LEESBURG, VA – December 13, 2006 — Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing, a leading designer and manufacturer of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) VME, VPX and CompactPCI products, has announced the availability of conduction-cooled rugged versions of its popular CHAMP-FX digital signal processor (DSP) 6U VME64x and VITA-41 engines, making this dual-FPGA board ideal for demanding signal processing applications that require survivability in harsh environments. In addition, Curtiss-Wright has qualified the high performance IP blocks included in its CHAMPtools-FX Design Kit for use over the entire Level 200 (-40°C to 85°C) temperature range, to speed and simplify the development of systems based on the CHAMP-FX.
“The new conduction-cooled CHAMP-FX now makes this popular high performance DSP card an ideal fit throughout the full range of Mil COTS application environments,” said Lynn Patterson, Vice President and General Manager of Curtiss Wright’s Modular Solutions group. “This board continues to set the standard in the embedded defense and aerospace market for reconfigurable signal processing computing. We responded to customer demand for a conduction-cooled version of this leading design, and Level 200 versions are already shipping into critical programs.”
The dual Xilinx Virtex-II Pro™-based CHAMP-FX, previously available in a range of air-cooled configurations, can now be specified in conduction-cooled rugged versions that fully meet Curtiss-Wright’s Level 100 (-40°C to 71°C) and Level 200 ruggedization guidelines. Curtiss-Wright conduction-cooled cards are designed for use in high shock and vibration environments and are constructed with a unique advanced hybrid aluminum/copper frame, which provides mechanical stiffening while conducting heat from the electronic components to the edge of the card where it is transferred to the chassis. These conduction-cooled cards comply with the mechanical specifications controlled by the IEEE 1101.2 VME specification. For more information on the ruggedization guidelines, please visit www.cwcembedded.com/4/144/208.html.
The CHAMP-FX is supported with the CHAMPtools-FX Design Kit which speeds and eases the development of high performance DSP systems by providing reference designs and ready-to-use VHDL modules to implement memory interfaces, DMA, PCI, RocketIO and support for the Xilinx II Pro’s two internal IBM PowerPC 405 processors. The kit removes much of the risk associated with FPGA design, with modules that are designed and qualified for operation at
temperature extremes where typical off-the-shelf IP can fail to meet timing requirements. To support the new conduction-cooled CHAMP-FX, Curtiss-Wright has qualified the board’s high-performance IP blocks, including I/O logic blocks for SRAM and SDRAM memory controllers, the PCI interface, and serial controllers, for use over the entire Level 200 temperature range.
The CHAMP-FX is designed for DSP applications such as radar, sonar and signal intelligence. The computing power of the FPGAs is complemented with more than 10GB/sec of I/O capability, implemented with an array of technologies including high-speed differential serial RocketIO™, XMC/PMC sites and StarFabric interfaces. With both large DDR SDRAM and fast DDRII SRAM memory, the FPGAs have more than 8GB/sec of memory bandwidth to service memory intensive algorithms.
The CHAMP-FX may be used in stand-alone applications, or easily integrated with Curtiss-Wright’s CHAMP-AV family of PowerPC processors and StarReach I/O carriers. The entire family of Curtiss-Wright DSP engines offers StarFabric switch fabric connectivity to support high-bandwidth communications in distributed multi-processor systems.
Performance Features
Two Xilinx Virtex-II Pro Platform FPGAs (XC2VP70 – XC2VP100)
Two IBM 405 PowerPC™ processors per FPGA
512 Mbytes DDR266 SDRAM
16 Mbytes DDR II SRAM
Two PMC/XMC mezzanine sites with Processor PMC compatibility
Two independent, off-board StarFabric interfaces for system level connectivity
Four 4-bit, bi-directional RocketIO ports for low latency, high bandwidth interconnect between CHAMP-FX boards or sensors
64 Mbytes Flash for FPGA files and processor code
CHAMPtools-FX developer’s kit offers VHDL libraries, development environment, reference designs, simulation test benches, BIT routines and software libraries
Low and high temperature-qualified VHDL IP
Air-cooled and conduction-cooled versions
Volume pricing for the rugged versions of the CHAMP-FX is available. For pricing and availability please contact the factory.
Sales inquiries: Please forward all Sales and reader service inquiries to Jerri-Lynne Charbonneau, Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing, Tel: (613) 254-5112; Fax: (613) 599-7777; e-mail: [email protected].
For editorial information regarding Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing products or services, contact John Wranovics, Director of Public Relations, Curtiss-Wright, Tel: (925) 640-6402; email. [email protected]. Web site: www.cwcembedded.com.
About Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing
Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing is the industry’s most comprehensive and experienced single source for embedded solutions, ranging from Processing, Subsystems, Data Communication, DSP, and Video & Graphics to the most advanced board level components and fully integrated custom systems. The Embedded Computing group serves the defense, aerospace, commercial and industrial markets and is part of Curtiss-Wright Controls Inc. For more information about Curtiss-Wright visit www.cwcembedded.com.
About Curtiss-Wright Controls, Inc.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Curtiss-Wright Controls is the motion control segment of Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE: CW). With manufacturing facilities around the world, Curtiss-Wright Controls is a leading technology-based organization providing niche motion control products, subsystems and services internationally for the aerospace and defense markets. For more information, visit www.cwcontrols.com.
Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: a reduction in anticipated orders; an economic downturn; changes in the competitive marketplace and/or customer requirements; an inability to perform customer contracts at anticipated cost levels; a change in government spending; and other factors that generally affect the business of aerospace, defense contracting, marine electronics and industrial companies. Please refer to the current SEC filings for Curtiss-Wright Corporation under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for further information.