ADLINK MVP-3100 and MVP-3120 Embedded Systems

ADLINK MVP-3100 and MVP-3120 Fanless Embedded Systems: A High Performance Computing Platform for Rigorous Industrial Automation and Edge AI

In the fields of industrial automation (IA), machine vision, motion control, and intelligent monitoring, the stability, scalability, and lifecycle management of computing platforms in harsh environments are the core concerns of system integrators and end users. How to achieve high-performance computing under the constraint of passive heat dissipation without fans, while supporting PCIe and PCI traditional device expansion, is a difficult point in the design of new generation embedded systems.

The MVP-3100 series (including MVP-3100 and MVP-3120 models) launched by ADLINK is a value based fanless embedded computer designed to address the aforementioned pain points. This series is based on the 12th/13th/14th generation Intel ®  Core ™  The processor and H610E chipset provide powerful computing power, rich I/O interfaces, and flexible expansion options in a compact mechanical structure.

System Core Architecture and Processor Platform

The core computing unit of MVP-3100 series is equipped with 12th/13th/14th generation Intel ®  Core ™  I3/i5/i7/i9 processors, supporting up to 65W TDP, paired with Intel ®  H610E chipset. Compared to its predecessor, this platform brings significant improvements in IPC (Instructions Per Clock Cycle) and integrates Intel ®  UHD Graphics 770 provides powerful graphics processing capabilities for visual inspection and HMI display.

In terms of memory, the system is equipped with 2x DDR5 SO-DIMM slots, supporting up to 64GB DDR5 4800MHz memory. The high bandwidth characteristics of DDR5 are crucial for applications that require processing large amounts of sensor data or high-resolution image streams.

In addition, the system board is equipped with TPM 2.0 security chip, which meets the compliance requirements of industrial equipment for data encryption and secure boot, ensuring the credibility of the system in critical infrastructure.

Compatibility between storage and operating system

There are differences between MVP-3100 and MVP-3120 in terms of storage expansion:

MVP-3100: Provides 2x SATA interfaces and supports installation of 2.5-inch hard drives/solid-state drives.

MVP-3120: Provides 4x SATA interfaces, making it more suitable for edge storage scenarios that require large capacity local data caching.

Both models support M.2 M Key 2280 (PCIe Gen3x2) and M.2 A+E Key 2230 (PCIe Gen3x1). The former can be used for high-speed NVMe SSDs, while the latter supports Wi Fi/Bluetooth module expansion to meet wireless communication needs.

The operating system supports coverage of Windows 10/11 IoT and Ubuntu 22.04, facilitating rapid migration and deployment of industrial software ecosystems.

Rich I/O interface configuration

As an industrial field oriented device, the front and rear panels of the MVP-3100 series provide a comprehensive combination of I/O interfaces, as shown in Figure 4 (refer to manual Figure 4: External I/O connector locations).

1. Network communication

The MVP-3100 series is equipped with four independent Ethernet ports to meet the requirements of industrial network redundancy or multi segment isolation:

1x 2.5GbE (based on Intel I226-V), used for high-speed data transmission or image streaming.

2x 1.0GbE (based on Intel I210-IT), supporting Time Sensitive Network (TSN) features, suitable for motion control.

1x 1.0GbE (based on Intel I219-V), used for regular network management.

Each road network entrance is equipped with Link/Active and Speed LED indicator lights for easy on-site inspection of physical connection status.

2. USB interface

Provide 8 USB ports:

4x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A（5Gbps）， Suitable for high-resolution industrial cameras or high-speed peripherals.

4x USB 2.0 Type-A（480Mbps）， Suitable for keyboards, mice, or low-speed sensors.

3. Display output

Equipped with dual independent display interfaces:

1x HDMI 1.4b， Supports 1080p/60Hz output.

1x DisplayPort 1.4， Supports higher resolution display connections and is compatible with VGA, DVI, and HDMI devices through adapter cables.

4. Serial communication

Provide 3 COM ports:

COM1&COM2: Supports RS-232/422/485 mode switching (set through BIOS) to adapt to fieldbus devices of different protocols.

COM3: Fixed in RS-232 mode, suitable for routine debugging and control.

5. Digital I/O and Audio

8x DI+8x DO: Non isolated digital input/output (TTL level), can be used for simple status indication or alarm signal triggering. The input high-level range is 2V to 5.25V, and the low-level range is 0 to 0.8V; the output is driven by an open drain MOSFET, with a built-in 200 Ω pull-up resistor and a maximum current of 24mA per channel.

Audio interface: Provides Line out and Mic in dual 3.5mm sockets, based on TEMPO 92HD91 audio codec.

6. Antenna and power supply

2x SMA antenna holes for external Wi Fi antennas (2.4GHz/5GHz).

DC power input: Adopting 12-24V wide voltage input (MVP-3100) or 24V input (MVP-3120), and equipped with anti drop power connector.

Mechanical dimensions and fanless heat dissipation design

The MVP-3100 series continues the robust design concept of the ADLINK Matrix product line, adopting a passive cooling solution with an all aluminum casing.

MVP-3100 (without expansion slot version): Size 192mm x 240mm x 77.2mm, weight approximately 3.68kg.

MVP-3120 (2-slot expansion version): Size 192mm x 240mm x 156.2mm, weight approximately 4.52kg.

The fanless structural design brings three major advantages:

Zero noise: suitable for experimental or medical environments that are sensitive to noise.

Dust and pollution prevention: Avoid fans inhaling dust that may cause short circuits or heat dissipation failures in the board.

High MTBF: Eliminating rotating mechanical components and significantly extending the system's mean time between failures.

Scalability: PCIe and PCI coexist (exclusive to MVP-3120)

The biggest difference between MVP-3120 and MVP-3100 is the backplane expansion capability. MVP-3120 integrates a 2-Slot backplane (refer to Figure 7:2-Salt backplane card locations) internally, providing:

1x PCIe Gen4 x16 slot: Supports standard PCIe x16 full-size cards, such as high-performance GPU acceleration cards, four port gigabit network cards, or image capture cards. This slot is directly connected to the motherboard via PCIe Gen4 signal and is equipped with an independent 12V Extra Power for PCIe x16 slot to ensure stable power supply for high-power expansion cards.

1x PCI slot: Based on ITE IT8892E PCIe to PCI bridge, it communicates with the host through PCIe x1 Gen3 interface and supports universal or 5V 32-bit PCI cards (33MHz). This design provides a smooth upgrade path for production lines that still rely on traditional PCI motion control cards or data acquisition cards.

Size restrictions: The manual states that when installing expansion cards, it is necessary to refer to the "Dimension Limitations for the Expansion Card" diagram to ensure that the card length and height are within the allowable range of the chassis. It is recommended to confirm the height of the baffle and the size of the PCB before installation to avoid interference.

LED indicator lights and system status monitoring

The MVP-3100 series front panel provides a variety of LED status indicators (refer to Table: LED Indicators) for engineers to quickly diagnose:

Watchdog (WD) - Yellow: The watchdog timer stays on after starting until the system boots up normally. If the system freezes, this light will indicate a timeout status.

HDD - Orange: Flashing indicates that the SATA storage device is performing read and write operations.

Diagnostic (DG) - Green: Always on indicates no physical storage device connection; Flashing indicates that no memory module has been detected.

User defined (U1/U2/U3) - Green: Three user-defined LEDs that can be programmed through GPIO to indicate application layer status (such as "processing", "error", "standby").

In addition, the power button is equipped with a blue LED that displays the system power status (S0 constantly on, S3/S4 flashing, S5 off).

Installation and deployment specifications

1. Wall mounted installation requirements

The manual clearly specifies the mandatory specifications for wall mounted installation:

Use 6 M4 screws (8mm in length) with a recommended torque of 6 kgf · cm.

Key safety warning: The equipment must be installed with the front and rear panels on both sides (i.e. in a horizontal direction), and it is strictly prohibited to install the equipment with the top or bottom facing upwards on the ceiling or floor. This is to ensure effective air convection of the heat dissipation fins and prevent improper force on the antenna port.

2. DC power supply requirements

MVP-3100: Supports 12-24V wide voltage input, with current requirements ranging from 19.2A @ 12V to 9.6A @ 24V.

MVP-3120: Supports 24V input (9.6A), optional 230W AC/DC adapter (P/N: 31-621A0-0010-A0).

Warning: Before connecting to the power supply, be sure to confirm the voltage and polarity. Reverse connection or overvoltage may cause the motherboard to burn out.

3. Expansion card installation size limit

For MVP-3120, when installing PCIe or PCI card, please note:

PCIe x16 slots support standard full height cards.

The PCI slot only supports 33MHz 32-bit cards.

If the length of the expansion card exceeds the depth limit inside the chassis, a half length card or a flexible adapter cable should be used.

Environmental adaptability and reliability

The MVP-3100 series has undergone strict environmental stress screening for industrial environments

Operating Temperature

When equipped with a 35W CPU: -20 ℃ to 60 ℃

When equipped with a 65W CPU: -20 ℃ to 50 ℃

Storage temperature: -40 ℃ to 85 ℃

Humidity:~95% @ 40 ℃ (no condensation)

Anti vibration: 3Grms (random, 5-500Hz, 3-axis), used in conjunction with SSD.

Shock resistance: 50G (half sine, 11ms pulse width).

ESD protection: Contact discharge ± 4KV, air discharge ± 8KV.

The above indicators indicate that this series of products can be stably deployed in outdoor cabinets with vibration sources (such as machine tools) or large temperature differences (requiring heaters).

Internal connectors and expansion interfaces

In addition to external I/O, the motherboard also provides rich debugging and function expansion interfaces internally (refer to Figure 5/6 Top/Bottom connector locations）：

M. 2 E Key 2230: Located at the bottom, supports Wi Fi/BT modules.

M. 2 M Key 2280: Supports NVMe SSD.

SATA connector (bottom): 2 standard SATA III interfaces for connecting 2.5-inch hard drives.

USB 2.0 dongle interface (bottom): used for installing encryption dongles or system authorization modules.

System fan connector (12V PWM): Although the device is designed without a fan, an external fan interface is reserved for auxiliary heat dissipation in extreme high temperature environments.

I2C Wafer: Provides two sets of I2C buses (I2C0/I2C1), supporting 3.3V or 5V levels, for connecting external sensors or expansion boards.

External power/reset button pin: allows the power button and reset button to be led out to the cabinet panel.

In addition, the motherboard is equipped with a Flash ROM Socket for debugging, a BIOS update interface, and a 40 pin D-BUG connector, which facilitates low-level debugging during the development phase.

Driver support and software ecosystem

Users can download the complete set of drivers for MVP-3100/MVP-3120 through the official ADLINK product page:

Official driver download path: www.adlinktech.com/products/industrial_pcs_fanless_embedded_pcs/expandablefanlessembeddedcomputers/mvp-3100

The driver includes a chipset, network card, graphics card, ME (management engine), and serial port driver, and also provides BIOS update tools. ADLINK also offers optional accessories such as remote power switch cables (P/N: TBD) and fan kits (P/N: TBD), further enhancing on-site deployment flexibility.

Safety Compliance and Environmental Declaration

The manual clearly states that the product complies with FCC Part 15 regulations and follows the EU RoHS and WEEE environmental directives. Of particular note is the California Proposition 65 warning: the product may contain carcinogenic or reproductive toxic chemicals known in California, such as lead, cadmium, DEHP, etc., but all are within the scope of RoHS exemption or strict control.

Summary of Safety Operation Points:

Only trained technicians can open the chassis or replace the battery (improper replacement of lithium batteries poses a risk of explosion).

The equipment should be installed in restricted access areas (such as server rooms) and comply with NFPA 75 fire safety regulations.

If using an adapter for power supply, it is necessary to ensure that the protective earth (PE) of the adapter is reliably connected.

Hot surface warning: Some heat dissipation fins may exceed the safe contact temperature in high temperature environments and need to be cooled before operation.