V-Box-Express: Kontron's Compact Industrial PC with ETXexpress/COM Express Modules

Customize and scale by exchanging the processor module

Eching, Germany, 22 March, 2006 – With the new Kontron box PC V-Box-Express, Kontron expands its range of powerful and robust industrial PCs, designed especially for rugged use in close proximity to machinery. RoHS-compliant, equipped with a scalable ETXexpress / COM Express module and high-performance processors up to Intel® Pentium® M 2.0 GHz, and ready for dual-core technology, the new box Kontron PC V-Box-Express is optimally equipped for every task in measurement, controls, operation, and visualization. EtherCAT provides a powerful realtime communication system.

With small dimensions of (HxWxD) 270x195x232 mm, the compact box PC is used primarily where little space is available, such as in enclosures, consoles, or directly on machines. The high electromagnetic compatibility and the resistance to shock and vibration make the system ideal for use in robust environments such as the control of printing machines or in sensitive areas like medical technology. Reliable continuous operation is guaranteed up to an ambient temperature of 55o C, the industrial power supply covers brief voltage drops with 24 V DC, thus guaranteeing long-life and secure operation even in 24-hour continuous operation and under extreme system loads. Alternatively, power can also be supplied via 230 V or an external power supply.

The scalable Kontron ETXexpress module offers the highest performance, currently up to Intel Pentium 2.0 GHz, and is ready for Intel® Core™ Duo processor technology (available in Q3/2006). These dual-core processors allow critical and highly complex realtime applications to run on one computer at almost twice the performance. The new Kontron V-Box-Express has four RS232 and four USB interfaces, VGA and DVI graphics, and Ethernet 10/100 and Ethernet 100/1000; two free PCI slots and two PCI Express x1 slots are available for expansion. In addition, interface expansions are possible anytime via a customer-specific baseboard. Depending on requirements, the system can be equipped with one or two shock and vibration resistant hard drives and two CompactFlash disks or two Express cards.

EtherCAT is currently used for realtime communication between the process and field levels; the software configuration – adapted to an extremely short cycle time of 50 µs, which corresponds to a frequency of 20 kHz – is preinstalled on a Flash disk and can be integrated into the system via plug & play. To date, it is the only Industrial Ethernet solution whose master does not require a special hardware interface; rather it is lead out via the LAN interface.

Future Industrial Ethernet solutions will use netX technology from the Hilscher company, which supports all standard Ethernet protocols, such as Ethernet/IP, Ethernet Powerlink, or PROFINET RT.

The new Kontron PC V-Box-Express protects your investment through its robust, industry-grade construction, the modular and scalable ETX technology, and trend-setting realtime communication via Industrial Ethernet. Long-term availability of all relevant system components is guaranteed for a period of at least five years, for the long product lifecycles which are becoming increasingly important, particularly for OEMs in machine and plant construction.