M-Modules suit industrial equipment applications.
Share:
Press Release Summary:
Model M81 mezzanine card has 16 opto-relay outputs that provide 500 Vdc optical isolation from system and 100 Vdc isolation between each channel. Output can switch either DC or AC voltage between 0-36 V per channel. M82 binary input card has 16 channels with 500 Vdc isolation from system and 100 Vdc isolation between each channel. Current limit for each input clamps input voltage to 0-40 V range. Both models support temperature range of -40 to +85°C.
Original Press Release:
New M-Modules Provide Binary I/O for Demanding Applications
Dallas, June 2, 2004 - For designers of industrial control systems such as high-end simulators, automated test equipment and programmable logic controllers, two new M-Module mezzanine cards from MEN Micro, Inc., (www.menmicro.com) handle a variety of digital I/O requirements over a wide range of voltages.
"For embedded applications, these new M-Modules provide the type of binary inputs and outputs that are needed to interface to a wide variety of industrial equipment," said Ernest Godsey, president of MEN Micro. "And because many embedded systems are installed in harsh environments, or in situations that place a great deal of stress on electronic equipment, the new M-Modules have been built to be exceedingly durable and reliable."
The new M-Modules are designated as the M81 and M82.
The M81's 16 opto-relay outputs have 500 V DC of optical isolation from the system and 100 V DC of isolation between each channel. The outputs on the M81 can switch either DC or AC voltages between 0 and 36 V per channel. The M81 binary outputs are specified for up to 500 milli-Amperes (mA) of output current and are completely protected from excess heat and short circuits. In addition, the switch impedance of the M81 is so low that it can also be used to switch analog signals. The M81 operates in a parallel transmission mode and supports very fast (700 µs turn-on time, 40 µs turn-off time), spike-free switching of relays, lamps and other loads.
The M82 binary input M-Module has 16 channels with 500 V DC of isolation from the system and 100 V DC of isolation between each channel. A current limit for each input clamps the input voltage to the range of 0 to 40 V. And each input signal edge can generate a maskable interrupt for each channel. The M82 can respond to very fast input signals (4.2 µs rise time and 32 µs fall time) and the inputs also have a hysteresis function to prevent double triggering.
Both the M81 and M82 support the extended temperature range of -40 to +85 degrees C. Driver software is available for a wide variety of operating systems, including Linux, Windows NT, 2000, and XP, VxWorks, OS-9, QNX and RTX.
What's an M-Module?
The M-Module specification was developed by MEN Mikro Elektronik and has been widely accepted in the electronics industry. It is an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard. M-Modules are approximately 50 by 150 mm in size. MEN Micro offers a selection of more than 100 different M-Modules with a variety of configurations and capabilities. Other manufacturers also offer M-Modules and more than 200 cards with different capabilities are currently on the market.
Pricing and Availability
The M81 and M82 are available now from MEN Micro, Inc. Pricing starts at $480 for the M81 and $480 for the M82 in single units. In the United States, MEN Micro products are sold through a national network of technical manufacturer's representatives.
For sales information, call 972 939-2675, send faxes to 972 939-0055 or email sales@menmicro.com. For more information on these M-Modules, this press release, a product photo and collateral materials are available at men.de/products/press.
About MEN Micro
MEN designs, manufactures and sells board-level industrial real-time and embedded computer products. The flexibility inherent in MEN's standard products allows system platforms to be custom configured for a wide range of applications. In addition, the company develops custom boards and systems for OEMs, end users and system integrators. MEN's products include VMEbus and CompactPCI compute platforms with Intel Pentium, Motorola 68000 or PowerPC processors, and a wide selection of M‑Module or PC·MIP mezzanine I/O modules. The MEN product lines support the most widely used operating systems, including Windows NT, VxWorks, OS-9, QNX and Linux.
MEN was founded in 1982 in Nürnberg, Germany, as MEN Mikro Elektronik GmbH. The company has subsidiaries in France, MEN Mikro Elektronik SA; the United Kingdom, MEN Micro, Ltd., and the United States, MEN Micro, Inc. A network of technical distributors services and supports the rest of the world.
