Elma’s Ruggedized MicroTCA Chassis Passes MIL Tests

Elma Electronic (News - Alert) Inc. (www.elma.com), a global manufacturer of electronic packaging products, has jumped whole-heartedly into the world of the MicroTCA (News - Alert) form factor, the “little brother” of AdvancedTCA (ATCA).

Recently, for example, they’ve announced a ruggedized MicroTCA chassis designed as an ARINC 404A Full-Size ATR Long Enclosure. Although the MicroTCA.1 and MicroTCA.2 specifications for Rugged MicroTCA™ are still in draft, Elma has gone ahead and is offering the ruggedized MicroTCA ATR for early development/testing until these specifications are finalized.

The unit’s modified front panels can be secured to the chassis itself, thus providing protection against shock and vibration. Shock absorbers/dampers can also be added to the enclosure for extra protection. The chassis meets the MIL-STD-810E shock/vibration requirements and MIL-STD-461 for electromagnetic interference. The vibration and shock tests were performed according to the IEC (News - Alert) 61587 1 and VITA 47 standards in six axes (three spatial axes, with the system rotated by 180 degrees for each axis). Elma will send you a 30-page test report upon request.

The backplane holds six AMCs (AdvancedTCA (News - Alert) Mezzanine Cards), one MCH (MicroTCA Carrier Hub), and one power module. Single modules slots in the full size are standard, but other configurations are possible, thanks to the enclosure’s modular design. The compression-mount version of the signal connectors are used

Thermal management in this system is done either via convection or conduction-cooling. IT

Richard “Zippy” Grigonis is Executive Editor of TMC (News - Alert)’s IP Communications Group.

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