Kvaser unveils a compact embedded board

This CAN interface board has a particularly compact footprint, thanks to an M.2 card size of 22 x 80 mm and industry-leading height of just 2 mm. Unique to the Kvaser M.2 PCIe 4xCAN is that the CAN transceivers are distributed (off-board), allowing them to be located closer to the CAN networks themselves. This layout maximises signal speed and integrity, making it ideally suited for CAN FD.

Each CAN module connects to the M.2 card using 30 cm long PCB-to-PCB cabling. The distributed CAN layout is particularly suited to systems with enclosures. As each CAN channel is individually isolated, optimal galvanic isolation can also be assured. This board’s operating temperature is within the standard industrial range of -40 to 85oC.

With a timestamp resolution of just 1 μs and a maximum message rate of 20000 msg/s per channel, plus advanced features such as silent mode, error frame detection and generation, this advanced board with distributed CAN transceivers can be integrated in a wide range of embedded systems. Examples range from motor control for mobile robots, automated driving simulation black boxes, to CAN data acquisition in medical automation, fleet management or industrial system monitoring.

“The Kvaser M.2 PCIe 4xCAN board’s exceptionally small and ultra-slim footprint is a natural progression of our PCI Express range, responding to calls from customers for off-board transceivers,” comments Martin Sventén, CEO of Kvaser AB. “Multiple boards can be combined to provide 8, 12 or more CAN channels within a very small footprint. We see some very exciting use cases for our boards in this format.”

Kvaser’s free-of-charge CANlib SDK can be used to develop software for the Kvaser M.2 PCIe 4xCAN. Programs written in CANlib, which supports Windows and Linux, are fully compatible with present and future Kvaser hardware.