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Development system provides easy way of evaluating MicroTCA technology

14th May 2007

Schroff UK Ltd

ES Admin

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Schroff UK has launched a new development system designed to provide engineers with a quick and easy way of evaluating MicroTCA technology. The MicroTCA specification, which allows AdvancedMC modules to be plugged directly into a backplane without the need for a carrier, is rapidly emerging as a key architecture for telecoms network systems and is also attracting other market sectors such as industrial automation, image processing, medical equipment and defence technology.

Schroff’s MicroTCA development system is available in a choice of two sizes – a 6U version with a single-module card cage and an 8U version with a double-module card cage, which can also accommodate single modules using a splitter kit.

Housed in Schroff’s popular ratiopacPRO desktop case, each development system includes a 200mm-deep card cage with plastic card guides, built-in active cooling using hot-swappable fan modules, and a MicroTCA backplane.

The card guides can be placed anywhere on the 1HP (5.08mm) grid of card cage, ensuring that different sizes of AdvancedMC modules can be assembled together within the same unit. The backplane can accommodate up to ten AdvancedMC modules (eight full-size and two mid-size), as well as providing two MicroTCA carrier hub slots and two power module slots. Employing dual-star topology, the backplane also includes S-ATA/SAS direct connections between individual slots for the operation of hard-disk drives. In the bottom of each system, there is space for up to two pluggable power supplies, with outputs of +12V or +48V available via D-subminiature connectors.