Selecting an electronic enclosure for developing a high-end computing product (e.g., for some sort of rack-mount form factor) can be tricky. You obviously want direct access to installed boards — such as front-loaded and rear-loaded I/O boards — to test and debut them by probing voltages and signals. To do this requires the use of extender cards on some type of chassis, which usually results in signal distortion and degrades overall board performance. However, some enclosures created specifically for developers have removable side covers, giving you full access to the component side of installed boards without using extender cards. The best of these general-purpose system development platforms can be used for board-level, software and even production testing. They cut engineering time for getting electronic products to market and allow engineers to fully concentrate on product development and system integration.

 

Recently, Elma Electronic of Fremont, California, a global maker of electronic packaging products, announced a new open frame chassis for test/debugging. The unit has no side or back walls around the card cage area, leaving it open for easy access.

 

The Elma E-frame was designed with the high (and flexible) power and cooling requirements for VPX (VITA 46/48) systems. However, any 3U (5.25-inch) or 6U (10.5-inch) backplanes can be used. This includes VME/64x, VXS, CompactPCI (News - Alert), and other backplane architectures. The Type 39E Portable Tower also has a convenient carrying handle.

 

With its rugged modular aluminum construction, the E-frame tower can support up to 21 slots at .8-inch or 17 slots at a 1-inch pitch. There are front-accessible test points and monitoring LEDs for all VME, VPX, VXS, and cPCI voltages. This includes +3.3V, +/-5V, +/- 12V, +/- 24V, and +/- 48VDC. The E-frame features high performance cooling with 3 x 150 CFM fans under the card cage. The fans are speed controlled with fan fail indication. A system monitor with remote monitoring via Ethernet capability is optional.

The black-coated powder coated finish of the E-frame enhances aesthetics. Other features include a Rear A/C PEM (Power Entry Module) with fuses, GND Stud, and front-situated ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) jacks. The unit also offers full RTM (Rear Transition Module) support.