Aitech’s New Customizable 3U CPCI Enclosure Combines Flexible Electronic Configurations with Rugged, Reliable Operation

Aitech Defense Systems Inc., the world’s first and largest independent manufacturer of open architecture electronic boards and subsystem level products for harsh, environmentally-demanding defense and aerospace applications, now offers a customizable 2-slot 3U CompactPCI (CPCI) enclosure that provides flexible electronic configurations as well as exceptionally reliable operation.



The machined aluminum side, top and bottom walls in the new cold-plate-cooled E902 provides increased thermal and heat transfer performance as well as radiation and heavy ion shielding, making the new enclosure ideal for harsh mechanical environments with severe climactic stresses typically found in manned or unmanned spacecraft environments. Designed for spacecraft duty, the enclosure is typically able to dissipate more than 28 Watts at 71°C ambient free air with a cold-plate temperature of 55°C. Given these operating conditions, the internal temperature is held to a maximum of 85°C at the card’s thermal interfaces and edges.



The new E902 weighs less than 11 lbs with two 3U 0.8” pitch ANSI/VITA 30.1-2002 conduction-cooled CompactPCI boards and has external dimensions of only 3.63” W x 8.52” D x 4.80” H, which is only slightly larger than the 3U boards contained within the chassis. The new E902 is both lightweight and compact, saving significant size, weight and power (SWaP) as well as costs in space flight-related applications.



In addition to its bonded and fastened construction using CNC-machined aluminum, the new E902 is environmentally-sealed and EMI/RF-protected to withstand extreme altitude, temperature, moisture, shock, vibration, EMI and chemical exposure. The removable panel threaded holes feature self-locking stainless steel Heli-Coils for added protection against shock and vibration.



The enclosure features an external epoxy paint or chemical conversion coated finish for excellent corrosion resistance, both available in standard military colors with others available upon request. Internal surfaces are chemical conversion coated.



The internal CompactPCI backplane includes J1 and J2 connectors in all slots. DC input power is routed to a removable and modular 3U conduction-cooled power supply, such as the Aitech P230 or P217, via a separate screened harness to prevent radiated or conducted EMI. The power supply holds up the output power rails for a minimum of 4 milliseconds when input drops below 18 VDC to ensure memory retention. The two DC-to-DC converters, which contact the base plate directly, provide four isolated outputs protected against short circuit and over-voltage. For the radiation tolerant or hardened versions, two non-redundant power supply modules are installed for additional radiation hardness in long-duration space applications.



The E902’s customizable front panel features a power input connector with integrated EMI shielding and user-defined D-Sub connectors for spacecraft applications as well as harsh rugged and military applications.