Packaging components ease design of VME 64 Extension and Compact PCI systems

Designers implementing VME 64 Extension and Compact PCI systems now have a complete family of parts to build computers with Eurocard-based backplanes. The parts provide enhanced shielding and insertion force characteristics.

The electronic industry's adoption of the IEEE 1101.10 standard for VME 64 Extension and Compact PCI-based computer systems is being implemented by Electronic Solutions (San Diego). The packaging systems manufacturer has introduced a comprehensive family of systems packaging components, called Dot-Ten, that meets the IEEE 1101.10 requirements.

The Dot-Ten family will include shielded front panels, subrack assemblies, card guides and mounting rails, air management boards, ESD hardware, and programming keys. To complement the mechanical components, the company offers a full range of CompactPCI and VME 64 Extension backplanes.

The Dot-Ten family of systems packaging components meets the IEEE 1101.10
standard that supports VME 64 Extension and Compact PCI computer systems.

Approved in 1996, the IEEE 1101.10 standard provides a high-speed bus architecture for board-level computers using VME 64 Extension and Compact PCI backplanes that is based on the Eurocard form factor. This popular mechanical standard offers multi-vendor availability, interchangeability, and reduced cost of parts. IEEE 1101.10 is the latest in a family of standards governing Eurocard-based bus architectures–including VME, Multibus II, VXI, and other proprietary designs.

Several enhancements are incorporated into the Dot-Ten product family to meet IEEE 1101.10. One is improved shielding of the system subrack assemblies. To this end, the company provides gasket mounting strips in various configurations to shield the front panels as well as the card guide mounting rails.

Another enhancement is a new injector/extractor handle that overcomes the high insertion and extraction forces present in the high pin-count VME64 Extension and PCI connectors. Features of the handle include an alignment pin, a latching mechanism, and provisions for programming keys.

The programming keys, which are inserted into the injector/extractor handle bracket, ensure that the correct board is plugged into the appropriate card slot in the backplane. The keying system, as defined in the IEEE standard, allows up to 4,096 programming possibilities per slot.

The air management board is a shielded panel that helps maintain the system's airflow profile by replacing the board that is missing from a slot. The board restricts airflow through the empty slot and directs the air through the other occupied slots.

Electronic Solutions offers the Dot-Ten family of parts individually or packaged together in a choice of kit and panel configurations. The component kits, panel kits, and panel assemblies come in 3U, 6U, and 9U heights and 4HP, 8HP, and 12HP widths.

For more information, contact the Applications Engineering Department of Electronic Solutions at 800-854-7086, e-mail , or visit http://www.zerocorp.com/elsol.