GE IC698CRE030-HN RX7i PACSystems Redundant CPU

Description

In sprawling steel mills where continuous casters pour molten metal non-stop, a single logic glitch in sequencing rolls can freeze production and rack up six-figure losses per hour. Petrochemical crackers juggling high-pressure reactors need ironclad redundancy to switch control seamlessly during faults, averting spills or explosions. Large-scale wastewater treatment facilities coordinate blower arrays and sludge thickeners across distant pumps, demanding synchronized execution that shrugs off power flickers. The GE IC698CRE030-HN steps into these industrial automation battlegrounds as a redundant CPU powerhouse for PACSystems RX7i, enabling hot-standby failover that keeps processes alive through storms or surges. Used in industrial automation for mission-critical redundancy, it mirrors logic across primary and secondary racks, ensuring zero-data-loss handoffs vital for uptime in control systems.

Marine propulsion setups on offshore rigs deploy the GE IC698CRE030-HN to govern thrusters amid wave-induced vibrations, syncing with propulsion HMIs over Ethernet. Aerospace test stands use it for engine simulators, where dual CPUs validate fuel flow algorithms without halting trials. Cement kilns lean on its fault-tolerant scans to adjust flame positions, dodging clinkers that jam rotary drums. Applicable in control systems from pulp dryers to automotive paint booths, this module processes 64 MB RAM workloads at blistering speeds, feeding EGD exchanges to remote drops. Operators pick it for bridging Series 90-70 I/O legacies while scaling to PROFINET motion, turning single points of failure into bulletproof pairs that trim insurance premiums.

Data centers cooling server farms with chillers benefit from the GE IC698CRE030-HN‘s sub-millisecond bump-less transfer, maintaining setpoints during maintenance swaps. Wind farm SCADA hubs orchestrate turbine yaw amid grid volatility, with redundancy shielding against cyber threats or EMI bursts. By embedding high-availability into industrial automation cores, it fortifies against the unplanned, letting teams focus on output over outages.

Product Introduction & Positioning

The GE IC698CRE030-HN functions as a high-end redundant central processing unit in Emerson’s PACSystems RX7i platform, harnessing a 600 MHz Pentium-M processor to execute ladder logic, structured text, and C code across expansive VME backplanes. With 64 MB battery-backed RAM and matching flash for non-volatiles, it supports up to 512 program blocks at 128 KB each, handling 32K discrete bits and configurable analog words for hybrid discrete/process control. In dual-rack setups, the GE IC698CRE030-HN synchronizes continuously via fiber optic links, assuming control in microseconds if the primary falters—ideal for SIL 3 safety loops.

Positioned for enterprise-scale deployments, the GE IC698CRE030-HN integrates embedded 10/100 Ethernet for EGD multicast, SRTP, and Modbus TCP, alongside three serial ports speaking SNP and RTU slave. Engineers slot it into RX7i main racks, pairing with redundancy comm modules for full-mirror data flows to I/O scanners and HMIs. Its value? Auto-discovery of symbolic variables frees memory allocation hassles, while WinLoader firmware upgrades sidestep downtime. For integrators migrating 90-70 systems, native module support eases panel refreshes without rewrites.

The GE IC698CRE030-HN anchors high-availability clusters, enabling remote rack drops over UDP station management. Time-sync via SNTP aligns logs across sites, positioning RX7i as a fortress for IIoT gateways where redundancy meets edge analytics.

Key Technical Features & Functional Benefits

Scan times on the GE IC698CRE030-HN clock in at 0.069 ms per 1000 booleans, powering nested PID cascades or axis interp without lag—critical for synchronizing multi-drive lines. Redundancy logic self-heals via heartbeat polls, bumping outputs in under 50 ms while preserving %W bulk memory access. Floating-point hardware accelerates simulations, and configurable managed memory up to 10 MB streamlines symbolic I/O mapping for sprawling tag databases.

Compact yet robust, the GE IC698CRE030-HN occupies a single VME slot with low-profile cooling, drawing 3.2A at 5 VDC to fit dense racks. Conformal options repel 95% RH, and isolated serial/RS-485 ports filter plant noise for reliable HMI polls. Ethernet switch auto-negotiates duplex/crossover, supporting 16 concurrent web/FTP sessions for live diagnostics—no extra NICs cluttering bays.

Longevity shines with ±2s/day RTC accuracy and elapsed timers at 0.01% drift, logging trends for root-cause hunts. Self-tests flag parity errors or fan faults via front LEDs (OK, RUN, FLT), while EGD pages scale to 255 for peer exchanges. Field reports highlight fewer sync losses post-firmware 6.x, with MTBF exceeding 100K hours in ventilated enclosures.​

Detailed Technical Specifications

Related Modules or Compatible Units

IC698CRE040 – Faster 1.8 GHz sibling for compute-heavy redundants in the same RX7i frame.
IC698RD – Redundancy comm module linking GE IC698CRE030-HN pairs over fiber for sync.
IC697HSC – High-speed counter input that mirrors across GE IC698CRE030-HN backups seamlessly.
IC698ETM001 – Ethernet motion controller expanding GE IC698CRE030-HN to servo networks.
IC697PWR – Power supply feeding RX7i racks with GE IC698CRE030-HN for stable 5V rails.
IC698RAM001 – Bulk RAM expansion for data logging under GE IC698CRE030-HN oversight.
IC694ALG – Analog output module compatible in remote drops managed by GE IC698CRE030-HN.​

Installation Notes & Maintenance Best Practices

Position the GE IC698CRE030-HN in primary rack slot 2 or 3, mirroring to secondary via IC698RD fiber runs under 300m—test continuity with OTDR before live sync. Ground backplane to earth stud at <1 ohm, segregating Ethernet Cat5e from analog trays to quash crosstalk. Fan trays mandate 100 CFM airflow; preload firmware via RS-232 WinLoader, matching versions across duplex for bumpless init. Verify EGD page loads post-power-up, cycling twice to validate PCI bus seating.

Quarterly checks wipe VME fingers with isopropyl, eyeing battery voltage via %S registers—swap per GFK-2741 every 3 years. Annual diagnostics stress serial loops with SNP packets, charting response drifts. Firmware pushes via Ethernet require shadow testing; log FLT LED events to SNMP for predictive swaps. Thermal probes on heatsinks alert to >45°C spikes, prompting tray cleans in dusty locales like foundries.