Detailed Product Description of XYCOM XVME-979/4

I. Product Overview

XYCOM XVME-979/4 (now belonging to Acromag/Xembedded) is a 6U dual-high VMEbus full-function storage module, a high-end configuration model of the XVME-979 series, specifically designed for Xycom XVME-654, XVME-655 and other PC/AT architecture VME processors. The module integrates a CD-R/W read-write optical drive + 2.5-inch IDE hard disk + external floppy drive interface. It is a "optical recording + large-capacity fixed storage + mobile backup" three-in-one industrial-grade storage solution, suitable for industrial control, embedded measurement and control, military aviation and other harsh environments, meeting core requirements such as system booting, data recording, program burning and backup, and is the preferred model for upgrading the storage of outdated VME systems. 

II. Hardware Specifications and Configurations

(1) Physical Form and Bus Compatibility

Size Specifications: Standard 6U dual-height design, size 165mm×50mm×115mm, occupying only 1 standard VME slot, compatible with VME64, VME64x chassis.

Bus Interfaces: Follows VMEbus IEEE 1014 standard, power is taken from the backplane through P1 connector, storage signals are transmitted through P2 connector, can directly connect to XVME-65x series processors, no need for adapter modules.

Structural Process: Industrial-grade reinforced welding, core area vibration-resistant reinforcement, overall weight approximately 380g, compatible with strong-vibration industrial site installations.

(2) Core Storage Units

1. CD-R/W Read-Write Optical Drive (Front, ATAPI/EIDE interface)

Core Function: Supports CD reading and burning, compatible with CD-R, CD-RW discs, meeting requirements for program burning, data backup, and batch data exchange.

Performance Parameters: 24x speed reading and writing, supports PIO Mode 4, DMA Mode 2 transmission modes, burst transfer rate 16.6MB/s, compatible with mainstream optical disc formats such as Photo CD, VCD, Enhanced CD, CD Plus, etc.

Design Features: Front tray design, equipped with eject button, facilitating disc replacement; supports hot-swappable discs (non-module hot-swappable), compatible with on-site debugging scenarios.

2. 2.5-inch IDE Hard Disk (Board-mounted, reinforced installation)

Capacity Specifications: Standard configuration 1.3GB or 2.2GB industrial-grade hard disk, selectable from 1GB to 6GB models, compatible with different capacity requirements.

Performance Parameters: 2.2GB hard disk average access time 12ms, inter-track seek time 4ms, supports PIO/DMA transmission modes, stable reading and writing, meeting industrial data high-speed storage requirements.

Reinforced Design: Board-mounted dedicated hard disk slot, screws fixed + shock-absorbing structure, avoiding loosening or read/write failures due to vibration, compatible with strong-vibration scenarios such as vehicles, machine tools, etc.

3. Front External Floppy Drive Interface

Interface Specifications: Standard 3.5-inch, 1.44MB high-density floppy drive interface, compatible with XVME-9000-EXF type external floppy drive.

Function and Use: Small batch program backup, configuration file export, system fault emergency repair, compatible with lightweight data exchange scenarios.

(3) Power Supply and Power Consumption

Power Supply Method: VME backplane P1 connector takes power on its own + 5V, ±12V power supply, no need for external power supply, plug-and-play, simplifying wiring.

Power Consumption Parameters: Optical drive operates approximately 5W, hard drive operates approximately 6W, floppy drive operates approximately 2W; low power consumption design, reducing the heat dissipation pressure of the chassis, supporting long-term continuous operation.

(4) Front Panel Design

Front panel integrates operation and status monitoring components: optical drive tray and eject button, floppy drive interface, hard drive activity LED (flashing for reading/writing, constantly on for faults), power/fault alarm light, capable of real-time monitoring of operating status, quickly locating hardware faults, facilitating on-site maintenance. Anti-vibration / shock resistance: Working state: 5 - 500Hz, 2g vibration, 20g shock; Non-working state: 20g shock, suitable for strong vibration scenarios such as machine tools and rail transportation.

EMC performance: Compliant with IEC 61000-6-2 standard, board-mounted EMI filtering circuit, suppressing static electricity, surges and high-frequency interference, capable of stable operation near high-voltage equipment and frequency converters.

(III) Hardware reliability guarantee

Component selection: Core chips and connectors use military-grade industrial components, full-board welding process, avoiding false soldering and detachment.

MTBF: ≥ 120,000 hours, supporting 15 years of continuous operation, matching the long service cycle of industrial equipment.

Error handling: Automatic retry for read/write errors; supports transparent defect mapping, automatic re-allocation of bad sectors, no need for formatting to repair minor faults, reducing maintenance costs.

Signal integrity: Board line impedance matching, IDE/ATAPI signal transmission without attenuation, stable long-distance transmission, avoiding data packet loss.

IV. Core functions and product features

(1) Full-media integration, single-slot full functionality

6U dual-high-size integrated CD-R/W optical drive + IDE hard drive + floppy drive interface, single-slot solves three major requirements of optical recording, large-capacity storage, and mobile backup, saves chassis slots, simplifies system architecture, and reduces integration costs.

(2) Standard protocol compatibility, plug-and-play without driver

Fully compatible with PC/AT IDE, ATAPI, and floppy drive protocols, compatible with mainstream industrial systems such as MS-DOS, VxWorks, embedded Linux, and QNX, no need for dedicated drivers, access is recognized immediately, reducing the threshold for secondary development.

(3) Local boot support, strong system independence

The optical drive or hard drive can be used as the boot disk of the VME processor system, achieving local boot, without relying on the network or external storage, improving system boot stability, suitable for sites without network or unstable network.

(4) Industrial-grade reinforcement, strict environment adaptation

Wide temperature, anti-vibration, dust-proof, splash-proof design, core components are reinforced processing, suitable for harsh industrial conditions such as industrial automation, military, aviation, and rail transportation, long-term operation is stable and reliable.

(5) Long lifecycle support, preferred upgrade for existing equipment

Acromag/Xycom provides long-term spare parts and technical support, compatible with old VME equipment (numerical control machines, robots, DCS systems) for storage expansion, solving the problems of insufficient native capacity and outdated interfaces, reducing costs to extend equipment lifespan.

V. Typical application scenarios

Industrial automation: Program recording and storage for production line control systems, DCS historical data / alarm log recording, PLC replacement system data cache and backup.

Embedded measurement and control: Large-capacity cache for high-speed data acquisition systems, instrument control program storage, laboratory automation device data backup and export.

Military / aviation: Key data recording for vehicle measurement control systems, onboard ground test equipment storage unit, local boot and data storage for radar preprocessing systems.

Transportation / energy: Vehicle control program storage for rail transit, wind / solar monitoring data backup, offline data storage for smart grid monitoring devices.

Upgrade of existing equipment: Expand optical recording and large-capacity storage for old VME architecture industrial equipment, solve the problems of insufficient interfaces and insufficient capacity, reduce costs for upgrade.

VI. Compatibility instructions

(1) Compatibility processors

Direct compatibility: XVME-654, XVME-655 series VME processors, no additional configuration required.

Compatible compatibility: XVME-653, XVME-689, XVME-690 and other series processors, need to confirm the compatibility of P2 connector signals.

(2) Compatibility chassis Support all standard 6U VME chassis (VME64, VME64x), and a 1 double-height slot must be reserved. Also, complete P1 (power) and P2 (signal) connectors must be equipped.

VII. Installation and Maintenance Precautions

Before installation, the power must be disconnected. Hot swapping is strictly prohibited. Insert and push the modules gently to ensure that P1/P2 are fully engaged. Tighten the fixing screws to prevent vibration loosening.

For daily monitoring, use the LED: The hard drive light flashes for normal reading and writing, and remains on for faults; when the optical drive cannot be ejected, power off to check the mechanical structure and do not forcibly pull; do not force the pull when the optical drive cannot be ejected.

Regular maintenance: Use a cleaning disc to clean the optical drive magnetic head every 6 months to avoid read/write failures; avoid frequent forced power off of the hard drive to reduce bad sectors; regularly clean the dust on the floppy drive interface to prevent poor contact.

During long-term operation, keep the chassis ventilated, regularly clean the dust on the modules to avoid component aging and short circuits caused by high temperature or dust accumulation.

Store / transport away from strong corrosive and strong magnetic environments (strong magnetic fields may cause data loss on hard drives); take protective measures during transportation, and prevent severe collisions that may damage the circuit boards or storage components.