IS200VCMIH2BEE - Communication Board

SPECIFICATIONS

Part No.: IS200VCMIH2BEE
Manufacturer: General Electric
Country of Manufacture: United States of America (USA)
Board Type: 6U high VME board, 0.787 inches wide
Processor: TMS320C32
Temperature Operating: -30 to 65oC
Product Type: Communication Board
Availability: In Stock
Series: Mark VI

Functional Description

IS200VCMIH2BEE is a Communication Board developed by GE. It is a part of the Mark VI control system. It links the central controller and the I/O boards within the system architecture, ensuring seamless bidirectional communication. Additionally, it acts as the gateway to the system control network, IONet, facilitating integration into the broader control infrastructure. Responsible for managing data transmission, protocol conversion, fault detection, and synchronization, the VCMI is pivotal in enabling efficient and reliable operation of the industrial control system. Its functions encompass interpreting commands, regulating timing, and ensuring the integrity of data exchange, thereby supporting real-time control and monitoring tasks essential for system performance and reliability.

Core Functions and Features

1. Data Communication and Coordination

It serves as the primary communication interface between the controller and the I/O boards in the Mark VI system. It enables bidirectional communication, ensuring that sensor data, control signals, and feedback are transferred accurately and without delay. This coordination ensures real-time system control and process regulation, which is vital for maintaining operational stability in turbine applications.

2. Protocol Conversion and Data Management

The VCMI board manages protocol translation between various system devices, allowing different hardware components and software layers to communicate effectively. It ensures that all transmitted data complies with GE’s communication standards, enabling seamless integration across both local and distributed system architectures.

3. Fault Detection and System Synchronization

The board continuously monitors communication integrity and performs fault detection routines to identify transmission errors, corrupted data packets, or timing mismatches. It also maintains time synchronization across all connected modules, ensuring that system events are recorded and executed with precise timing—an essential requirement for coordinated turbine control.

Communication Capabilities

Internal Communication

Within the control rack, the VCMI board facilitates internal communication between the central processor and connected I/O boards. This allows high-speed exchange of process data, control commands, and diagnostic feedback, which are crucial for closed-loop control and system diagnostics.

IONet Connectivity

The IONet network forms the backbone of communication within the Mark VI system. It interfaces with this network to connect with other VCMI boards and external control modules. This connectivity supports a distributed architecture, enabling controllers located in different racks or cabinets to operate cohesively as part of a unified system. The IONet also allows for real-time data sharing and redundancy, contributing to improved fault tolerance and scalability.

Ethernet Ports

Depending on the specific configuration, the VCMI board may include one or three Ethernet ports:

• Single-Port Version – Designed for simplex systems, where communication is handled through a single Ethernet channel. This version is typically used in smaller or less complex control environments.
• Triple-Port Version – Utilized in Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR) systems, this variant features three independent Ethernet ports for communication across three separate channels (Rx, Sx, and Tx). This setup ensures that even if one communication path fails, the remaining two can maintain uninterrupted control, providing high fault tolerance and reliability.

Role in System Architecture

Simplex Systems

In simplex configurations, a single control module communicates with one or more I/O interface modules through the VCMI board using a single Ethernet connection. The VCMI manages all data exchanges and synchronization between these components, ensuring smooth and coordinated system operation. This configuration is typically used in systems where redundancy is not a critical requirement.

TMR Systems (Triple Modular Redundancy)

Equipped with three Ethernet ports, it communicates simultaneously with three independent I/O channels — Rx (Receive), Sx (Send), and Tx (Transmit). This architecture enables the system to perform majority voting, where outputs are validated based on consensus among the three channels, significantly enhancing system reliability and fault resilience. Even if one channel experiences a failure, the other two maintain system integrity, ensuring continuous and safe operation.

Fault Tolerance Mechanisms

• The board implements SIFT voting mechanisms to enhance system robustness. Input data from each IONet connection undergoes voting processes within each VCMI board (R, S, and T).
• The results of these votes are then transmitted to the control signal database in the controllers via the VME bus, ensuring consistency and reliability in data processing.

IONet Management

• The voter in the control module takes on the role of the IONet master, overseeing communication within the system.
• Provides the timing reference for the IONet network, ensuring that all connected devices operate in synchronization.
• Messages from the time source, typically located on the UDH (Universal Digital Hardware), are transmitted to the controllers and subsequently relayed to the VCMIs.

Data Transmission

• Packetized Data: Input data from a single rack is organized into one or more IONet packets, with each packet typically having a maximum size of around 1500 bytes.
• Broadcasting: In the control module, the VCMI broadcasts all data intended for remote racks in a single packet. This packet contains data for all remote racks within the system.
• Data Extraction: Upon receiving the broadcast packet, each VCMI in the remote rack extracts the relevant data about its associated components from the packet.

Efficient Communication

• Streamlined Transmission: By consolidating data for multiple remote racks into a single packet, the system optimizes bandwidth usage and facilitates efficient communication across the network.
• Data Parsing: Each VCMI in the remote rack parses the broadcasted packet to extract only the information relevant to its specific components, ensuring that each device receives and processes the appropriate data.

Key Roles

• Data Transmission Management: Manages the transmission of data packets between the controller and the I/O boards, ensuring reliable and efficient communication. It regulates the flow of information, maintaining synchronization and integrity across the network to support real-time control and monitoring tasks.
• Protocol Conversion and Interpretation: It interprets commands and data from the controller, converting them into formats compatible with the communication protocols used by the I/O boards. Similarly, it interprets feedback and status information from the I/O modules, translating them into formats understandable by the controller.
• Fault Detection and Handling: The VCMI monitors communication links for potential faults or disruptions, promptly detecting and diagnosing any anomalies that may arise. In case of communication errors or failures, it implements fault-handling mechanisms to mitigate disruptions and maintain system reliability.
• Synchronization and Timing: It ensures synchronization of data transmission timing between the controller and the I/O boards, maintaining coherence and consistency in system operation. By regulating timing parameters and coordinating communication events, it minimizes latency and optimizes responsiveness in data exchange.

The WOC team is always available to help you with your Mark VI requirements. For more information, please contact WOC.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is IS200VCMIH2BEE?
It is a Communication Board developed by GE under the Mark VI series.

What internal power supply buses are monitored, and what are the typical alarm settings?
The internal 5 V, 12 V, 15 V, and 28 V power supply buses are monitored, with alarm thresholds typically set at 3.5 percent for most voltages. However, the 28 V supplies have their alarm thresholds set at 5.5 percent for specific requirements.

What diagnostic signals are monitored from the power distribution module (PDM)?
Diagnostic signals from the PDM, connected through J301, are monitored for ground faults, over/under voltage on the P125 V bus, two differential 5V dc analog inputs, signals for external monitoring circuits (P28A and PCOM), as well as digital inputs.