NEC FC-9801X Industrial Computer

These RAS functions together form a highly robust operating environment, enabling the FC-9801X to meet the demanding requirements of 24-hour continuous operation.

Environmental adaptability: comprehensive consideration from temperature to vibration

The biggest difference between industrial computers and commercial machines is their tolerance for environmental parameters. FC-9801X has emphasized the following aspects in its design:

Working temperature range: By optimizing the heat dissipation duct and selecting wide temperature components, the system can operate stably in an environment of 0-50 ℃ (some configurations can be extended to a wider range). This feature is crucial for applications installed near heat sources such as steel plants and engine test benches.

Anti vibration and impact: The chassis structure is strengthened, the boards are fixed with pressure strips, and the connectors are equipped with locking mechanisms. Compliant with JIS industrial environmental standards.

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC): The power input filter, shielding enclosure, and optimized grounding design effectively suppress the conducted and radiated noise from strong interference sources such as frequency converters and contactors. At the same time, the external radiation of the system itself is also controlled within the industrial standard range, and will not interfere with nearby instruments or radio communication.

In order to further adapt to the on-site environment, NEC has also launched dedicated peripherals:

5.1 FC-9853 14 inch color monitor

This monitor has the same level of environmental tolerance as the FC-9801X, using anti glare (non glare) treated CRT with a dot pitch of 0.31mm and a resolution of 640 × 400 pixels. It supports both digital RGB and analog RGB input interfaces and is compatible with the FC-9800 series of models. It also comes with a 19 inch rack mounting mechanism and a simple dust filter, which can be directly embedded into the control cabinet panel.

5.2 FC-9801-VNet Compact Keyboard

The keyboard is equipped with a dust cover, allowing key operations to be carried out through a protective film to prevent cutting fluid, dust, or debris from entering the interior of the switch. The keyboard is compact in size and can be stored in a 19 inch rack.

5.3 I/O Expansion Unit FC-9812K

When the 5 built-in expansion slots are not enough, 7 external slots can be expanded through FC-9812K. This expansion unit also has power fault detection and temperature detection functions, and can output alarm contact signals. Supports 19 inch rack installation and dust filter options, maintaining the same environmental rating as the host.

5.4 File extension unit FC-9813

For applications that require more floppy or hard drive capacity, FC-9813 provides additional drive space. It does not include a CPU or memory and is only used as a storage extension.

5.5 Remote I/O Unit FC-9814

FC-9814 is a process input/output interface device that connects to FC-9801X through a dedicated I/O link, allowing for the expansion of digital and analog signal acquisition points to remote field devices. By combining public telephone networks or dedicated lines, a wide area monitoring system can be constructed, such as centralized management of dispersed facilities such as pump stations, pipeline valve chambers, etc.

Software and Operating System Ecology

The power of hardware requires software support to realize its value. One of the biggest advantages of FC-9801X is its full compatibility with the vast software assets of the PC-9800 series, while also being specially enhanced for real-time control requirements.

6.1 Operating System Support

MS-DOS Ver.3.3B in Japanese: A standard operating system that supports EMS (Extended Memory Specification) and AI kana to kanji conversion, making it convenient for Japanese interface development.

Japanese MS OS/2 Ver.1.1: Provides advanced multitasking capabilities, suitable for simultaneously running communication processing, human-machine interface, and backend data recording.

PC-UX/V Rel 2.0: A Japanese multi-user, multitasking operating system based on UNIX System V, supporting up to 4 users logging in simultaneously, suitable for laboratory data servers or factory management terminals.

FC-RT Monitor (P)/(86): This is a real-time multitasking monitoring program developed in collaboration between NEC and Elmic System. FC-RT Monitor (P) supports 80286 protection mode and can achieve real-time operating system features such as task priority scheduling and deterministic interrupt response time; FC-RT Monitor (86) runs in real mode with more compact code. Software development can be carried out in MS-DOS environment, utilizing a large number of existing development tools, and then deployed to run in real-time monitoring programs. This greatly reduces the cost of porting industrial control software.

6.2 Programming Language

N8 Japanese BASIC (86) (MS-DOS version) and compiler Ver6.0: supports structured programming and rapid prototyping, with built-in Japanese character processing.

MS-C compiler Ver5.1A: Suitable for writing high-performance device drivers and real-time control algorithms.