GE Fanuc Embedded Systems Announces EP2A Single Board Computer For Rugged Military Applications

Demonstrating once again the company’s market-leading responsiveness to customer requirements, GE Fanuc Embedded Systems today announced the EP2A 6U VME single board computer, the latest in the EmPower family. Featuring a Freescale PowerPC MPC7448 processor and 1 Gigabyte of DDR SDRAM, the EP2A also includes the latest Marvell Discovery V integrated system controller for leading-edge performance. The EP2A is not only a highly cost-effective solution, but also offers a unique I/O set with its four fast HDLC-capable serial ports (enabled by a PowerQUICC 2 device) complementing its Gigabit Ethernet, USB and GPIO capabilities. Outstanding flexibility is achieved by the provision of two PMC sites as well as GE Fanuc’s unique AFIX (Additional Flexible Interface Xtension) card site that allows custom functionality to be added to the board at minimum cost and in minimum time.

“In today’s military embedded computing applications, a significant area of interest for customers is I/O capability,” said Richard Kirk, Product Manager at GE Fanuc Embedded Systems. “The EP2A further extends the range of single board computer I/O options available from GE Fanuc Embedded Systems, complementing the capabilities of the PowerXtreme and XtraPower families in a way that enables customers to choose a single source solution without compromising feature set requirements. The EP2A is also further evidence of our commitment to providing ongoing technology insertion opportunities, giving existing EP1A customers a straightforward path to higher levels of performance.”

Designed specifically for the rugged defense and aerospace market and applications such as mission computing and embedded communications, the EP2A offers unprecedented flexibility. Its two PMC sites and single AFIX site can be employed simultaneously without sharing I/O pins with the on-board I/O features. AFIX cards are available that support dual MIL-STD-1553B interfaces, SCSI, graphics and Flash memory modules, and customer specific versions. The fast HDLC-capable serial channels and Gigabit Ethernet ports make the EP2A highly suited to communications-oriented embedded computing applications.

Available in five air- and conduction-cooled environmental levels, the EP2A is fully supported by comprehensive Deployed Test Software (BIT and BCS) and BSPs for VxWorks from Wind River Systems, LynxOS from LynuxWorks and Integrity from Green Hills Software. First shipments are expected in 2Q07.

About GE Fanuc Embedded Systems

GE Fanuc Embedded Systems is a leading global provider of embedded computing solutions for a wide range of industries and applications. Featuring a comprehensive offering that includes Intel® and PowerPC®-based Single Board Computers, sensor processing networking products, avionics interfaces, rugged flat panel monitors and complete computer systems, GE Fanuc Embedded Systems can support the full range of embedded computing needs. GE Fanuc Embedded Systems is part of GE Fanuc, a joint venture between GE and FANUC LTD of Japan. For more information, visit www.gefanucembedded.com