What is Rugged MicroTCA?

The enclosures, racks and systems defined in the MicroTCA.0 specification must pass shock and vibration tests at performance level DL1 to IEC 61587-1. This means acceleration rates of 7 g for shock impact and an acceleration amplitude of 0.5 g in the case of vibration loads. Performance level DL1 is designed for general industrial applications (for use in power stations, for example, or in applications where impact phenomena with low energy content are to be expected, as is the case with blasts which are limited to a specific location). The MicroTCA racks were tested against this specification in an external test laboratory. All tests passed successfully.

The PICMG Rugged MicroTCA specification (MicroTCA.1) defines the requirements to be met by a system which is exposed to increased loads with regard to temperature, shock, vibration, and ambient conditions. The specification was defined in particular for the use of systems outdoors, in production locations, in transport facilities, in aviation and, but to a lesser extent, in defense applications. The applicable IEC 61587-1 performance level DL3 defines peak acceleration rates of 25 g for shock testing and 3 g for vibration testing, representing a requirement 4 and 6 times higher respectively than is the case with MicroTCA.0. This can only be achieved by hardening the AdvancedMC module.

These types of system are used, for example, in locations where levels of vibration are very high (such as sites where heavy rotating machinery is in operation (offset printing), as well as in railway and shipping technology.

For more detailed information, see AdvancedMC modules.