DATASHEET

Ensemble® Subsystems
OpenVPX Development Chassis – 16-SlotEngineered Development Chassis for Any OpenVPX Subsystem• 16-slot 6U OpenVPX development chassis• Built to support high-performance subsystems• Cost-effective solution for lab development• Customizable backplane and I/O supports multiple configurations• Pre-qualified with Ensemble subsystem module

The 16-slot OpenVPX™ Development Chassis from Mercury
Systems is a key building block in Mercury’s subsystem development infrastructure. Supporting a number of backplanes withslot counts of 16 or less, the chassis is designed to provide formultiple high-performance subsystem configurations to solve
challenging problems in the radar, electronic warfare or image
processing market spaces. The OpenVPX development chassis
helps programs bring algorithms and technologies to higher
Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) by supporting their 		
deployment on systems based on deployable designs.

www.mrcy.com

Built for Performance
As a provider of high-performance solutions addressing the mostchallenging problems in the sensor processing chain, Mercury
engineered the 16-slot OpenVPX development chassis to work witha wide variety of module types, from low-power Single BoardComputers (SBCs) to high-performance server-class processing
modules such as the HDS6601, or RF/IF engines such as theSCFE-V6-OVPX.
Because the chassis supports lab development activities, it isideal for profiling applications on commercial air-cooled OpenVPX
hardware that is identical in design to rugged, deployable OpenVPX

Mercury Systems is a best-of-breed provider of commerciallydeveloped, open sensor and Big Data processing systems,
software and services for critical commercial, defense andintelligence applications.

modules. The chassis can also work with more rugged configurations ofOpenVPX modules that require airflow for cooling.
Three chassis fans are implemented in the enclosure, ensuring thatsufficient cooling is available to support modules dissipating in excessof 175W. The combined parallel fan configuration supplies more than
700 CFM of airflow to the card cage, providing enough air per slot tosupport a full complement of high-performance modules. Three thermal
sensors are positioned at the exhaust outlet, allowing users todetermine the temperature of the air after cooling installed modules.
Fans are managed by a control card, allowing automatic adjustment 		
of fan speed based on cooling requirements.

Multiple Configuration Options
As a building block for high-performance OpenVPX subsystems, the16-slot OpenVPX development chassis is designed for configurability.
Multiple logical configurations can be supported by simply installing a
new OpenVPX-compliant backplane. Custom backplanes can also bedeveloped and integrated as needed to match application data flow
requirements. Power and fan configurations can be modified forparticular configurations, with high-power and cooling installations
targeting the most demanding applications, and more cost-effective
installations targeting lower power and thermal requirements.

100101010
001101011
110101100

ACQUIREACQUIREDIGITIZE

100101010
001101011
110101100

100101010
001101011
110101100

100101010
001101011
110101100

ACQUIREPROCESSDIGITIZEACQUIREPROCESSDIGITIZESTORAGEACQUIREPROCESSDIGITIZESTORAGEEXPLOIT

Table notes text (“Table notes” paragraph style)

100101010
001101011
110101100

ACQUIREPROCESSDIGITIZESTORAGEEXPLOIT
DISSEMINATE

www.mrcy.com

Slot numbers are
logical, physicalslot numbers may
be different

Payload Slots

Switch/Management

VPX
1VPX2VPX
3VPX
4VPX
5VPX
6VPX
7VPX
8Expansion Plane(DFP = 8 lanes)

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Data Plane(FP = 4 lanes)

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
SwitchControl Plane(UTP = 1 lane)

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Management
Plane (IPMB)

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

VPX
9Payload Slots

VPX
10VPX
11VPX
12VPX
13VPX
14VPX
15

VPX16ExpanPlane

ExpanPlane

ExpanPlane

Expan
Plane

ExpanPlane

ExpanPlane

Expan
Plane

Data
Switch

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

DataPlane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Control
SwitchControl
SwitchControl
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

ChMC

ChMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

Utility Plane
Includes PowerPower supplies are configured for 12V-optimized OpenVPX modules,
but provide all required voltages for OpenVPX modules, including+12V, +5V, +3.3V and -12V. Depending on configuration, power at either12V or 24V is also provided to drive the chassis fan infrastructure.
Due to the modular design of the subsystem, power supplies can bereplaced or updated easily and are cooled independently of the module
space. Indicators on the front panel of the enclosure provide assurance
that all voltages are available.
Designed for easy access, Rear-Transition Modules (RTM) can beinstalled as required, and airflow is available to the RTM area should
active components be present on any rear modules.

Lab Development System
Several key features make the 16-slot OpenVPX chassis a naturalchoice for lab development systems.
• Compact design takes up a minimum of space, and aluminum
construction minimizes enclosure weight• Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) jacks are provided on both thefront and rear of the chassis• Cable access holes are designed into the enclosure framework,
supporting the routing of cables to both the front panel and therear transition area as appropriate for the configuration• Ergonomic space design for injector/ejector seating is optimized
for the high extraction force needed for OpenVPX modules• Switches are provided for the SYS_RESET and NVMRO OpenVPXsignals, allowing easy testing for the operation of these signals
in any installed backplane• A chassis ground stud is provided at the rear of the enclosure

VPX-REDI
The VPX (VITA 46) standard defines 6U and 3U board formats with amodern high-performance connector set capable of supporting today’shigh-speed fabric interfaces. VPX is most attractive when paired with
the Ruggedized Enhanced Design Implementation standard — REDI(VITA 48). The 16-slot (or 6-slot) OpenVPX chassis supports 6U aircooled module implementations of VPX-REDI including standard VITA
48.1 air-cooled modules and the latest VITA 48.7 Air Flow-By™ (AFB)
air-cooled modules.

Open Standards Mean Interoperability and 		Planning for the Future
The OpenVPX Industry Working Group was an industry initiative
launched by defense prime contractors and COTS system developers toproactively solve the interoperability issues associated with the VITA
46 (VPX) family of specifications. This group has created an 		overarching System Specification defining VPX system architecture
through pinout definitions to establish a limited set of applicationspecific reference solutions. These OpenVPX standard solutionsprovide clear design guidance to COTS suppliers and the user community, assuring interoperability across multi vendor implementations.
The OpenVPX System Specifications were ratified by the VSO inFebruary 2010 and became an ANSI standard shortly thereafter.

Specifications
Size

19” Compatible, 11U high and 21”deepWeight54 pounds (with backplane installed, no payload modules)

Power Supply+12V @ 250a+5V @ 60a+3.3V @ 35a-12V @ 17a
OpenVPX slot count16 (at 1” pitch) Can support backplanes up to 16 slots (switched or mesh)
Front Panel
Write Enable switch
Voltage LEDsSYS_RESET switch
DC Inhibit switch
ESD Jack
Rear Panel
Chassis ground stud
220V NEMA L6-30a inlet with cable clamp
30a circuit breaker
ESD jack
Note: Chassis can be customized to meet requirements.
Contact Mercury’s Services and System Integration group.

Copyright © 2014 Mercury Systems, Inc.			

2937.02E-0314-DS-16-slot

INNOVATION THAT MATTERS ™

Corporate Headquarters
201 Riverneck Road
Chelmsford, MA 01824-2820 USA(978) 967-1401 • (866) 627-6951
Fax (978) 256-3599
www.mrcy.com

Europe Mercury Systems, Ltd.
Unit 1 - Easter Park, Benyon Road
Silchester, ReadingRG7 2PQ United Kingdom+ 44 0 1189 702050 • Fax + 44 0 1189 702321
www.mrcy.com

www.mrcy.com

EchoCore, Echotek, Ensemble, Race++ and MultiCore Plus are registered trademarks and Air Flow-By,
Liquid Flow-By AFB, Innovation That Matters, Mercury Systems, POET, SecureConfig and StreamDirect
are trademarks of Mercury Systems, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned may be trademarks
and/or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Mercury Systems, Inc. believes this information isaccurate as of its publication date and is not responsible for any inadvertent errors. The information contained
herein is subject to change without notice.