If this page does not display correctly, click here to view in your browser.

Product of the Month

Acromag's Software Support Packages Save You Time

Software development  tools available for VxWorks®, QNX®, Windows®, and Linux®.

These software support packages simplify the integration of Acromag I/O boards with your application programs. Included example programs and utilities will help you complete your development projects in much less time. Software support packages are available for VME, PCI, and CompactPCI I/O boards and for Industry Pack and PMC modules.

For RTOS environments, Acromag offers a library of function routines targeted for VxWorks and QNX operating systems. These routines and example programs help you develop the interface between Acromag I/O boards and your application program. C source code is included for easy customization.

With Windows-based systems, Acromag's Win32 DLL drivers simplify the interface between the I/O boards and your application program. This package provides DLL driver level support for Acromag's complete line of PMC, PCI and cPCI products. Also, the C source code demonstration programs provide easy-to-use tools to test operation of your I/O modules.

To assist Linux users, a free example application programming interface is available for download on the Acromag website. This software provides I/O function routines for Industry Pack modules and carriers. Includes C source code.

Visit www.acromag.com for more information or call 248-624-1541.To request product literature or our 2003 catalog, use our on-line form.

Application Spotlight
Sperry Rail Service, Danbury, CT recently selected Acromag's PMC341 Analog Input Module over two other competing suppliers of PMC boards. The PMC341 is mounted on a MVME5100 processor, running under VXWorks; and will be part of a Real-Time Test Bed System that validates the Sperry Induction & Ultrasonic test equipment.

Since 1928, Sperry Rail Service has been a pioneer in railroad track flaw detection. Initially, Sperry offered technology in the form of induction testing. This technology utilizes current injected into the rail and sensors in order to detect magnetic field disturbances as a means of identifying rail flaws.

When induction is combined with ultrasonics, the complimentary techniques lead to an improved and effective rail flaw detection test package.

Some impressive statistics are: Over 10,000,000 miles of rail tested and over 5,500,000 defects found.

With the heightened interest in security, its reassuring to know that we have an effective procedure for testing railroad track integrity.

Ask the I/O Experts
Question: I am working with Acromag's user programmable FPGA I/O modules and have installed the software. What should I do next?  Is there any way to test this board without first downloading an FPGA code into the flash memory?

Answer: All of Acromag's PMC-DX boards are shipped with FPGA code stored in its Configuration Flash Memory.  This means that when the board is first powered up, it is a working Digital I/O board. This allows you to fully test your software interface, and the hardware, before downloading your own code into the FPGA.

In the user manual, you will find the memory map for the digital I/O configuration.  From here, you can set the configuration and read/write to the external digital I/O channels. This will insure that you are properly talking to the board.  You can also initiate interrupts and read/write to the on board SRAM.

Once you are confident that you are fully communicating to the board, you can then download a new FPGA configuration directly to the FPGA.  It is best to try erasing and writing your FPGA configuration directly to the FPGA.  This will leave the configuration stored in Flash memory unaffected and leave you the options to reset the board back to the original known condition. 

We highly recommend that you do not erase the Flash configuration until you have written your own FPGA configuration and thoroughly tested it.  It is always nice to know that you can always go back to a known condition by simply powering down and restarting the board.

See our full list of technical support solutions on our Website.

Check out all of our newest Press Releases.

Do you know someone else that should be receiving this newsletter? Sign up here.

Acromag, Inc.
30765 S. Wixom Rd.
P.O. Box 437
Wixom, Michigan 48393-7037
Phone: 248-624-1541
Fax: 248-624-9234
e-mail: solutions@acromag.com
www.acromag.com