ADLINK PXES-2301 Chassis Installation Monitoring and Troubleshooting

ADLINK PXES-2301 Chassis Installation Monitoring and Troubleshooting

In the field of automated testing and measurement, the PXI Express platform has become the mainstream solution for applications such as radar, communication, semiconductor, and aerospace due to its high bandwidth, modularity, and scalability. ADLINK PXES-2301 is a compact 6-slot PXI Express chassis that complies with PXI-5 and cPCI Express specifications. It offers 1 system slot and 5 hybrid peripheral slots, all of which support PCIe x4 Gen2 links. The single slot bandwidth can reach 2 GB/s, and the total system bandwidth can reach 8 GB/s. Its industrial grade AC power supply can still output 320 W power at 50 ° C, combined with intelligent fan control and ChassisWatch ™ Monitoring software provides a stable and reliable hardware foundation for rigorous testing tasks.

Overview and Core Specifications of Chassis

The PXES-2301 adopts a half rack width and side handle design, with a net weight of only 5.85 kg, making it convenient for portable applications. Its backplane follows a 4 link x 4 lane PCIe switching structure: out of the 4 x4 links in the system slot (Slot 1), three are directly routed to the 2nd to 4th peripheral slots, and the fourth is extended to the x4 links in the 5th and 6th peripheral slots through a PCIe switching chip. At the same time, it provides a 32-bit/33 MHz PCI bus (5V I/O) through a PCIe/PCI bridge to be compatible with traditional PXI-1 modules. All hybrid peripheral slots support 3U PXI Express, CompactPCI Express, and PXI-1/CompactPCI modules that meet the definition of hybrid slots, achieving maximum flexibility.

The key power parameters are as follows:

Communication input: 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz, maximum 320 W

DC output (load adjustment rate ± 5%):

+12 V/30 A (ripple 120 mV)

+5 V/20 A (ripple 50 mV)

+3.3 V / 20 A

-12 V / 0.8 A

+5 VAUX/3.5 A (standby)

The chassis is equipped with 10 MHz (PXI_CLK10) and 100 MHz differential (PXIE_CLK100) reference clocks, with slot skew of ≤ 1 ns and ≤ 100 ps respectively, and an accuracy of ± 25 ppm, meeting the requirements of multi module synchronization. The cooling capacity of each slot has been verified to be 38.2 W at an ambient temperature of 50 ° C. The total air volume of the dual fans is 200.4 CFM, and the noise is only 35.3 dBA at 25 ° C without external modules (automatic mode).

The entire process of hardware installation

2.1 Unpacking Inspection and Attachment Confirmation

After receiving PXES-2301, first check if the shipping packaging is damaged. The standard packing list includes:

Chassis host

Power cord (compliant with local standards)

Empty slot filling panel kit (5 single slot panels)

quick start guide 

If any missing or damaged items are found, the dealer should be contacted immediately. Do not install or power on any visually damaged components, keep the original packaging for future return or storage.

2.2 Cooling gap and placement requirements

The cooling air duct of PXES-2301 consists of bottom inlet and top outlet. Two 100.2 CFM fans draw in cold air from the bottom openings, which flows through the module and is then discharged from the top. The power module has an independent air duct that draws in cold air from the right side and discharges it to the rear and left sides. During deployment, it is necessary to ensure that:

Leave at least 1U (44.45mm) clearance above and below all ventilation holes;

The height of the bottom rubber feet (12.7 mm) must not be obstructed to ensure smooth air intake;

The right handle should not be placed at the bottom in the direction of the chassis, otherwise it will hinder the fan from entering the air;

All unused slots must be equipped with filling panels to maintain internal air pressure and directional airflow.

Special attention: The temperature around the chassis may be higher than room temperature due to adjacent devices or airflow obstruction. Even if the ambient temperature does not reach 50 ° C, the chassis may still exceed the limit locally. Therefore, it is necessary to install according to the above gap requirements.

2.3 System Controller Installation (Slot 1)

The system controller (such as ADLINK PXle-3985/3975/3935 embedded controller) can occupy up to 4 slot widths and is installed in the leftmost slot 1. Operation steps:

Confirm that the CPU, memory, and storage devices have been correctly installed on the controller board;

Find Slot 1 position, press the module to pop up the latch;

Align the upper and lower edges of the module with the rails inside the chassis and smoothly push it in;

Lift the latch until the module is fully engaged with the backplate;

Tighten the front panel fixing screws and connect external devices (monitor, keyboard, Ethernet cable, etc.).

2.4 Installation of Peripheral Modules (Slot 2-6)

The peripheral slot supports any mixed type module, including timing synchronization modules. The installation process is similar to the system controller:

Select an idle slot and press the pop-up latch;

Slowly push along the guide rail to avoid tilting and damaging the backplane connector;

Lift the latch to position the module;

Tighten the screws on the front panel.