High-spec PC embeds on the DIN rail

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Jul 13, 2001

The new PC7 DIN-rail PC module, from Crellon Microsystems, brings 300-566MHz Intel Celeron performance to plant control and industrial automation.

The new PC7 DIN-rail PC module, from Crellon Microsystems, brings 300-566MHz Intel Celeron performance to plant control and industrial automation, plus further applications requiring a rugged, embedded, all-in-one PC.

Supply voltage range from 10 to 30V meets a wide range of standard DC supply rails including industrial, commercial, military and medical environments.

The PC7 is built by SBS Technologies and installed in a compact, EMI-protected metal housing that can be mounted on a standard industrial DIN rail.

Internal memory includes up to 256Mbyte SDRAM and an internal 2.5in IDE hard disk.

Alternatively, a 2.5in flash drive up to 350Mbyte can be specified, when shock, vibration or an extended temperature range preclude the use of a hard disk.

Further internal features include a 2-slot PC card adapter occupying a single PC/104 slot, up to three PC104+ expansion slots and an optional 3.5in floppy drive or controller for external floppy connected via a parallel port.

External interfaces include 10/100Mbit Ethernet port, CANbus interface for low cost I/O via a CAN open protocol and four serial I/O channels with RS232, RS422 and optoisolation options.

Other interfaces include VGA and LCD outputs, dual USB and a pair of IEEE 1284 parallel ports for printer or general purpose I/O.

Five further optoisolated I/O lines are provided, including two interrupt inputs to support UPS protection.

PS/2 keyboard and mouse interfaces are also included.

Further onboard features include 4Kbit serial EEPROM for nonvolatile user data, a software readable temperature sensor with 0.5C resolution from -55 to +125C, an internal speaker, user programmable status LED, a real time clock, 114byte nonvolatile CMOS RAM and a 500mAh, removable lithium battery.

Operating system support includes Windows 2000/NT/98, plus RTOSs including QNX and VXWorks.

MS-DOS support also supports continued use of established application software.

The standard operating temperature range is 0 to +50C, and can be optionally extended to operate over -40 to +50C.

The aluminium extruded housing enables optimum thermal management and ruggedness, and an optional cooling fan and removable air filter is also available.

The unit is CE approved to European standards for surge immunity, EMC immunity and EMC emission.