nVent Releases Next Generation nVent SCHROFF MicroTCA.4 Crate

NEW MTCA.4 Crate achieves 128 Gbits bandwidth per slot with PCIe Gen 5
Enhanced Cooling: Improved rear card cage cooling
Future Proof: New Cooling Unit Manager design based on controller with long life cycle
Backward Compatible: Mix and match legacy and new chassis and cooling units

nVent Electric plc (NYSE:NVT) (“nVent”), a global leader in electrical connection and protection solutions, announced the launch of its first MicroTCA.4 (MTCA.4) Crate in accordance with Revision 3.0 of the MTCA.0 base standard.

In September 2023 PICMG released Revision 3.0 of the MTCA.0 specification. This revision supports PCI Express Gen 4 and PCI Express Gen 5, as well as 100GBASE-KR4, to improve system performance by 4x. To accomplish these higher data rates, SMD and compression mount connectors have been evaluated by the Next-Gen MTCA working group, and the simulation results have been taken as a base to define the whole data transmission channel for MicroTCA. The transmission channel has been divided into logical parts to define the limits for boards and backplane to ensure all MTCA.0 Rev 3.0 MCHs, AMCs and crates work together in a PCI Express Gen 4/5 or 100 GbE environment.

As these high-end switches consume more power compared to their predecessors, the power budget for the MicroTCA Carrier Hub (MCH), where the switch resides, has been upgraded from 80 W to 110 W. To prevent overheating, the cooling unit’s power budget was also upgraded to 110 W. A software mechanism helps ensure the backward compatibility of old and new MCHs, Power Modules and Cooling Units.

In the Rear Transition Module (RTM), cooling the improved 110W power limit is achieved with powerful fans and superior cooling design.

The Cooling Unit firmware performs in accordance with revision 3.0 of the MicroTCA specification. When powering up it remains in the 80 W power rating. If the Power Module supports 110 W per slot, the cooling unit will adjust accordingly. If it only supports 80 W, or if the IPMI communication gets lost, the Power Module will stay in the 80W power envelope.

The Renesas H8S controller previously used on nVent SCHROFF MTCA.4 Crates has been end of life’d (EOL’d). For this reason, nVent has introduced a new Cooling Unit Manager design based on the STM32 controller from STMicroelectronics, which includes the additional features described above.

Providing the Highest Data Bandwidth

To achieve the higher data bandwidth, the maximum trace length defined in the MTCA.0 Rev. 3.0 specification needs to be matched. Therefore, MCH slots were moved from the outside to the middle of the card cage.

Upgraded Materials

The PCB material has been upgraded to a lower loss material with SMD connectors for superior performance. For optimized routing, the physical order of the AMC modules has been changed. In the past, nVent SCHROFF MTCA.4 Crates used the physical order starting from 1 (from left to right), which has now changed to: 7-8-9-10-11-12-MCH1-MCH2-6-5-4-3-2-1.

About nVent

nVent is a leading global provider of electrical connection and protection solutions. We believe our inventive electrical solutions enable safer systems and ensure a more secure world. We design, manufacture, market, install and service high-performance products and solutions that connect and protect some of the world’s most sensitive equipment, buildings and critical processes. We offer a comprehensive range of system protection and electrical connection solutions across industry-leading brands that are recognized globally for quality, reliability, and innovation. Our principal office is in London, and our management office in the United States is in Minneapolis. Our robust portfolio of leading electrical product brands dates back more than 100 years and includes nVent CADDY, ERICO, HOFFMAN, ILSCO, SCHROFF and TRACHTE. Learn more at www.nvent.com.

nVent, CADDY, ERICO, HOFFMAN, ILSCO, SCHROFF and TRACHTE are trademarks owned or licensed by nVent Services GmbH or its affiliates.

Press Contacts:
Christian Ganninger
Product Marketing Manager
nVent Electric plc
[email protected]

Christopher Smerillo
Product Manager
nVent Electric plc
[email protected]

February 28, 2025

New Pathways to Collaboration

Another year, more open standards. In the coming days we will make significant announcements on three PICMG specifications: 400G AdvancedTCA, CompactPCI Serial, and the IoT.x family of specifications. Keep your eyes peeled for news releases that detail the work product of thousands more hours of contributions from multiple member companies across our vast and growing community.

PICMG’s commitment to fostering collaboration and advancing embedded computing technologies is truly making an impact. The integration of open standards and partnerships with organizations like DMTF, Open Group, VITA, and SGeT certainly accelerates the development of innovative solutions and ensures that the industry can keep up with the rapid pace of technological change.

The upcoming Embedded World event in Nuremberg will be an incredible opportunity for attendees to see firsthand the latest advancements in the industry, particularly with the demos and exhibits from over forty member organizations. It will also be a rare opportunity for talented individuals from across the PICMG family to interact in person, and the organization wants to facilitate those valuable exchanges.

On Wednesday, March 12th at 12 PM Central European Time (CET) PICMG will be hosting a networking lunch in the Mitte entrance (train side of Nuremberg Messe) lobby. We invite all PICMG members, as well as individuals from companies and organizations who would like to learn more about our work with open standards, to attend.

The PICMG booth at 5-320 will likely be another likely hotspot for those wanting to learn more about the standards and how they are shaping the future of embedded systems. And if that weren’t enough, there is once again a conference track dedicated to PICMG (and SGeT) technologies taking place on Thursday, March 13th from 9:30 AM to 11:15 AM CET.

If you’re attending the event, don’t be a stranger. Reach out to [email protected], [email protected] or schedule a meeting https://calendly.com/brandon-picmg/30min.

We’d love to hear from you! See you in Nuremberg!

December 20, 2024

30 Years of Advancing Open Standards in Embedded Computing

As PICMG’s 30th anniversary comes to a close, it’s worth reflecting on the incredible progress and momentum built over the past three decades. Today, we are a vibrant, diverse community of engineers and innovators with member companies from more than 20 countries. These organizations are responsible for expanding PICMG’s global influence, as well as the sustained adoption of PICMG specifications and products in key growth areas.

These growth areas include:

* IoT Expansion
* Edge Computing
* Automation and AI
* Security

The ongoing adoption of open standards is driven by the same core principles that have guided PICMG for three decades: flexibility, vendor-neutral competition (no lock-in), long lifecycle support, and security. We’re proud to support open standards in an embedded computing industry that is forecast to exceed $150 billion USD by 2030—where open standards alone represent about 30% of the market and hardware accounts for a significant portion of that $50 billion.

While we celebrate our successes, we also recognize that many of the early pioneers and members of PICMG are transitioning to new phases in their careers. We thank them for their invaluable contributions and have full confidence that the next generation of engineers will continue to carry forward their legacy of excellence and innovation.

Looking ahead, PICMG remains open to new members. We encourage organizations and companies to get involved, learn more about our work, and explore the many opportunities available to contribute to the future of embedded computing. Visit picmg.org or reach out to me directly at [email protected].

We’re excited for the next chapter in the PICMG journey.

Jess Isquith
President
PICMG
[email protected]

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