Abaco adds Thunderbolt 3 interfaces portable avionics devices
Extends Family of Avionics Devices for Test and Simulation, Flightline, and Development Featuring Thunderbolt 3 Interface
To address the end of ExpressCard and PCMCIA cards in portable computers for avionics test and simulation, Abaco Systems offers a range of portable avionics devices with Intel Thunderbolt 3 interfaces. The company has added the ARINC664-compatible RCNIC-A2PA-TB and multiprotocol RAR15XF-TB to that portfolio. They support up to four channels of MIL-STD-1553 and 18 channels of ARINC 429 on a single device. They join Abaco’s previously announced QPM-1553-TB and RCEI-830A-TB.
Abaco’s Thunderbolt 3 design delivers maximum flexibility and performance to extend the functionality of existing test systems without adding more slots, claims the company. It also delivers portability and convenience for test and simulation users and for flight-line use. Typical applications include bus analysis/simulation, system integration activities, and flight-line including 615-3 data loading and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).
Although ExpressCard and PCMCIA slots have largely been replaced by USB, its latency limits real time interaction with data and channel density is similarly limited, explains Abaco. The Thunderbolt 3 interface has become a de facto standard interface on new laptops and does not limit the performance or the flexibility of avionics databus adapters. Thunderbolt 3 throughput is at least four times faster than the highest speed USB connection, and has orders of magnitude lower latency than USB. It provides customers with a stable roadmap into the future, says Abaco, ensuring long-term viability.
The RCNIC-A2PA-TB is claimed to be the first portable ARINC 664 device to come to market with Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. It is a dual port ARINC 664 interface for monitoring, generating or analysing full-bandwidth AFDX/ARINC 664 Part 7 protocol traffic. Abaco’s exclusive pipeline architecture maximises packet throughput using parallel controllers and efficient DMA transfers, thereby avoiding the bottlenecks of CPU-based interface
The RAR15XF-TB is the highest density portable MIL-STD-1553 and ARINC 429 device available. It delivers up to four channels of 1553 and 18 channels of ARINC 429 for the highest density in an extremely portable device. Its on-board firmware, large data buffers, and a high-level API are integrated to provide total flexibility in monitoring and generating ARINC bus traffic. Simultaneous scheduled and burst mode (FIFO) messaging is supported on all ARINC 429 transmit channels. Each ARINC 429 receive channel provides simultaneous dedicated and buffered mode storage, along with label/SDI filtering.
