Needs of high end control applications

Intel processor tackles critical requirements of high speed processing, built in communications and large data storage

GE Intelligent Platforms has announced the availability of its latest and most powerful addition to the PACSystems RX3i family of CPUs. The new RX3i CPU315 is aimed at the needs of high performance control applications and is ideal for a wide range of applications where large amounts of data and application optimization are needed. Typical applications where the new CPU is useful are in Water & Wastewater, Power and Process Control.

“GE Intelligent Platforms’ PACSystems excel in demanding control applications, and the CPU315 will provide users with an even greater performance leap,” said Bill Black, Controllers Product Manager. “It is highly competitive with other processors on the market and will satistify the demands of discriminating customers.”

The PACSystems RX3i CPU315 incorporates the powerful Intel® M class 1Ghz processor to provide unprecedented speed and performance. The efficiency of the CPU315 enables applications to reduce machine cycle times and therefore improving productivity. In addition to the increased performance the CPU315 has 20Mbytes of user memory available, double what was previously available, making it able to address critical customer requirements for high speed processing and large data storage.

Key features of the PACSystems RX3i CPU315 include:

· 20 Mbytes of battery-backed user memory and 20 Mbytes of non-volatile flash user memory
· Access to bulk memory via reference table %W
· Configurable data and program memory
· Programming in Ladder Diagram, Structured Text, Function Block Diagram, and C
· Auto-located Symbolic Variables that can use any amount of user memory
· Reference table sizes include 32Kbits for discrete %I and %Q and up to 32Kwords each for analog %AI and %AQ
· Supports up to 512 program blocks. Maximum size for a block is 128KB
· Two serial ports: an RS-485 serial port and an RS-232 serial port

The PACSystems RX3i controller is part of GE’s innovative PACSystems family of programmable automation controllers (PACs). Like the rest of the family, the PACSystems RX3i features a single control engine and universal programming environment to provide application portability across multiple hardware platforms and deliver a true convergence of control choices. The PACSystems control engine provides high performance on several different platforms, allowing OEMs and end users with application variability to choose the exact control system hardware that best suits their needs - all in a single, compact and highly integrated package.