frustration because an organization or individual may have valid points www.picmg.mil-embedded.com


beneficial to the group. However, their voices can easily get lost in the crowd, and beneficial concepts can be lost. The solution to this challenge is simple; join the standards organization in question. Often, these consortia will offer a variety of membership tiers to fit a company budget and degree of participation. Even with associate-level memberships, companies are often able to gain access to important documentation, participate in group discussions, plus have voting rights. All of these are essential in standards development. Challenge two: Late participation Another challenge that often plagues organizations is late participation. At times, this is due to conflicting schedules and different interests during the time of development. Further complicating matters, late participation often arises from nonmembers who have limited ability to participate in an active, timely manner. Within certain organizations like VITA, many comments regarding finalization of a spec may arrive during the American National Standards Institute vetting process. While the concerns of these individuals or companies may be valid, the results may not prove ideal. Often, these concerns reset the vetting process and can cause a significant turnaround. For example, one standard that our organization had worked on was delayed over six months due to late participation, causing considerable frustration. Getting involved early proves to be the best remedy to this problem. By being an active member of the organization and participating in the initial work group efforts, you ensure your position in the group. This can result not only in the interests of the community being represented early on, but also supporting the interests of your company or industry. Challenge three: Building a solid team Let’s say challenges one and two have been bypassed, and efforts to write a specification are underway. It’s no secret that teamwork is essential to keep the process moving forward. However, building a dedicated team may present a challenge. For group success, it is beneficial to look to groups with solid teams. Standards such www.picmg.mil-embedded.com

as IEEE, PCI – Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG), Gen-Z, and Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) all feature dedicated teams. These groups feature driven and dedicated members that have been present since the group’s beginning. It is also helpful to have a group with a varied background. For example, in the embedded market, a standards development group could benefit from the experience of system designers, electrical and mechanical engineers, and connector manufacturers. This facilitates a more wellrounded approach to new standards and technologies. It is also helpful to involve marketing and sales expertise as needed to rate the marketability of such a specification.

EVEN WITH ASSOCIATE-LEVEL MEMBERSHIPS, COMPANIES ARE OFTEN ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO IMPORTANT DOCUMENTATION, PARTICIPATE IN GROUP DISCUSSIONS, PLUS HAVE VOTING RIGHTS. ALL OF THESE ARE ESSENTIAL IN STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT. Challenge four: Lack of interest Try as we may, some communities may not be interested in the proposed specification. Others may want to see changes but don’t have the bandwidth to support the effort. If this is the case, it can lead to lack of balance in existing standards or eventual shutdown. In these types of situations, community chairmen or officers may need to step in and draw a line. Often, these pitfalls can be avoided by using such tools as ballots to gauge the interest of the community. Determining proper allocation of resources prior to opening a working group avoids delegating all the development to one company or individual. Challenge five: Internal conflict A final challenge that we will discuss could be potentially positive or negative, depending on the outcome. Internal conflict is a natural part of standard development. In many cases, competitors in the same industry may be working on the specification together while trying to represent the interest of their companies. On other occasions, active members may not be able to “standardize.” This could mean not coming to a collective consensus or limiting the scope of the specification in question. Without a quorum, progressive standards can often become derailed or stuck in an endless cycle. To resolve this issue, difficult decisions may need to be made by those leading the group efforts. Different techniques for conflict resolution can be employed, such as comment resolutions, necessary meetings, and leverage of the community at large. These may result in decisions that the entire group may not be satisfied with. However, these may need to be made for the good of progress and the community. Often, these changes can be ratified later. It’s true that no standards development will be flawless. Most of the time, members may run into all five of the issues, maybe even more, depending on the circumstances. However, it is important to realize the benefit of open standards in today’s embedded market. The value of being open and fast-tracking developments can only work with active participation of all members. More often than not, the benefits of driving these groups to completion far outweigh both the time and resources demanded. This results not only in new technologies for the industry, but also brings the benefit of representing the interests of your company within a wide variety of specifications. The future of open standards is now, but only through active participation. Dylan Lang is Standards Manager at Samtec and the treasurer of the PICMG organization. Dylan is actively involved in the VITA, PC/104, PICMG, PCIe, CoaXPress, and COBO standards families. In addition, he produces written works, documentation, and digital media and implements marketing strategies and training for diverse standards applications, interconnect developments, and products. Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide |

7


Application Feature

Open standards for the railway computing market By Markus Wiersch Products that are based on standards make our lives easier. They standardize how we implement solutions in diverse applications, providing us with assurance that the solutions are sustainable and will therefore prevail for many years to come. Developed as open standards, their use and re-use is not restricted in any way. The advantages for users lie above all in low costs. Looking specifically at railway computing, open standards from PICMG facilitate seamless interoperability of system solutions and coexistence of the most heterogeneous applications on a single, modular smart railway platform. When taking frank stock of all the electronics installed by mobility providers in rail vehicles and on the wayside, one can generally assume to find predominantly closed, proprietary system solutions from individual manufacturers. These fulfill the required international rail transport standards DIN EN 45545 and DIN EN 50155 for continuous operation under extreme temperatures (-40 °C to +85 °C), high humidity and heavy mechanical stress due to shocks and vibrations, or DIN EN 45545 HL3 for fire protection. However, the embedded computing technology used to implement the individual applications that meet these standards has not yet been specified by the industry. With more and more electronics required to develop smart trains and tracks, standardization of railway computer technology is becoming a priority. For example, hermetically sealed railway electronics are being expanded to include numerous IoT-based solutions for predictive maintenance and wagon tracking. Train cockpits, too, are becoming smarter and smarter, incorporating comprehensive video surveillance of the tracks as well as the entire train and its doors. Passenger comfort requires control of heating and air-conditioning systems, announcements and displays; integration of ever-smarter passenger information and seat management systems; provision of infotainment services and Internet access; as well as smart ticketing and billing systems with walk-by payment. Does it really make sense to develop a separate, self-contained system for each of these functions? Wouldn’t it make much more sense to regard the smart train or wagon as a single IT unit with several distributed subsystems to be assembled in a modular way, as required by the operator? Cross-model and cross-manufacturer? Shouldn’t we treat trains today as edge servers that must be managed centrally and also across borders in view of their increasingly autonomous operation? Wouldn’t a completely new approach to railway computing make sense under those circumstances? Might the commercial IT sector and the telecommunications industry, which is developing completely new IT approaches in line with broadband expansion and 5G mobile telephony, provide us with valuable inspiration?

8

| Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

What megatrends can the railway industry benefit from? Looking at the example of the telecommunications market, there has been a strong and ongoing trend away from dedicated hardware solutions to platforms that use software-defined network (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV) technologies to flexibly allocate the available computing power. This successfully separates the function from the hardware, thereby also standardizing the underlying hardware platforms. At the same time, these platforms are expected to be convergent to make them interchangeable for different requirements. The goal is a highly agile closed-loop development process that constantly uses information from ongoing operations to develop and optimize the platforms further. Of course, nobody will want to update systems that require certification every few months – at least not the part that has to be certified. However, the basic concept of increasingly flexible computing platforms – through higher abstraction at the software level and the associated high standardization of these platforms – can www.picmg.mil-embedded.com


THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF STANDARDS FOR THE VARIOUS INDIVIDUAL SOLUTIONS, WHOSE REQUIREMENTS, SPECIFICATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND FEATURES ARE DOCUMENTED BY A DIVERSE ARRAY OF STANDARDIZATION COMMITTEES AND CONSISTENTLY IMPLEMENTED BY THEIR PROPONENTS.

long-term availability with downward compatibility, so that existing solutions can always be replaced by their successors. This ensures long-term availability for trains that remain in service for many decades. Standards bridge manufacturer boundaries However, it is a well-known fact that manufacturers have created variants of such standards – either to solve very specific problems, or to distinguish themselves from the competition through vendor lock-in. Not every serial interface is therefore always the same, and the multitude of very specific protocol designs sometimes makes interoperability within a single standard difficult. Converging different programming standards into the European standard EN 61131, which is based on the international standard IEC 61131, ultimately made it possible to unite heterogeneous approaches to solutions, merging them, for example, via object-oriented further development into a new standard for distributed control systems: EN 61499. This example clearly illustrates

be a valuable guiding principle for the standardization of railway computing. But to what extent can this megatrend in the IT and data center market be applied to trains? To what extent is it possible to standardize railway IT, making it more flexible, more universally applicable, and more interchangeable? And, how can you succeed in making these platforms truly open? After all, it isn’t possible to simply port telecommunications and data center technologies developed for well-acclimated environments to railway tracks, trains, or wagons, where high shock and vibration resistance is required for extended and rapidly fluctuating temperature ranges. This leads to the question: Which open standards already integrate the appropriate requirements? A large number of embedded computing standards are used in rail transport today – even in proprietary railway IT systems. There are a multitude of standards for the various individual solutions, whose requirements, specifications, guidelines, and features are documented by a diverse array of standardization committees and consistently implemented by their proponents. They provide a harmonized, stable, and globally recognized framework for the dissemination and use of technologies. These include specifications such as PCI-Express, USB, I2C, and Ethernet as communication buses, as well as M12 connectors for robust physical connectivity. These individual solutions are consistently developed further in the committees created for this purpose. In doing so, attention is also paid to www.picmg.mil-embedded.com

Cisco Infused

Rugged Solutions Switches, routers and edge compute platforms packaged for your application by Elma – your Cisco Solution Technology Integrator.

With you at every stage! Elma Electronic Inc.

elma.com

Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide |

9


Application Feature the polarization between proprietary solutions and open standards. In a society that increasingly aspires to the principles of the sharing economy, which enables the shared use of resources, open source and open standards are becoming a fundamental requirement – also for the further development of railway computing platforms. The advantages are obvious. OpenStand – the movement dedicated to promoting a proven set of principles that establish the modern paradigm for standards – has summarized the advantages of truly open standards in 10 points: › › › › › › › › › ›

Address broad market needs Streamline development and implementation Embody diverse perspectives Reduce costs Leverage proprietary knowledge Open new markets and applications Serve as building blocks for innovation Encourage market competition Drive interoperability and scalability Drive global innovation and advancement

In addition, there are factors that are commonly associated with modular standards – such as multiple variants, greater flexibility and more optimization options, efficient use of existing resources, plus lower and manageable risks, including protection against obsolescence – as well as supplier neutrality, which naturally applies to every standard. All of this shows that it is quite complex to describe all the advantages of standardization comprehensively and not every argument is equally important for everyone. What is plain, however, is that open standards are clearly preferable to proprietary solutions. (Figure 1.) Embedded computing platform standards The worldwide standardization of embedded computing platforms is currently driven mainly by three standardization committees: VITA, SGET, and PICMG. VITA standards: VME and VPX VITA is the oldest standardization body. It essentially maintains the VME and VPX standards, which are used almost exclusively in the military and defense sector, with some minor exceptions in research and industrial automation. Solutions based on these standards are therefore comparatively expensive, which is why they have rarely been used in the rail transport sector. However, there are some applications in this area,

› 10

and despite a lack of native support by current processor technologies, compatible high-performance boards are still available today, such as the MENA25 6U VMEbus board with Intel Xeon D-1519 processor. Another advantage is the fact that the VME standard has been standardized by the IEC as ANSI/ IEEE 1014 -1987. Nonetheless, the standards of the other two standardization bodies offer a somewhat simpler development path, since all these standards use the PCI Express bus for generic expansion options, which in turn is an essential basis of embedded processor technology and is therefore natively supported by all processors. SGET standards: Qseven and SMARC The SGET standards, Qseven and SMARC, are still relatively new and often target mobile applications where creditcard-sized modules are deployed. While in principle suitable for use in rail transport, the specifications still have to prove their stability when it comes to long-term availability. For example, SMARC, which is currently considered the more promising of the SGET specifications for new applications, has experienced a leap from version 1.0 to 2.0 that does not offer unlimited backward compatibility for existing applications. In addition, the modules are not designed to withstand the extreme temperature changes in rail transport, which is why developers of railway applications cannot currently find a fully compatible standard computing platform within SGET.

Figure 1 | Open standards are becoming a fundamental requirement for the further development of railway computing platforms.

| Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

www.picmg.mil-embedded.com


PICMG standards: CompactPCI Serial and COM Express PICMG, on the other hand, offers a broad basis for standardized railway computing platforms with CompactPCI Serial and the basic COM Express specification, which is rail-compatible by adding the proposed open VITA standard 59 extension drafted by MEN Mikro Elektronik to the PICMG specifications. CompactPCI Serial is a specification for the development of system platforms which, thanks to its modular design, enables a diverse range of systems with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) standard boards, system chassis, and flexibly connectable backplanes. It is already used in numerous railway applications and offers all the basics for deployment as a central edge computing instance in trains, wagons, and in the station (Figure 2). There are countless standard components for designing such systems, and even some boards are available today that can be flexibly adapted with suitable FPGA implementations for the different railway interface standards (including SIL). The standard itself has been established for many years and is currently experiencing a boost in demand. Reasons for this include: › IIoT and edge computing trends › Hardware consolidation on a single platform › The trends toward hardware virtualization › Demand for convergent platforms to enable closed-loop engineering Rugged COM Express adds a specification to the list of rail-compatible open standards that is suitable for smaller systems designed for installation in trains and wagons away from the central railway edge computing platforms. Modules of this standard are high-performance systems which, despite their high performance and a thermal design power output of up to around 50 W, can be cooled completely passively and, thanks to the cooling concept, can also withstand sudden extreme temperature changes and the associated thermal stress without problem. Rugged COM Express solves the mechanical and www.picmg.mil-embedded.com

Figure 2 | Standardization of embedded computing platforms enables deployment in such instances as on-train platforms and in-vehicle use.

thermal design challenge for extreme temperature changes by combining the PICMG COM Express standard with the standard draft VITA 59. This illustrates a clear advantage of open standards: They can be freely combined to generate new added value. Demand for Rugged COM Express modules is booming as the mobile computing market produces an extremely high demand for autonomous vehicles. Yole Développement, for example, predicts an increase in camera technologies for autonomous robotic vehicles, at a compound annual growth rate of around 140%, to $900 million in 2023. Such systems require an extremely powerful CPU and GPU for situational awareness and other system performance, and the railway market needs smart machine vision, too. So, these open standards already offer almost everything railway IT engineers need for their system platforms today. Mini modules suitable for railway applications What is still missing from open standards for the railway market is a small-form-factor computer-on-module that has been specified by an independent standardization committee for 100% EMC compliance and thermal shock resistance – for example, based on the PICMG COM Express Mini specification. There’s clearly more work for the standardization community to do. In addition, not every board or system is designed for certification with standards such as SIL. It is therefore still necessary to check the railway-specific requirements. Nevertheless, there are various manufacturers on the market who offer embedded computing platforms based on open standards for mobility providers, rail network operators, train and wagon manufacturers, and their suppliers; and who also support all current IT megatrends. Proprietary solutions are therefore no longer acceptable. Markus Wiersch is head of product management for MEN Mikroelektronik GmbH (Nuremburg, Germany); since his arrival in 2018, he has been responsible for product management, as well for the Railway & Public Transport and Embedded Electronics areas. He holds a Dipl.-Ing. for mechanical engineering and product development and an MBA. MEN Mikroelektronik www.men.de Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide |

11


Application Feature

How to extend legacy systems into the AI & IoT era By Brandon Lewis With the recent discontinuation of 3rd-generation Intel Core processors, how will industry approach digital transformation? Organizations in all industries are looking for ways to capitalize on technology megatrends like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and the IoT. More than just increasing efficiency and reducing costs, these enabling technologies allow for the implementation of new applications, services, and revenue models. However, many of the electronic systems in operation today are typically deployed for five to ten years or longer, which makes it difficult for OEMs and system integrators to capitalize on new advancements in technology. In fact, in this time of rapid innovation, the mere presence of legacy electronic systems can accelerate technical and business obsolescence. Such is the case in sectors like industrial automation, healthcare, and test and measurement, where many electronic systems have been designed around integrated architectures. This fact makes it difficult for engineers to adopt the latest technologies, as upgrading an integrated system with new components often leads to compatibility issues. Therefore, each time a component or subsystem becomes outdated, the entire design becomes increasingly obsolete. Currently, this is the situation facing many devices that were designed around the recently discontinued 3rd-generation Intel Core processor product line.

12

| Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

Still, the advantages of AI and IoT are too numerous to ignore: Collecting equipment or process data and transmitting it to an AI can immediately produce actionable insights. This capability is improving business and operational functions in the industries mentioned: › In automation they can reduce equipment downtime via predictive maintenance, enhance the yield and quality of manufactured products, optimize supply chains, and increase workplace safety. › In healthcare they can improve the accuracy of diagnoses and quality of patient care, streamline administrative processes, and reduce overall hospitalization costs. www.picmg.mil-embedded.com


› In test and measurement they can increase the accuracy of measurements, decrease the number of test cycles required, free up human resources, and reduce expenses. Modular COM Express-based designs enable organizations to capitalize on this potential while maximizing existing engineering investments in both new and legacy systems. Connected intelligence in a COM COM Express addresses the challenge of integrated systems architectures by decoupling compute, networking, and other resources from core system functionality. It achieves this capability with a two-board architecture based on a compute module and underlying carrier board. The carrier board can be customized with application-specific I/O that allows data and power to be delivered between the COM Express compute module and the rest of the system. Therefore, a legacy COM Express compute module can be replaced with a newer model containing AI or IoT-centric

www.picmg.mil-embedded.com

features. Given the recent discontinuation of popular 3rd-generation Intel Core processors, COM Express offers a scalable path forward to increased AI and IoT capabilities in the form of 7th-generation Intel Core embedded processors. 7th-generation Core embedded processors are based on the Kaby Lake microarchitecture and provide up to four cores and a maximum clock frequency of 4.2 GHz with a configurable TDP of just 35 W. The devices also integrate a range of features geared towards AI and IoT systems, including: 1. Intel Advanced Vector Extensions 2 provides optimized instructions for floating-point computations, as well 256-bit integer instructions for fusedmultiply add (FMA) operations. These types of arithmetic are essential for the efficient, precision execution of AI and machine learning algorithms. 2. Support for up to 64 GB of 2133 MHz DDR4 memory, which is essential for AI inferencing because of the wide vector units used by CPUs for advanced arithmetic such as those mentioned above. 3. Security technologies like Intel Protection Technology (IPT), Intel AES-NI, Intel Memory Protection Extensions (MPX), and others help defend the boot sequence, sensitive data, and memory regions from network-borne attacks and software vulnerabilities. In an IoT system context, they also accelerate cryptographic workloads to free resources on the main CPU and offer a unique, unalterable identity that can be used in remote authentication. 4. Intel vPro delivers both virtualization and remote management capabilities; Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT-x) can help partition multicore devices so that certain cores hosting enterprise functionality can be updated with new software, like enterprise continuous delivery models. All of this can be done while remaining isolated from other real-time functions of the system. vPro also includes provisions for remote management so that devices can be monitored, upgraded, or repaired securely over the air or wire.

Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide |

13


Application Feature These processors are supported on COM Express Type 2 modules like the ADLINK Technology Express-SL2/KL2. (Figure 1.) Bridging legacy and opportunity with COM Express With 10-year life cycle support from ADLINK and 15 years of support on Intel embedded CPUs, the Express-SL2/KL2 presents a viable option for migrating legacy equipment into the age of AIoT systems. Most notably, the COM Express Type 2 module hosts a VGA, PATA IDE, and PCIcompatible pinout that allows it to interface with a range of systems already well into their deployment life cycle. They are also natively compatible with operating systems such as Windows 7, Windows Embedded Standard 7, Windows 8.1, and Embedded Linux. So rather than re-integrating a new carrier board, compute module, and software, existing systems based on the popular COM Express Type 2 specification can take advantage of modern processors’ AI and IoT capabilities by simply dropping in an Express-SL2/KL2 processor module. (Figure 2.) For engineering teams embarking on a new system design, the benefits of the COM Express architecture are obvious. The popularity of the standard and the modularity of the architecture provides a straightforward migration path that can sustain and modernize a product for decades. But for legacy systems based on integrated architectures, on the other hand, a retrofit may be in order. The aforementioned support for legacy I/O and software on platforms like the Express-SL2/KL2 is a possibility in these situations. ADLINK design servers can assist with BIOS modification, hardware migration, and even testing to support retrofit projects. While the NRE investment is higher in the short term, the ability to reuse technology and prolong machinery with modernized processor complex easily offsets those costs.

Figure 1 | The ADLINK Technology Express-SL2/KL2 COM Express Type 2 module provides an upgrade path from the recently discontinued 3rd-generation Intel Core processors to more modern 7th-generation devices (Source: ADLINK Technology).

Engineers looking to add groundbreaking AI performance to Express-SL2/ KL2-based designs can use the Intel OpenVINO toolkit to develop precision AI inferencing algorithms that run on the integrated graphics cores of the host 6thand 7th-generation Core processors. For designs that require even more ML performance, discrete AI accelerators like the Movidius X VPU can be outfitted on a companion carrier board. These extremely low-power hardware accelerators for neural network inferencing workloads integrate specialized visionprocessing cores that can be used to augment the AI performance of a host processor or provide AI compute capabilities to COM Express designs that don’t include an AI-compatible host.

THE

The McHale Report, by mil-embedded.com Editorial Director John McHale, covers technology and procurement trends in the defense electronics community.

ARCHIVED MCHALE REPORTS AVAILABLE AT: WWW.MIL-EMBEDDED.COM/MCHALE-REPORT

14

| Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

Once again, with the accelerator housed on the carrier board, engineers are left with more options and more flexibility for the future. In addition to 6th- and 7th-generation Core processors, the Express-SL2/KL2 supports Intel Xeon processors and Intel Celeron devices. Along with 0 ºC to 60 ºC/-40 ºC to +85 ºC operating temperature range options, this breadth of processor support provides Express-SL2 and -KL2 systems with a sliding scale of performance and power consumption to meet the requirements of most automation, health care, and test systems. www.picmg.mil-embedded.com


Streamlining digital transition With the ability to upgrade product offerings while keeping previous hardware and software investments intact, solutions like ADLINK’s Express-SL2/ KL2 module can thrust systems into the domain of connected intelligence. In the health care industry, for example, OEMs are leveraging the devices to upgrade ultrasound, X-ray, and endoscopy machines that benefit from the improved graphics and video encode/decode performance that current-generation Intel processors deliver in 3D imaging applications. In the automation sector, enhanced multicore performance and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces on the Express-SL2/ KL2 are empowering Industry 4.0 designs, enabling enterprise and operational applications on the same hardware as well as immediate access to IP networks. Test and measurement systems are using the platform to add more and more performance for increasingly complex simulations.

Figure 2 | The Express-SL2/KL2’s Type 2 pinout supports legacy interfaces like PCI, PATA IDE, and VGA, allowing existing systems to migrate to modern day performance by simply swapping out compute modules (Source: ADLINK Technology).

As next-generation compute, memory, and networking technologies are integrated into advanced SoCs, future COM Express technologies will help designers in these industries continue to maximize their IP. Brandon Lewis is the editor-in-chief of Embedded Computing Design, an OSM publication.

MISSION-CRITICAL SOLUTIONS DELIVER YOUR RUGGED SYSTEM WITH PCI EXPRESS Mini Cards – COTS OR CUSTOM

1553 ARINC429 CanBus Serial

RS-422 User FPGA Avionics I/O A/D D/A

Thermocouple Synchro/Resolver LVTTL User FPGA Custom

Alphi is certified to AS9100D with ISO9001:2015

Designed and manufactured in the USA. | 480.838.2428 | www.AlphiTech.com | sales@alphitech.com www.picmg.mil-embedded.com

Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide |

15


PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers’ Group (PICMG) Consortium Info

Thousands of PICMG-compliant products, ranging from components and subsystems to complete applicationready systems, are commercially available, representing more than $5 billion yearly in global revenue.

PICMG is a nonprofit consortium of companies and organizations that collaboratively develop open standards for high-performance telecommunications, military, industrial, and general-purpose embedded computing applications. Founded in 1994, the group has more than 250 member companies that specialize in a wide range of technical disciplines, including mechanical and thermal design, singleboard computer design, very-high-speed signaling design and analysis, networking expertise, backplane and packaging design, power management, high-availability software, and comprehensive system management. Key standards families developed by PICMG include CompactPCI, AdvancedTCA, MicroTCA, AdvancedMC, CompactPCI Serial, COM Express, SHB Express, and HPM (Hardware Platform Management). In its more than two decades of operation, PICMG has published over 50 specifications developed by participants from hundreds of companies. Work on standards across a wide range of markets, applications, and technologies continues as the boundaries of datacom, telecom, military and aerospace, industrial, man/machine interface applications, and deeply embedded computing continue to blur. Equipment built to PICMG standards is used worldwide, with any company allowed to build or use equipment without restriction (although certain technologies used for some military applications may be subject to U.S. export restrictions governed by ITAR rules). A rigorous intellectual property (IP) policy ensures early discovery of any memberowned IP; moreover, all members must agree to “reasonable and non-discriminatory” (RAND) licensing of any IP written into a standard. To date, no PICMG standard requires any license or royalty to build or operate. PICMG adheres to a formal, multistep development process. Development work can be periodically be reviewed by all member companies, although work inside of a technical subcommittee is confidential to the members of that committee until that work

16

| Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

is ready for broader review by other members. Until a specification or standards-related document is ratified by the entire membership, it is confidential to PICMG. After ratification, all documents are available to the general public. Why use PICMG standards? PICMG standards – because the organization has such a large number of contributing companies – reflect the extremely wide and deep technical capabilities of its members. By using well-understood and proven open standards, vendors can bring products to market quickly. Customers gain from the price and performance competition that results from many vendors operating in an open marketplace. Thousands of PICMG standards-compliant products – ranging from components and subsystems to complete applicationready systems – are commercially available, representing more than $5 billion per year in global revenue. To Learn More To learn more about the PICMG organization and membership, please visit www.picmg.org/membership/ or email info@picmg.org. www.picmg.mil-embedded.com


OPEN MODULAR COMPUTING STANDARDS There are nine distinct “families” of PICMG standards. Many have subsidiary specifications that are designed to add additional capability. Please visit www.picmg.org/openstandards/ to learn more about each one. › Advanced TCA: This high-performance modular standard, also called ATCA, was developed for critical central-office telecommunications applications and is also used for a wide range of commercial and military applications. It offers a complete management infrastructure so that high-availability systems with “six nines” reliability can be deployed. › CompactPCI: A modular general-purpose computing system based on 3U and 6U Eurocard mechanical standards, it features hot-swap capability and can be either convection- or conduction-cooled. With hundreds of thousands of installations worldwide, this popular architecture is one of the most successful and popular standards in use today. › COM Express: This small-form-factor (SFF) standard is designed for deeply embedded applications where space is at a premium but high performance is required. COM Express boards can be used as standalones or plugged onto an application-specific baseboard with I/O expansion. › MicroTCA: Often called “AdvancedTCA’s little brother,” MicroTCA is a modular platform for building smaller and less-expensive systems that AdvancedTCA while retaining the high-availability architecture of AdvancedTCA. MicroTCA systems use AMC modules as their basic computing and I/O building blocks. › Advanced MC: This standard defines a family of small, hot-swappable, and fully managed mezzanine cards that can be used to tailor I/O for large AdvancedTCA systems or used as the basis for building MicroTCA systems. They are commonly called “AMCs.” › CompactPCI Serial: This relatively new standard uses CompactPCI’s mechanical structure but updates the system interconnects to include PCI Express, Ethernet, SATA, and USB. It offers 20 to 40 times the backplane bandwidth of CompactPCI and is ideal for new applications or upgrades to older systems. › SHB Express: This upgrade to the PCI-ISA standard replaces parallel PCI interconnects with serial PCI Express lanes, improving performance and increasing compute power. A passive backplane is used, and standard desktop PCI Express cards can be used for I/O customization. › Hardware Platform Management: Also known as “HPM,” this software standard defines how to build fully managed, high-availability AdvancedTCA or MicroTCA systems. It is the first, and currently the only, open standard for system management. › PCI-ISA: PICMG’s first open standard, PCI-ISA is used to build rugged, reliable, and maintainable computers that are designed to replace desktop PCs in industrial-control communications or data-acquisition applications. The PCI-ISA standard moves all of the active circuitry normally found on a motherboard to an easily replaceable and upgradable plug-in card. While standard PC cards plug into other slots to customize a system, a PCI-ISA system uses a passive backplane consisting of connectors with no active components. www.picmg.mil-embedded.com

Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide |

17


STANDARDS RECENTLY RELEASED OR CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT › COM-HPC: The new COM specification is in parallel to existing COM Express efforts. The new specification is expected to support two different module types: one for high-performance computing, the other for embedded computing. The specification targets medium- to high-performance server-class processors. › IoT Specification: PICMG is working with members and advisory board industry leaders to develop the elements for an IIoT specification. The effort centers around developing a meta-data model based on the DMTF’s RedFish API. › cPCI Serial for Space: cPCI Serial for Space provides a highly ruggedized implementation for space applications. It is intended to be used in space, e.g. onboard satellites as the platform system and the payload controller as well as on Earth for the control systems and ground stations. Regular CompactPCI Serial products can be combined with cPCI Serial for Space products to develop test and simulation systems. › High-Speed Ethernet Fabrics for MicroTCA and AMC.2: This effort developed requirements that incorporate 10GBASE-KX4, 10GBASE-KR and 40GBASE-KR4 to the Common Option (ports 0 and 1), Fat Pipes (ports 4-7), and Extended Pipes (8-11) as defined in AMC.2 and used there and in all variants of MicroTCA. › 100G Ethernet for AdvancedTCA: Driven by the need for higher bandwidth in mobility, video and security, this effort provided capacity improvement to the ATCA platform by incorporating 100 Gb backplane Ethernet. Backward compatibility has been maintained. The effort has been ratified. › IPv6 for AdvancedTCA: IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, so more than 3.4 times ten-to-the-thirty-eighth power devices can be directly addressed. This new feature was released as an Engineering Change Notice to the current revision of ATCA, Revision 3.0 The effort has been ratified.

› COM Express: This popular standard continues to be updated as improvements and changes to silicon continue. Released in March of 2017, Revision 3.0 among other things provides for a new Type 7 connector and the addition of up to four 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) interfaces on the board. › Physics Activities: The Physics community that developed ATCA 3.8 RTM extension and MTCA.4 with µRTM issued a set of new hardware extensions called MTCA.4.1. The first completed systems are now operational in the injector section of the new XFEL accelerator at DESY and several other laboratories are adopting the solution. In addition, four software guidelines which have been under development for several years have been finalized; these include Standard Device Model, Standard Hardware API, Standard Hot-Plug Procedure and Standard Process Model.

OpenSystems Media works with industry leaders to develop and publish content that educates our readers. HPEC Data Logging: 4.4 gigabyte/second data logging for Level 5 autonomous driving By Eurotech Enabling Level 5 autonomy (full automation) in automotive, defense, and other industries requires collecting, storing, and processing data at an unprecedented degree. In automotive automation, a huge number of vehicle sensors – including high-definition cameras and LIDARs – generate a massive, continuous flow of data that must be handled in real time, right in the vehicle. In this white paper, discover the devices that can handle the exceptional requirements of truly autonomous driving: extreme performance, very high data capacity, ruggedness, automotive-grade power supply, applicationspecific certification, and compact size. Read the white paper – https://bit.ly/2VzfUnl Get more white papers – http://picmg.mil-embedded.com/white-papers/

18

| Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

Check out our white papers at www.picmg.mil-embedded.com/ white-papers/ www.picmg.mil-embedded.com


20foPr free admission 2erw e-code You

Nürnberg, Germany

February 25 – 27, 2020

DISCOVER INNOVATIONS Over 1,000 companies and more than 30,000 visitors from 84 countries – this is where the embedded community comes together. Don’t miss out! Get your free ticket today!

Your e-code for free admission: 2ew20P

embedded-world.de/voucher @embedded_world

#ew20 #futurestartshere

Exhibition organizer

Media partners

cher

rld.de / vou

-wo embedded

NürnbergMesse GmbH T +49 9 11 86 06-49 12 visitorservice@nuernbergmesse.de Conference organizer Fachmedium der Automatisierungstechnik

WEKA FACHMEDIEN GmbH T +49 89 2 55 56-13 49 info@embedded-world.eu


PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers’ Group (PICMG) Consortium Info

THE VALUE OF OPEN STANDARDS What makes PICMG a leading standards organization? PICMG has more than 250 member companies, all of which combine to bring an extremely wide and deep talent base to the table. Unlike some other consortia, PICMG is not controlled by one or a few companies: It is governed by the Executive Members that work together to ratify processes and procedures, elect officers, and approve budgets. PICMG maintains a “one company-one vote” policy, which means that no single company can dominate the standards-development process. Over the last several decades, open standards have become increasingly important for a wide range of embedded and specialized computer applications, both big and small. While the definition of “open standard” can vary, for the embedded computer world it usually means a succinct definition of everything a vendor needs to know to build equipment and write software that will work with compatible products offered by other vendors. In an organization like PICMG, all players, whether large or small, can take an important role. Participants have access to thought leaders in areas they or their company may lack expertise. They also can meet experts in a wide range of engineering disciplines. PICMG also has an outstanding intellectual property (IP) policy that ensures that members must submit IP declarations throughout the standards-development process, where they can be accepted for use or rejected. To date, no PICMG standard or specification has required any user licenses or royalties. Moreover, anyone can build equipment in accordance with or use PICMG standards whether they are members or not. PICMG is truly an open organization. Dues are low: In fact, the cost of a yearly Executive membership has not changed in 20 years. To Learn More To learn more about the PICMG organization and membership, please visit www.picmg.org/membership/ or email info@picmg.org.

JOINING PICMG Why join PICMG? By joining an organization like PICMG, anyone can play an important role. Participants have access to thought leaders in areas they or their company may lack expertise. They come to know experts in a wide range of engineering disciplines. The groups that develop these open standards do so because they are interested in getting something done in a finite amount of time; whenever possible, bureaucracy and politics are kept to a minimum. Members of these development groups have a common goal: To create standards that are widely used and that each company involved can make money from. Companies can specialize in their areas of expertise without needing to be good at everything. In addition to technical collaboration, business collaborations often evolve in a symbiotic way. Companies that participate in standards development also have a very important advantage: They are already up to speed when the standard is released and can thus be first to market with compliant and leading-edge products. In its 20-plus years of operation, PICMG has published almost 50 open industry specifications that encompass nine basic standards families developed by participants from hundreds of companies. The Consortium plans to continue its work across a wide range of technologies. Member companies of PICMG have some big plans for the next decade, as designers in the data communications, telecommunications, industrial, and military/aerospace arenas embed technology ever more deeply into specialized and everyday products. To Learn More To learn more about the PICMG organization and membership, please visit www.picmg.org/membership/ or email info@picmg.org.

20

| Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

www.picmg.mil-embedded.com


LIST OF PICMG EXECUTIVE MEMBERS ADLINK Technology Inc. www.adlinktech.com

MEN Mikro Elektronik GmbH www.menmicro.com

Advantech Co., LTD www.advantech.com

MSC Technologies GmbH www.msc-technologies.eu

Airbus Defence & Space www.airbusdefenceandspace.com

N.A.T. GmbH www.nateurope.com

American Megatrends International ami.com

National Instruments www.ni.com

Amphenol www.amphenol.com

New H3C Group www.h3c.com

BAE Systems www.baesystems.com

North Atlantic Industries www.naii.com

Bielefeld University cit-ec.de/en/ks

nVent, Schroff schroff.nvent.com

congatec AG www.congatec.com

OpenSystems Media www.opensysmedia.com

DESY www.desy.de

PICMG Systems & Technology picmg.mil-embedded.com

EKF Elektronik www.ekf.com

Pixus Technologies Inc. www.pixustechnologies.com

Elma Electronic Inc. www.elma.com

Polyrack Electronic-Aufbausysteme GmbH www.polyrack.com

European Spallation Source ERIC www.europeanspallationsource.se

Portwell, Inc. www.portwell.com

Eurotech S.p.A. www.eurotech.com

RTD Embedded Technologies, Inc. www.rtd.com

Extreme Engineering Solutions www.xes-inc.com

Samtec www.samtec.com

General Micro Systems Inc. www.gms4sbc.com

Sanritz Automation Co., Ltd. www.sanritz.co/jp

HEITEC AG www.heitec.de

SECO SpA www.seco.it

IN2P3-CNRS www.in2p3.fr

Simonson Technology Services www.simonsontech.net

Institute of High Energy Physics http://english.ihep.cas.cn

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory www6.slac.stanford.edu

Intel Corporation www.intel.com

Southco Inc. www.southco.com

Keysight Technologies www.keysight.com

TE Connectivity www.te.com

Kontron www.kontron.com

Trenz Electronic trenz-electronic.de/en

Lodz University of Technology dmcs.pl/en/home

VadaTech Inc. www.vadatech.com

Meinberg Funkuhren GmbH & Co. KG www.meinberg.de

Yamaichi Electronics www.yamaichi.com

Listings are subject to change

www.picmg.mil-embedded.com

Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide |

21


PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

Communications & Networking

Industrial Automation & Control

Alphi Technology Corporation

Hartmann Electronic LMH0000900 Serial Chassis Platform

PCIe-Mini-CAN-FD

The PCIe-Mini-CAN-FD is a PCI Express Mini board with an integrated CAN FD transceiver delivering data rates up to 8Mbps. It provides an interface between the CAN bus and the system processor, supporting both classical CAN and CAN FD. The board provides CAN FD transceiver differential transmit receive capability from the bus. It also supports local wake up (LWU) and bus wake up (WUP). The PCIe-Mini-CAN-FD includes many protection features, including failsafe mode, internal dominant state timeout, wide bus operating range and a timeout watchdog. Size: 30mm x 50.95mm, Operating temperatures: 0C to +70C (commercial); -40C to +85C (industrial).

The 4U 84HP CompactPCI® Serial Chassis from Hartmann Electronic ushers in the next generation of high-speed interconnects. Features include 9 slots for PCIe Gen3, 10GbaseT Ethernet, SATA/SAS and USB 3.2. This chassis comes standard with two 300W AC/DC Compact PCI serial power supplies, utilizing a synchronous operation. Three powerful fans ensure efficient cooling and easy maintainance access thanks to mounting ponts on a telescoping fan drawer. Other standard systems for CompactPCI® and Serial are available in 34, 42, 50, and 84 HP variants with multiple configurations available. As a leader in high-speed backplane and chassis technology, Hartmann Electronic offers a wide range of backplane and chassis options with a focus on customization and influence in the defense, railway, measurement and industry market.

www.alphitech.com/doc/PCIe-Mini-CAN-FD.pdf

www.hartmann-electronic.com

Communications & Networking

Military & Aerospace

SECO

Advanced Micro Peripherals

COMe-C42-BT7

The COMe-C42-BT7 is a COM Express™ Rel 3.0 Basic Type 7 module designed by SECO, based on the AMD EPYC™ Embedded 3000 Series of SoCs. The COMe-C42-BT7’s improvements in networking, connectivity (4x 10GBASE-KR interfaces, 1x GbE port with NC-SI, 4x USB 3.1, 24x PCI-e Gen 3 lanes) and memory (up to 128 GB of DDR4-2666 memory with ECC on four DDR4 SO-DIMM slots) combine scalable offerings with outstanding performance, providing a new high-level operating solution. Also available in industrial temperature range, the COMe-C42-BT7 is well suited for contexts such as Server and HPC, industrial automation and control, and telco. www.seco.com/us/come-c42-bt7.html

HDCorder-RGB/STANAG – CompactPCI-S RGB H.264 Video Encoder

The HDCoder-RGB/STANAG is an intelligent high definition video recording solution that accepts analog RGB HD input at up to 1080p60 and encodes it to the H.264 video encoding standard. The CompactPCI Serial module is ideal for demanding applications in surveillance, reconnaissance and mission recorders. The HDCorder-RGB/STANAG also features optional on-board redundant storage to compliment the host system storage and improve data integrity. This onboard cache acts as a rolling buffer, storing the most recently recorded data. This storage redundancy ensures no mission data is lost even when starved of host CPU attention in heavily loaded system configurations. www.amp-usa.com/products/compactpci-serial-h264-hdcorder-rgbstanag/

COMING IN SPRING 2020 INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS MARKET TRENDS STANDARDS UPDATES 22

| Winter 2019 | PICMG Systems & Technology Application Guide

THE SPRING 2020 PICMG SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE GUIDE COVERS PRODUCTS IN MARKETS INCLUDING INDUSTRIAL, TELECOM, MEDICAL, AND MILITARY/EXTREME ENVIRONMENT. www.picmg.mil-embedded.com


OpenSystems Media works with industry leaders to develop and publish content that educates our readers.

Check out our white papers. http://whitepapers.opensystemsmedia.com/

Most popular topics: Managing SWaP COM Express MIL-STD-1553 Cockpit Display Systems Thermal Management Shock and Vibration Testing Radar Software Defined Radio

FPGAs COTS VPX UAVs PICMG Counterfeit parts Data Security



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.