Chatsworth, Calif., 27 July 2006. Aitech Defense Systems Inc., a developer and manufacturer of board and subsystem level products for harsh environment defense, aerospace, and space applications, has introduced a full ATR short VME chassis. Lightweight and compact, it is capable of withstanding a variety of harsh mechanical, climatic, chemical, and environmental situations.
The environmentally sealed and EMI/RFI-protected E116 chassis is well suited for mobile military applications, such as glass cockpit avionics computers, mission computers, weapons control, and data handling/data management subsystems.
The E116 accommodates six standard ANSI/IEEE1101.2 conduction-cooled, VME64x VMEbus boards with a 0.8-inch pitch, as well as commercial VMEbus boards. The VMEbus backplane is offered in a user-customizable Wire-Wrap configuration or pre-wired per customer specification, providing exceptional and highly cost-effective flexibility. The conduction-cooled VMEbus boards are sealed in an EMI/EMC-proof Faraday cage and the chassis is externally fan/forced air-cooled.
Input power isolation is via an integral, sealed line filter providing compliance to MIL-STD-461. Continuous high current and high efficiency operation is provided via a removable and modular P221 power supply that can be easily replaced to avoid downtime during maintenance. Dissipating over 215 W at 55°C (131°F), the E116 can accommodate a wide variety of standard MIL-STD-704A and -704D vehicle power from 28 VDC to 115 VAC and 40 Hz to 400 Hz input voltages.
The new E116 is constructed of CNC-machined 6061-T6 aluminum and features stainless-steel fasteners and corrosion-resistant, hard anodizing or custom paint finishes. Internal surfaces are chemical conversion coated for corrosion and galling resistance as well as high electrical conductivity. The internal backplane and other PCBs are conformally coated. The side and back walls of the E116 are forced air fan-cooled by an integral fan unit to provide the appropriate heat dissipation without needing additional external forced air or base plate cooling.
For easy access, the flexible front panel houses all of the chassis' connectors, which conform to military standards. One connector serves as the input power source, and the rest are for user-defined I/O. In addition, the front panel can be equipped with an optional I/O transition PWB suitable for the signal integrity of specific and noise-sensitive I/O signals, and per any EMI/RFI requirements, including high energy spikes and lightning protection.
The maximum external dimensions of the E116 are 11x12.52x7.62 inches (279 mm x 318 mm x 194 mm). The E116 weighs only 17.5 lbs (7.9 kg) and can operate in temperatures from -55°C to +71°C (-67°F to 160°F) dissipating up to 200W while maintaining an 85°C (185°F) card edge.
The E116 is also available as a commercial integrated development system to provide an easier transition between development and deployment.
OEM pricing for the E116 chassis starts at $14,760. Delivery is from stock to 12-16 weeks ARO for customized versions.
