GE IC698CRE020-ED Redundancy CPU Module

Description

In plants chasing zero-downtime operations, a single controller failure can freeze entire production lines or safety systems. The GE IC698CRE020-ED shines in high-stakes setups like oil refinery fractionators, automotive press shops, or pharmaceutical aseptic fillers, where redundant CPUs must swap control in milliseconds without process interruption. Operators in steel continuous casters or semiconductor diffusion tools deploy it when upgrading from older PLCs, ensuring synchronized primary and secondary racks mirror logic states over Ethernet while handling complex PID loops, motion commands, or batch recipes under full load. Used in industrial automation architectures demanding fault-tolerant control, the GE IC698CRE020-ED anchors PACSystems RX7i systems by linking two racks via reflective memory or direct fiber, automatically failing over when diagnostics detect CPU hangs, memory faults, or power glitches. In power generation tie-bar controls or large-scale material handling sorters, it tackles voltage sags and EMI by keeping scan times deterministic even during handoffs, letting valves, drives, and robots stay locked on targets. Engineers specify the GE IC698CRE020-ED for brownfield migrations where legacy Series 90-70 modules plug right in, extending uptime without recoding thousands of rungs. Across wastewater SCADA networks or food extrusion lines, it addresses the chaos of unsynchronized backups by broadcasting state data continuously, turning single-threaded PLCs into seamless dual-core fortresses that shrug off hardware trips.

The GE IC698CRE020-ED is a high-availability redundancy central processing unit from the GE Fanuc PACSystems RX7i family, embedding a 700 MHz Pentium III processor for rack-mounted control with built-in Ethernet and hot-standby capabilities. It occupies a single main rack slot alongside I/O receivers and power supplies, synchronizing program execution, data tables, and fault logs with a matching secondary unit over dual Ethernet ports or optional fiber links. Positioned as the brain for mission-critical RX7i systems, the GE IC698CRE020-ED integrates with existing GE modules—discrete, analog, high-speed counters—while supporting up to 512 MB flash for applications and 10 MB RAM for runtime variables. For integrators, its value lies in seamless failover under 50 ms, where the secondary assumes control without ladder changes or operator action, all configured via Proficy Machine Edition over the network. Unlike standard single CPUs, the GE IC698CRE020-ED embeds redundancy logic in firmware, handling diagnostics like watchdog resets or I/O polling mismatches autonomously, which slashes mean-time-to-recovery in validated GMP or SIL-rated plants. This makes it a natural upgrade path for sites running dense racks with Genius bus controllers or VME coprocessors, keeping Ethernet Global Data exchanges rock-steady across primary/secondary pairs.

Engineers trust the GE IC698CRE020-ED for its 700 MHz clock driving floating-point math and Boolean execution at speeds rivaling desktop PCs of its era, yet hardened for factory floors with ECC memory scrubbing bit-flips from cosmic noise. Dual 10/100 Mbps Ethernet interfaces negotiate full-duplex automatically, supporting SRTP, Modbus TCP, and EGD for SCADA ties or peer PLCs, while three serial ports handle SNP or Modbus RTU to legacy devices. Redundant IP addressing lets one address float between units, ensuring HMI polls never drop during swaps—critical when dashboards track yields or emissions in real time.

Physically, the GE IC698CRE020-ED is a rugged single-width board with front-panel RUN/STOP switch, status LEDs for OK, LAN activity, and redundancy mode, plus RS-232 for local config. It sips 1.2-1.5 amps at 5 VDC from the backplane, convection-cooled for 0-60°C cabinets, and weighs under 0.4 kg for easy handling in overhead panels. Firmware flashes over serial or Ethernet, with rollback protection to dodge botched updates mid-shift.

Over decades, the GE IC698CRE020-ED delivers through MTBF exceeding 100,000 hours, UL/CE certifications for hazardous zones, and self-tests that log faults to non-volatile memory for root-cause hunts. Paired with RX7i expanders, it scales to hundreds of I/O points without performance cliffs, making redundancy practical even in mid-sized skids.

Detailed Technical Specifications

GE IC698CRE020 – Non-redundant base model from the same RX7i CPU family, used in single-rack systems where the GE IC698CRE020-ED adds failover layers.

GE IC698PWR724 – DC power supply paired with the GE IC698CRE020-ED in redundant racks for stable backplane feeds during handoffs.

GE IC697MDL653 – Legacy discrete I/O compatible with the GE IC698CRE020-ED, carrying field signals across primary/secondary sync.

GE IC697ALG230 – Analog module whose process data mirrors flawlessly via the GE IC698CRE020-ED‘s redundancy links.

GE IC697BEM731 – Genius bus interface extending the GE IC698CRE020-ED to remote drops in hybrid RX7i/90-70 setups.

GE IC698ETM001 – Single Ethernet module complementing the GE IC698CRE020-ED for additional network capacity in dense comms.

GE IC697PCM711 – Coprocessor offloading tasks from the GE IC698CRE020-ED while syncing states in redundant pairs.

Verify rack power budgets and Ethernet switch configs before seating the GE IC698CRE020-ED—match primary/secondary firmware revisions exactly, and run cable certification on CAT5e runs to nix duplex mismatches. Position in slot 1 for optimal backplane priority, grounding shields at both ends; preload sync tests with dummy I/O to baseline handover timing under load. Label redundancy cables clearly to dodge swap errors during outages.

Maintenance centers on monthly LED sweeps for LAN sync drops or fault blinks, logging diagnostic buffers via Proficy during light-load windows. Cycle firmware checks yearly against GE portals, backing reference tables pre-update—redundancy self-heals minor glitches, but reseat modules after 5+ years to refresh connectors. Simulate full failovers biannually with site power dips to hone response drills.