GE IC695CRU320 1 GHz Redundancy CPU

Description

In safety-critical power plants where dual controllers shadow each other through turbine trips and generator faults, or in petrochemical ESD systems that must execute shutdowns without a single point of failure, the GE IC695CRU320 forms the processing core of redundant architectures that prioritize zero unplanned downtime. Steel rolling mills and offshore platforms deploy pairs of these CPUs linked via redundancy memory exchange modules to synchronize discrete interlocks, analog trends, and sequence logic across mirrored racks, ensuring bumpless switchover if vibration or EMI takes out one unit. In wastewater treatment or pulp processing, where pumps and valves demand synchronized commands during power glitches, the GE IC695CRU320 handles the load as a hot standby redundancy central processing unit, voting outputs and buffering inputs so processes stay stable. These industrial automation scenarios lean on it for high-availability control systems, tackling challenges like transient faults, firmware mismatches, and the need for sub-scan redundancy transfers up to 2 megabytes. Far from a standard processor, the GE IC695CRU320 enables engineers to build PACSystems RX3i setups that mirror legacy Series 90-30 I/O while adding modern Ethernet and PROFINET oversight, cutting mean time to repair in environments where minutes equate to thousands in lost production.​

Role in RX3i Redundancy Systems

The GE IC695CRU320 stands as a 1 gigahertz redundancy central processing unit module for GE Fanuc PACSystems RX3i controllers, packing 64 megabytes of battery-backed RAM and matching flash for program storage. Paired with an IC695RMX128 memory exchange module, it forms half of a hot standby pair, constantly syncing data over fiber or copper links so the backup takes over in one scan or less. In control architectures, the GE IC695CRU320 plugs into slot 1 of an RX3i universal backplane, driving PCI and serial buses to interface with high-speed I/O, motion axes, and communications while maintaining deterministic timing across both primary and secondary units.

Integrators rely on its dual-backplane support to blend RX3i PCI modules with existing Series 90-30 expansion racks, easing migrations without rewiring field devices. Dual serial ports—RS-232 and RS-485—handle SNP, Modbus RTU slave, and serial I/O protocols for legacy ties or handheld programmers, while embedded timekeeping (with SNTP sync) timestamps events precisely for post-trip analysis. This makes the GE IC695CRU320 indispensable for applications demanding fault-tolerant execution of up to 512 program blocks, each up to 128 kilobytes, in setups scaling to 32K discrete and thousands of analog points.​

Strengths for High-Uptime Processing

Executives at the GE IC695CRU320‘s 1 gigahertz core churn through Boolean instructions at 0.047 milliseconds per thousand, leaving headroom for floating-point math in PID loops, motion cam profiles, or thermodynamic models even under full I/O loads of 8K discrete points. Redundancy logic ensures switchover in 3 to 5 milliseconds typically, with ECC-protected memory catching and correcting single-bit errors on the fly—critical when transfer lists hit 2 megabytes of live data like setpoints and diagnostics.

Hardware ruggedness shines in its single-slot footprint for RX3i racks, drawing 1 amp at 3.3 volts direct current and 1.2 amps at 5 volts direct current without needing auxiliary cooling beyond standard cabinet fans. Front-panel programming port, status LEDs, run/stop keyswitch, and fault LED give rack-side access, while firmware upgrades over Ethernet keep pairs synchronized without process interruption. Vibration and EMI tolerance match industrial norms, proven in shaker tests for mills and rigs.

Compatibility extends to PROFINET I/O controllers (up to 255 devices post-firmware 8.00), Genius networks, and most Series 90-30 modules via the serial backplane, letting the GE IC695CRU320 unify hybrid fleets. Time-of-day clock drifts just 2 seconds daily, resyncable via Ethernet masters, while elapsed timers hold 0.01% accuracy for batch recipes. Flash endurance tops 100,000 cycles, and battery retention spans 30 days via auxiliary modules, suiting quarter-annual swaps in remote sites.

Longevity benefits from 0 to 60 degrees Celsius operation, with PCI 2.2 electrical compliance ensuring stable backplane signaling in dense racks. Plants report MTBF exceeding a million hours in redundant pairs, as bumpless transfers and self-diagnostics preempt failures before they propagate.

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Technical Specifications

Compatible Components

IC695RMX128 – Required redundancy memory exchange for linking GE IC695CRU320 pairs.
IC695CPU310 – Simplex counterpart CPU for non-redundant RX3i systems alongside GE IC695CRU320.
IC695PNC001 – PROFINET controller supporting up to 255 devices with GE IC695CRU320 redundancy.
IC695PBS301 – PROFIBUS slave module integrated in racks controlled by GE IC695CRU320.
IC697PWR724 – Series 90-70 power supply usable in hybrid backplanes with GE IC695CRU320.
IC695PSD140 – RX3i 24VDC power supply feeding GE IC695CRU320 racks.
IC693ACC302 – Auxiliary battery extending GE IC695CRU320 memory retention to 30 days.

Installation and Care Guidelines

Position the GE IC695CRU320 in slot 1 of an RX3i rack with matching redundancy partner, ensuring fiber or copper RMX links span under 100 meters and terminators are set. Verify backplane power exceeds 2.2 amps total at 5V before loading I/O, and route Ethernet/serial cables away from power trays to dodge noise—use shielded twisted pair for RS-485 where runs exceed 10 meters. Stage firmware identically on both CPUs via Proficy Machine Edition over Ethernet, locking configs with the keyswitch post-commissioning; test switchover by pulling primary power while monitoring scan impacts.

Field upkeep means swapping the IC693ACC302 battery per site calendar (every 6-12 months in hot cabinets), vacuuming rack vents quarterly to sustain 60°C margins, and exporting diagnostics monthly for trend review—rising ECC corrects signal memory wear. Firmware pushes during outages sync both units seamlessly; keep cold spares programmed and burned-in. In EMI zones, ferrite beads on serial lines extend noise immunity, pushing MTBF past a decade in paired service.