ADLINK MXE-230 series Alder Lake platform industrial computer deployment and maintenance manual

ADLINK MXE-230 series Alder Lake platform industrial computer deployment and maintenance manual

Introduction: A New Generation Compact Industrial Control Platform for Intelligent Edge

With the acceleration of integration of industrial IoT and AI edge computing, field controllers need to integrate stronger computing power, faster storage interfaces and richer I/O scalability in limited space. The ADLINK Matrix series MXE-230 is an ultra compact ruggedized edge computer designed based on this requirement. This platform is equipped with Intel Alder Lake-N series or Amston Lake series processors (with the highest quad core E-core architecture), supporting DDR5 4800MHz memory, three-way M.2 expansion (B/E/M-Key), dual gigabit industrial Ethernet (i210IT), and dual three in one switchable serial ports. It also provides optional 2.5KV isolated digital I/O (8DI/8DO), suitable for harsh scenarios such as smart factories, traffic monitoring, and new energy management.

Analysis of hardware architecture and SKU differences

1.1 Processor and Memory

CPU: Intel Alder Lake-N series (such as N97, quad core 3.6GHz) or Amston Lake series, using Gracemont energy-efficient core architecture, with a TDP of approximately 12W.

Memory: Single DDR5 SO-DIMM slot, up to 16GB @ 4800MHz. Compared to DDR4, the bandwidth has increased by about 50%, resulting in significant gains for data caching and AI inference tasks.

1.2 SKU configuration differences (key)

MXE-230 offers multiple SKUs to adapt to different application scenarios, mainly reflected in height and I/O configuration:

SKU height serial port digital I/O network port

MXE-231 (basic type) 62mm 2 × RS-232/422/485 without 2 × GbE

MXE-231/4LAN 75mm 2 × RS-232/422/485 without 4 × GbE

MXE-231/4COM 75mm 4 × RS-232/422/485 (with 2 isolated channels) 8DI/8DO (2.5KV) 2 × GbE

MXE-231/6COM 75mm 6 × RS-232/422/485 (including 2 isolated channels, 2 standard channels) 8DI/8DO (2.5KV) 2 × GbE

Engineering reminder: When selecting, the SKU should be determined based on the required number of serial ports on site and whether DIO isolation is needed. If more than 4 serial ports or isolated I/O are required, the 75mm height version must be selected.

1.3 Storage and Expansion

M. 2 M-Key (2280): Supports NVMe SSD, PCIe Gen3 × 2 speed (approximately 16Gbps), used for high-speed system disks.

M. 2 E-Key (2230): Supports Wi Fi/Bluetooth module (PCIe+USB) for wireless connection.

M. 2 B-Key (3042): Supports 4G/LTE modules (only USB 3.0+USB 2.0, no PCIe), and works with external antennas to achieve cellular communication.

SATA port: Additional 1 SATA III (6Gbps) and SATA power cable are provided, which can install 2.5-inch SSD/HDD.

Practical operation of mechanical installation and expansion module

2.1 Dimensions and Installation Method

Basic dimensions: 165 (W) × 120 (D) × 62 (H) mm (standard type); 75mm high version is used for 4LAN/4COM/6COM SKUs.

Wall mounted installation: Comes with two wall brackets, fixed with M4 screws. Safety constraint - As the antenna interface is located on the front panel, it is necessary to ensure that the front and rear panels are on both sides when wall mounted. It is strictly prohibited to face the wall from the top or bottom to avoid affecting the radiation efficiency of the antenna.

DIN rail installation: Optional rail bracket, suitable for standard 35mm DIN rail installation.

2.2 Installation steps of M.2 module (key operations)

Dismantling the top cover: Unscrew the top 4 screws and the rear 2 screws.

Remove the heat sink: Unscrew the 2 fixing screws on the M.2 heat sink, carefully remove the heat sink, and be careful not to damage the thermal pad (if the pad is damaged, it needs to be replaced to ensure thermal conductivity).

Installation module: Insert the M.2 module into the corresponding slot at an angle of about 30 ° (pay attention to the foolproof notch), and press it down to the horizontal.

Restore the heat sink: Cover the heat sink on the module and tighten the screws. Improper installation may lead to module overheating, speed reduction, or even damage.

Sealed top cover: Replace all screws to ensure grounding continuity.

Important reminder: B-Key module only supports USB signal, do not insert PCIe/NVMe module; M-Key only supports NVMe and does not support SATA protocol.

2.3 SATA SSD Integration

Reserved SATA data cable and power cable (SATA Power Wafer) inside the device for connecting 2.5-inch SSDs. The SSD needs to be fixed in a reserved position inside the chassis (usually using bottom screw holes).

Power Design and Power Management

3.1 Power Input

Interface: DC Jack (positive inside and negative outside) or pluggable terminal (specific configuration needs to be confirmed).

Input voltage: 12V~24V DC (typical industrial 24V).

Minimum power supply: It is recommended to be no less than 40W, considering high temperature derating (such as leaving a 20% margin for power output in a 60 ° C environment).

3.2 Reference for power consumption measurement (12V power supply)

Power consumption under working conditions

Shutdown (S5) 3.9W

System idle 12.3W

Processor fully loaded 30.1W

System full load (CPU+IO) 30.3W

Thermal management: The main heating elements (CPU, PCH) are located on the left side, in contact with the heat sink and aluminum casing through a thermal pad. Be sure to leave at least 5cm clearance below the device to ensure natural convection. Working temperature range -20 ° C~60 ° C (storage -40 ° C~85 ° C); If using an AC adapter (non DC direct supply), the upper limit is reduced to 50 ° C.

Key interface definition and signal integrity

4.1 DB9 serial port (COM1/COM2)

Independently switch between RS-232/422/485 modes through BIOS without the need for jumper wires:

Pin RS-232 RS-422 RS-485

1 DCD# TXD- 485-

2 Rx TXD+ 485+

3 Tx RXD+ N/C

4 DTR# RXD- N/C

5 GND GND GND

RS-485: Two wire half duplex, requires 120 Ω terminal resistors to be connected at both ends of the bus (physical head and tail), and shielded twisted pair cables are recommended for long distances (>100 meters).

In the isolated SKU: 4COM/6COM versions, some serial ports are equipped with 2.5KV isolation, which is suitable for connecting field devices with high voltage or large ground potential difference.

4.2 Isolated Digital I/O (only 4COM/6COM SKUs)

Provide 8 isolated DI channels and 8 isolated DO channels, with an isolation voltage of 2.5KV (optocoupler isolation).

DI electrical parameters:

Logic low (0): 0~1V

Logic high (1): 10~30V

Built in input resistor, can be directly connected to industrial sensors (PNP/NPN should pay attention to common ground).

DO electrical parameters:

Power supply voltage: 5-30V DC (externally provided)

Current injection: 500mA/channel (continuous), suitable for driving small relays, solenoid valves, or indicator lights.

Internally equipped with a flyback diode, when driving inductive loads (relay coils), the positive terminal of the external power supply needs to be connected to the VDD pin to form a flyback circuit and protect the MOSFET.

Typical application circuit of DO: The manual provides a reference circuit diagram - the external power supply is connected to the DO output terminal through the load (relay), and the internal MOSFET of DO conducts to form a circuit, and the load is powered on.

4.3 M.2 AFM Expansion Interface

Internally provides AFM (Additional Function Module) interface, which leads to PCIe, USB 2.0, SMBus, and LPC buses for customized functional board development (such as additional serial ports, CAN, dedicated protocol conversion, etc.). This provides ODM customers with extremely high flexibility.

BIOS Deep Configuration Guide

Enter BIOS: Press the Del key during power on POST.

5.1 Main (Main Menu)

Display read-only information such as BIOS version, CPU model, frequency, memory capacity and frequency (e.g. 4800MHz), PCH SKU, etc. At the same time, the system time/date can be set.

5.2 Advanced Core Settings

CPU Configuration：

Active Efficiency cores: can reduce the number of active energy efficiency cores (All/3/2/1) to lower power consumption (suitable for low load scenarios).

Intel SpeedStep/Turbo Mode: Enable dynamic frequency adjustment (default enabled); Turbo Mode can improve burst performance.

Intel Speed Shift: Hardware controlled P-state to improve response speed (enabled by default).

Intel Virtualization Technology/VT-d: Enable hardware virtualization (default enabled) for containers or virtual machines.

C-state: Enable CPU power-saving state (disabled by default, recommended to keep disabled to avoid real-time fluctuations).

Power Management：

Enable Hibernation: Enable S4 hibernation (default enabled).

ACPI Sleep State: Select the highest sleep state (default S3 Suspend to RAM).

State After G3: Configure the behavior after AC power failure recovery - S0 (automatic startup), S5 (keep shutdown). S0 is usually chosen for industrial sites.

Hardware Monitor：

Real time display of motherboard temperature and fan speed.

Support for SMART FAN IV: Four temperature points can be set to correspond to different PWM duty cycles, achieving on-demand speed regulation.

BIOS Watchdog Timer：

BIOS POST Watchdog: can be set to disabled, second mode, or minute mode. If the BIOS self-test freezes, it will automatically reset after timeout to prevent the device from waiting indefinitely.

Onboard Device Configuration：

COM1/COM2 Mode Control: Independently select RS-232/RS-422/RS-485.

LAN # 1/# 2: Network ports can be disabled (for security isolation or power saving).

Serial Console Redirection：

Support redirecting BIOS POST and operating system console to COM port for headless debugging.

Configurable baud rate (default 115200), data bits, parity bits, stop bits, hardware flow control (RTS/CTS), and terminal type (VT100/ANSI, etc.).

TPM 2.0 Configuration：

Built in TPM security chip (Nuvoton), supporting enable/disable, PCR Bank management, and TPM Clear operation, used for disk encryption and secure boot.

Network Stack Configuration：

Enable UEFI network stack to support PXE/HTTP network boot (disabled by default).

5.3 Chipset

Memory Configuration: Display the RC version, frequency, and timing of the memory (such as 40-39-39-77).

PCI Express Configuration: It can control the enable/disable of each Root Port separately and configure PCIe Speed (Auto/Gen1/Gen2/Gen3) for compatibility with older expansion cards.

SATA Configuration: Enable/disable SATA controllers and ports.

USB Configuration: Supports disabling USB by physical port (Select Per Pin) for securely restricting external storage access.

Security Configuration: BIOS Lock (default enabled) protects flash memory from malicious writes.

5.4 Security & Boot

Administrator/User Password: Set BIOS password to prevent unauthorized modification.

Secure Boot: Supports secure boot (requires Enroll Platform Key).

Boot Configuration: Can set startup delay (default 1 second), NumLock status, Quiet Boot (enable display of OEM logo, disable display of POST diagnostic information), Fast Boot (skip some self-test acceleration startup).

Boot Option Priorities: Supports up to 10 boot options, allowing for precise control of boot sequence (hard drive/NVME/CD/USB/network, etc.).

Isolation DIO programming and debugging (4COM/6COM SKU)

6.1 DIO Driver Installation Process

Download the DIO toolkit from the ADLINK official website.

Installation driver: MXE_SMBus_Sriver.exe (SMBus bus driver, used to access DIO registers).

Enter the DIO_CnsoleAPP_Sin directory and run DIO_CnsoleAPP.exe in administrator mode - this tool is used for command-line reading and writing of DI/DO status.

Enter the StartDIO_Sin directory and run StartDIO.exe in administrator mode - Start the DIO service background process.

6.2 API Programming (C/C++)

If customized development is required, it should include:

Header file: Matrix_dio. h

Static library: Matrix_dio64.lib

Runtime dynamic library: Matrix_dio64.dll

Typical DIO operation (function definition):

GPIOInitialize: Initialize DIO resources.

GPI-Read(): Read 8 isolated DI states (return bit mask).

GPOWrite(): Write 8 isolated DO states (bit mask controls on/off of each channel).

6.3 Application Scenario Examples

DI input: Connect limit switches, buttons, or photoelectric sensors (10-30V) to read the status for PLC or upper computer decision-making.

DO output: Drive intermediate relay (external 5-30V power supply, single channel 500mA), control motor start stop or indicator light.

Debugging reminder: During the first debugging, manually read and write each channel using DIO_CnsoleAPP.exe to confirm that the hardware wiring is correct. Special attention must be paid to the external power supply (VDD) of the DO, otherwise the MOSFET cannot drive the load normally (the freewheeling diode also needs VDD to participate).

Key points for on-site troubleshooting and maintenance

7.1 System cannot start

Check if the DC input voltage is within the range of 12-24V and if the polarity is correct (positive pole of the center pin).

Observe the Power LED (blue) on the front panel - constantly on indicates normal operation, flashing indicates sleep mode, and off indicates no power supply.

If the power supply is normal but there is no display, try connecting the monitor through HDMI or DP interface; If there is still no display, try clearing the CMOS (disconnect the battery or short-circuit the RTC jumper, but check the specific location).

7.2 M.2 module not recognized

Confirm that the module is inserted into the correct slot (M-Key only NVMe, B-Key only USB, E-Key supports WiFi).

Check if the installation of the heat sink is too tight, causing deformation or poor contact of the module (it should be tightened appropriately).

Enter BIOS to check if the corresponding PCIe port is disabled.

7.3 Serial Communication Abnormalities

Enter BIOS to confirm that the COM mode (232/422/485) matches the actual wiring.

Use serial debugging tools (such as Putty or Tera Term) for self loop testing (RS-232 short circuit Pin2-Pin3).

Check the terminal resistance and shielding layer grounding of RS-485, and reduce the baud rate for long-distance communication (such as from 115200 to 9600).

7.4 DIO No Response

Confirm that the SKU includes DIO functionality (4COM/6COM or 4LAN version - note that the DIO definition is different for 4LAN version, please refer to Appendix B).

Check if StartDIO.exe is running in administrator mode; Is the SMBus driver installed.

Verify that the external DO power supply (VDD) is connected (5-30V) and that the common terminal (GND) is properly connected.

7.5 Overheating and Frequency Reduction

Check if the heat sink is tightly attached to the CPU (with no damage to the thermal pad) and if the bottom clearance of the device is sufficient.

If the ambient temperature is above 60 ° C, it is necessary to consider adding an external auxiliary fan or replacing it with a higher TDP cooling solution (contact ADLINK technical support).

Environmental Compliance and Safety Warning

Working temperature: -20 ° C~60 ° C (DC power supply); If using an AC-DC adapter, the maximum temperature is 50 ° C.

Anti vibration and anti impact: 3 Grms vibration (5-500Hz), 30G half sine impact (11ms), meeting industrial grade reliability requirements.

EMC certification: CE&FCC Class B, meets industrial radiation standards.

Safety certification: CB, UL/cUL, power supply must comply with IEC/UL LPS/SELV requirements.

Lithium battery warning: The built-in RTC battery (BR2032) must be replaced with the same model and disposed of as WEEE.

California Proposition 65: Products containing lead, cadmium, and other substances require end-users to comply with local hazardous substance handling regulations.