CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.–Tuesday, September 15, 2009– GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a unit of GE Enterprise Solutions, today announced that it had won an order valued at $1 million from KSG Kraftwerks-Simulator-Gesellschaft MBH of Essen, Germany, for CPU blades, I/O controllers and subsystems. An additional order worth $100,000 was received for associated software and support. The blades, controllers and subsystems will be used as part of the D46 power plant simulator that will become operational in 2010.
Central to the solution proposed by GE Fanuc is a technology known as Reflective Memory, a ring-based, high speed replicated shared memory network in which data is written to a Reflective Memory address on the local host. This data is then automatically transmitted by the Reflective Memory board to the fiber optic ring and updates the next Reflective Memory module on the network. The process is repeated in close to real time until each computer on the network has an up-to-date, local copy of the shared memory set.
“Simulators are representative of a growing class of complex application that require significant amounts of distributed computing power, sometimes spread over quite large distances, and that need to share large arrays of volatile data in real-time,” said Rubin Dhillon, Communications Product Manager at GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms. “Many of these applications are turning to Reflective Memory because it is a highly scalable, simple solution that offers much lower latency and a higher degree of determinism than alternative solutions, making systems both faster and more robust.”
KSG was one of two companies founded in 1987 to deliver training to Germany’s nuclear power plant industry. KSG develops the simulators, while GfS Gesellschaft für Simulatorschulung is responsible for the delivery of more than 600 courses each year, training some 2,500 students who develop an understanding of, and learn to operate, power plants under all possible conditions on 13 simulators as well as on an operational “glass model” of the primary circuit of a PWR-reactor in 1:10 scale. Simulator training is a significant component in obtaining and permanently retaining the necessary – and also legally-required – specialist skills needed by operators, making an important contribution to the safe operation of Germany’s nuclear power plants. The KSG|GfS Simulator Centre – which also provides training for the Dutch nuclear power plant industry – is the world’s largest facility of its kind.
The GE Fanuc solution sees up to 27,000 I/Os managed in real time. Three VME-9081/32-001000 Intelligent I/O Controller (IIOC) systems are coupled together and linked to a VME-9150-301-000 Data Communications Controller via a VME-5565 fiber optic Reflective Memory Interface. The Reflective Memory interface moves data to and from the Data Communications Controller and the IIOCs at a rate of 174 Mbytes/second. Each IIOC contains a 650 MHz Intel Celeron M processor and firmware to support I/O scanning and updating, power-up, real-time, and off-line diagnostics. The Data Communications Controller communicates with the host computer via a Reflective Memory interface on-board the VMEbus 650 MHz Intel Celeron M processor-based CPU (VME-9150) network. The system supports parallel processing of I/O data concurrently with the transfer of data to and from the host computer, with the IIOC allowing off-loading many I/O-related tasks from the host.
For more information: www.gefanucembedded.com
About GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms
GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a joint venture between General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) and FANUC LTD of Japan, is an experienced high-performance technology company and a global provider of hardware, software, services, and expertise in automation and embedded computing. We offer a unique foundation of agile, advanced and ultra-reliable technology that provides customers a sustainable advantage in the industries they serve, including energy, water, consumer packaged goods, government & defense, and telecommunications. GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms is a worldwide company headquartered in Charlottesville, VA and is part of GE Enterprise Solutions. For more information, visit www.gefanuc.com.
About GE Enterprise Solutions
GE Enterprise Solutions elevates customers’ productivity and profitability with integrated solutions using sensors and non-destructive testing; security and life safety technologies; power system protection and control; and plant automation and embedded computing systems. Enterprise Solutions’ high-tech, high-growth businesses include Sensing & Inspection Technologies, Security, Digital Energy, and GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms. The business has 17,000 problem-solving employees in more than 60 countries around the world.
