SAN DIEGO, CA – December 23, 2010 — Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing (CWCEC), a business group of Curtiss-Wright Controls and a leading designer and manufacturer of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) VME, OpenVPX™and CompactPCI products for the rugged deployed aerospace and defense market, has announced the availability of an enhanced version of their popular VPX3-1252 Intel® Core™2 Duo processor-based 3U VPX single board computer (SBC). The updated SBC now features an increased memory option, with onboard SDRAM up to 8GB now supported. CWCEC also announced a new SERDES version of the high performance, small form factor rugged SBC.
The VPX3-1252 is a member of CWCEC’s family of high performance Intel® Core™2 Duo processor-based VPX single board computers (SBCs). This fully featured 3U SBC is designed for harsh-environment air- and conduction-cooled aerospace and defense applications, and delivers 2.26 GHz performance from each of its dual cores, providing advanced Intel Architecture processing in a lightweight, compact configuration ideal for space, weight and power (SWaP) constrained applications. With a wide complement of on-board I/O, PCI express fabric, and XMC expansion, the VPX3-1252 satisfies the most demanding fielded applications from unmanned aerial and ground vehicles, tactical aircraft, and armored vehicles to rugged naval systems.
“We expanded the VPX3-1252’s on-board memory option to 8GB in response to customer demand, specifically for those customers using the board in a Virtual Machine application. Virtual Machines, with their multiple OS simply require more memory in order to perform affectively,” said Lynn Bamford, vice president and general manager of Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing. “In addition to SWaP-constrained applications, such as deployed Network-Centric communications, Vehicle Management and Graphics/Video display systems, this rugged Intel® Architecture 3U VPX card now supports Virtual Machine requirements.”
The enhanced VPX3-1252 also supports the increasingly popular SERDES interface on each of its two Gigabit Ethernet ports. SERDES interfaces provide the same full-speed Ethernet connectivity on half the number of backplane signals, and also increase system reliability by eliminating bulky Ethernet magnetics. When paired with the company’s VPX3-683 24-port Ethernet Router, SERDES interfaces allow system designers to double the networking density of VPX3-1252 equipped systems.
The VPX3-1252 combines high performance, low power, and advanced I/O capabilities to provide a highly capable processing platform that addresses a wide range of embedded applications. Occupying a single standard 3U 0.8″ slot, the board may be used for upgrading existing CompactPCI (cPCI) systems in the same footprint.
Available in a full range of environmental build grades, the VPX3-1252 is designed for high density computing applications that require the greatest amount of functionality in the smallest standard form factor.
Expanded Memory Options
The VPX3-1252 is now available in 4GB and 8GB configurations of high-bandwidth DDR3 SDRAM. It also features a rich complement of high-speed I/O, including dual Gigabit Ethernet, three (3) USB 2.0 ports, and an XMC site supported with eight (8) lanes of PCI Express (PCIe).
The VPX3-1252’s Intel® Core™2 Duo processor SP9300 delivers significantly enhanced energy-efficient performance, making it an ideal x86 platform for space, weight and power (SWaP)-limited aerospace and defense applications. This Intel® Core™2 Duo processor integrates two complete execution cores in one physical package, providing advancements in simultaneous computing for multi-threaded applications and multi-tasking environments. Intel’s hafnium-based 45nm Hi-k silicon process technology enables even more processor performance by doubling transistor density and increasing cache size by up to 50 percent.
The board’s integral high-speed Gigabit Ethernet, PCI express (PCIe) Fabric and XMC mezzanine module connectivity enables high bandwidth data flows. Data can also flow from the VPX backplane to the XMC site to support demanding high bandwidth applications such as the acquisition, processing and distribution of video, radar, and sonar sensor data.
VPX3-1252 Performance Features
- Powerful general purpose VPX single board computer
- Intel® Core™2 Duo processor SP9300
- 2.26 GHz
- 6 MB L2 Cache
- 4 or 8GB DDR SDRAM
- 1066 MHz FSB
- XMC site
- PCIe Fabric
- SERDES Ethernet backplane option
- VPX (VITA 46) and VPX-REDI (VITA 48) configurations available
- Air- and conduction-cooled versions available
The Intel® Core™2 Duo processor SP9300 is validated with the Mobile Intel® GS45 Express chipset, providing excellent processor and graphics performance, storage speed and reliability, and up to 4GB of 1066MHz DDR3 system memory. This platform provides graphics core performance up to 533 MHz and is ideal for a broad range of embedded applications such as interactive clients, embedded platforms and industrial automation equipment.
The Intel® Core™2 Duo processor SP9300 and its Mobile Intel® GS45 Express Chipset deliver powerful performance enhancements for Curtiss-Wright Controls’ x86-based single board computer customers.
Software Support
Curtiss-Wright Controls’ Continuum Software Architecture (CSA) firmware provides a comprehensive suite of system debug, update functions, BIT, and non-volatile memory sanitization functions.
Operating system support for the VPX3-1252 includes VxWorks 6.x BSP, Driver Suite supporting Workbench 3.x IDE, Wind River Linux 3.0, Windows XP Embedded, and LynxOS SE 6.0. Other operating system support is under development and announcements will be made as they become available.
For pricing information on the VPX3-1252 please contact the factory.
About Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing
Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing is the industry’s most comprehensive and experienced single source for embedded solutions, ranging from Processing, Subsystems, Data Communication, DSP, and Video & Graphics to the most advanced board level components and fully integrated custom systems. The Embedded Computing group serves the defense, aerospace, commercial and industrial markets and is part of Curtiss-Wright Controls Inc.
About Curtiss-Wright Controls, Inc.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Curtiss-Wright Controls is the motion control segment of Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE: CW). With manufacturing facilities around the world, Curtiss-Wright Controls is a leading technology-based organization providing niche motion control products, subsystems and services internationally for the aerospace and defense markets. For more information, visithttp://www.cwcontrols.com/.
