Certification by supplying vendors will facilitate the cost-effective integration of these items in larger systems

VITA, October 16, 2019 — VITA, the trade association for standard computing architectures serving critical and intelligent embedded computing systems markets, announces the ratification by ANSI and VITA of the suite of standards, ANSI/VITA 47.x-2019: Environments, Design and Construction, Safety, and Quality for VPX Plug-In Units. These standards have completed the VITA and ANSI processes reaching full recognition under guidance of VITA.

ANSI/VITA 47.0-2019

The ANSI/VITA process requires that every active standard be reviewed every five years. ANSI/VITA 47.0 was originally ratified in 2005. Changes in the 2019  revision include:

• Updated abstract and forward explaining the addition of new VITA 47 dot standards.
• Added new EAC7 Environmental Class to Table 2-1.
• Corrected the Operating Temperature Class EC1 thru EC4 for Environmental Classed EFC1 thru EFC4.

This standard is being retained to document heritage applications.

ANSI/VITA 47.1, 2, 3-2019

The new dot standards add more detail to the requirements for environments, design and construction, safety, and quality for modules meeting the VITA 47 standard. This set of standards replace the original VITA 47 standard. The modular structure of the new series enables additions for emerging applications like space deployment.

• ANSI/VITA 47.1: Defines the common requirements for environments, design and construction, safety, and quality for all VPX plug-in modules.
• ANSI/VITA 47.2: Defines the unique requirements related to products meant to align with the applications defined in IPC J-STD-001, Class 2. These applications for VPX plug-in units operate in less severe environments and have less consequence of failure.
• ANSI/VITA 47.3: Defines the unique requirements related to products meant to align with the applications defined in IPC J-STD-001, Class 3. These applications for VPX plug-in units operate in  more severe environments and greater consequences of failure, applications like airborne uninhabited fighters.

Modules certified to a specific environmental class meet the corresponding operating temperature class, non-operating temperature class, temperature cycling class, vibration class, and operating shock class. Suppliers are encouraged to indicate this compliance in their documentation so that it is easier and faster for users to determine if a specific product will meet their environmental requirements. This enables users to verify a specific plug-in module is applicable to a specific application and will result in the desired system reliability.

The industry benefits in multiple ways:

1. A better fit between the module design and the application results in improved reliability and durability.
2. Better system engineering without reliance on a specific VPX module supplier’s ruggedization guide. There is more consistency in terminology and data across suppliers.
3. Improved capability to perform future module upgrades and resolution of obsolescence and maintenance issues.
   

COTS plug-in units are widely used in commercial and military, ground and aerospace, mobile applications. Certification of COTS plug-in units, by supplying vendors, to these standard will facilitate the cost-effective integration of these items in larger systems.

The ANSI/VITA 47.x standards are provided as a complete set. Copies are available for purchase at the VITA Online Store.

About VITA

Founded in 1984, VITA is an incorporated, non-profit organization of suppliers and users who share a common market interest in critical embedded systems. VITA champions open system architectures. Its activities are international in scope, technical, promotional, and user-centric. VITA aims to increase total market size for its members, expand market exposure for suppliers, and deliver timely technical information. VITA has American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) accreditation to develop standards (VME, VXS, VPX, OpenVPX, VPX REDI, XMC, FMC, FMC+, VNX, Reliability Community, etc.) for embedded systems used in a myriad of critical applications and harsh environments. For more information, visit www.VITA.com.

VITA and the VITA, VMEbus Technology, VXS, VPX, OpenVPX, VPX REDI, XMC, FMC, FMC+, VNX, and Reliability Community logos are trademarks of VITA in the United States and other countries. Other names and brands may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.