GE IC698CRE040 Redundant CPU Module

Description

In mission-critical processes where a controller glitch spells production halt or safety risks, dual-CPU setups keep operations humming through automatic handoffs. The GE IC698CRE040 powers up in petrochemical crackers, steel slab casters, or semiconductor etch tools, where primary and secondary racks mirror every scan to ensure valves snap shut or robots freeze instantly on faults. Operators in pharmaceutical sterile fill lines or offshore gas compression lean on it during expansions, syncing complex recipes and motion profiles across Ethernet without missing a beat. Deployed in industrial automation systems built for fault tolerance, the GE IC698CRE040 drives PACSystems RX7i redundancy by exchanging state tables continuously, taking over in under 50 milliseconds if diagnostics catch memory errors, scan overruns, or power dips. In automotive powertrain assembly or utility substation tie-breakers, it handles the strain of dense I/O polling and PID loops while broadcasting Ethernet Global Data to HMIs and peers. Engineers choose the GE IC698CRE040 for greenfield installs or 90-70 migrations needing bulletproof uptime, tackling brownouts and EMI that cripple single-threaded controls. Across pulp mills or rail signaling networks, it turns vulnerable PLCs into synchronized pairs that shrug off single failures, preserving throughput worth millions daily.

The GE IC698CRE040 stands as a high-performance redundant central processing unit in the GE Fanuc PACSystems RX7i lineup, packing an 1800 MHz Pentium-M processor into a rack-mounted powerhouse with embedded Ethernet for seamless failover. It claims slot 1 in the main rack, linking to a secondary via dual 10/100 ports or fiber for real-time program and data mirroring, while supporting legacy Series 90-70 modules alongside native RX7i gear. Positioned for large-scale control, the GE IC698CRE040 juggles 64 MB RAM for variables and 64 MB flash for apps, programmed via Ladder, Structured Text, or C through Proficy Machine Edition over the network. Integrators favor its autonomous redundancy engine—no manual intervention needed—as it self-diagnoses I/O mismatches or CPU stalls, bumping the backup online while logging root causes to non-volatile storage. With three serial ports for Modbus or SNP to field devices, plus SRTP/EGD for SCADA, the GE IC698CRE040 unifies rack intelligence without extra gateways, scaling to hundreds of I/O points in VME64 backplanes. This makes it indispensable for sites demanding SIL-rated reliability without sacrificing speed or legacy compatibility.

Performance peaks with the GE IC698CRE040 tearing through 1000 Boolean rungs in 0.024 milliseconds, floating-point math flying at desktop levels yet hardened against factory noise via ECC memory and watchdog timers. Dual Ethernet ports auto-sense duplex/speed with redundant IP, serving up to 255 EGD pages for peer exchanges while SNTP syncs clocks network-wide. Fan-tray cooling handles 60°C cabinets, and serial isolation guards against ground loops in long device runs.

The single-slot board of the GE IC698CRE040 draws 6.8 amps at 5 VDC peak, with front LEDs tracking RUN/FAULT/REDUNDANT modes and RS-232 for handheld tweaks. Firmware upgrades via WinLoader sidestep downtime risks, and bit-in-word referencing squeezes more logic into memory limits.

Long-haul durability shines through MTBF over 100,000 hours, UL Class 1 Div 2 nods, and self-tests that predict failures before they cascade—ideal for 24/7 plants where every minute counts.

Detailed Technical Specifications

GE IC698CPE040 – Single-CPU counterpart to the GE IC698CRE040, for non-redundant RX7i racks handling similar high-speed tasks.

GE IC698CRE020 – Lower-speed redundant sibling (700 MHz) used with the GE IC698CRE040 in mixed-velocity systems.

GE IC698PWR350 – High-capacity AC power supply feeding GE IC698CRE040 racks through peak redundancy sync loads.

GE IC697MDL653 – Discrete I/O module whose points sync flawlessly across GE IC698CRE040 primary/secondary pairs.

GE IC697ALG230 – Analog gear mirroring process vars via the GE IC698CRE040 for bumpless transfers.

GE IC698ETM001 – Extra Ethernet module stacking with GE IC698CRE040 for expanded network IO.

GE IC697PCM711 – Coprocessor lightening compute on the GE IC698CRE040 while sharing states in redundant mode.

Pre-install checks for the GE IC698CRE040 demand identical firmware on primary/secondary, plus CAT5e certs on Ethernet runs to kill crossover glitches—slot into rack position 1, verifying fan trays spin freely and power budgets top 350W. Ground chassis per NEC, label sync cables distinctly; bench-run Proficy simulations to clock handover under full I/O storm before live tie-in.

Keep the GE IC698CRE040 sharp with biweekly LED scans for sync loss or temp warnings, dumping diagnostic logs monthly via Ethernet during off-peaks. Firmware hunts on GE sites annually, with rollback images stored; reseat after 5 years for contact refresh, and drill full failovers every quarter using scripted power faults to sharpen crew reflexes.