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On Fri, 29 Jan 2016 13:52:45 -0600, Emmett Redd Ph.D. wrote:
> I am proposing to design and build an analog circuit
> intensive PCIe computer card. The analog circuit concepts
> are firmly in hand, but schematic capture, layout, etc.
> needs to be done. In fact, the core analog circuit is not
> extensive but the whole card has hundreds of repeats.
>
> But, I do not want the interface between the PCIe bus and my
> DACs and ADCs to be a learning attempt on my part and would
> like to find someone experienced here to design that
> interface, help with software driver development, and
> whatever else makes sense to hire done.
>
> Note: ITAR probably applies.
>
> Any recommendations of good providers that anyone has used
> or been will be appreciated.
From the above it sounds as though you thoroughly understand
your transducers and your analog sections, but need help with
the rest. It might help a little to expand your description
to help get serious recommendations:
* Critical layout issues already known?
* Sustained and burst transfer rates? (Buffering required?)
* Have you considered the M.2 x1, x2, and x4 NGFF? (Or is
this PCIe x1, x2, x4, x8, x16, or x32?)
* Commercial? Or scientific?
* Power?
* Closed loop control or open loop measurement?
* Operating environment?
* FPGA likely involved?
* You looking first for someone with broad knowledge to
guide the selection of others and guide the project or
will you handle the prioritization and selection?
* What equipment do you have on-site and what do you expect
to be available to those who help you? (scopes, etc.)
* Who is responsible for validating a stuffed board?
I don't have anyone in mind. I'm merely suggesting more
information to help stimulate discussion.
Jon
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Posted by: Jon Kirwan [email protected]
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Jon, Thanks for the questions. They are reproduced below with answers interspersed:
* Critical layout issues already known?
Area. My analog chips have a total quoted area of 11232 mm*mm on a conservative estimate PC board of 27000 mm*mm. And, I know there will have to be scale-setting resistors and diodes and decoupling capacitors, connectors, on-board voltage regulators, references, and the PCIe interface hardware. Maybe some of the passives can go on the back side of the board. The analog circuitry could be reduced in steps if it is impossible to fit everything in.
* Sustained and burst transfer rates? (Buffering required?)
My 8 DACs can take serial data at up to 50 MHz (400 MHz bandwidth?) and my 5 ADCs are between 10 and 20 MHz (100 MHz bandwidth?). So buffering from the 2.5 GHz will be needed.
* Have you considered the M.2 x1, x2, and x4 NGFF? (Or is
this PCIe x1, x2, x4, x8, x16, or x32?)
It is a full-size, plug-into-a-PC/workstation box so PCIe. The answer above implies x1 should be enough.
* Commercial? Or scientific?
Scientific, but want to keep commercial options open.
* Power?
With different chips covering the same area above, it is still an open question whether the analog ranges over +/-10 V or +/-2.5 V. Looking at the higher value, the analog portion of the board should be less than 80 W.
* Closed loop control or open loop measurement?
Actually, it emphasizes analog computation rather than control though control is possible.
* Operating environment?
MatLab under Windows.
* FPGA likely involved?
I expect the interface between the PCIe mixed-signal analog components is likely an FPGA. We are only familiar with VHDL on Xilinx FPGAs.
* You looking first for someone with broad knowledge to
guide the selection of others and guide the project or
will you handle the prioritization and selection?
I am very flexible on this point; my university, maybe not so. We will have to bid anything (since I expect the cost to be above $5k).
* What equipment do you have on-site and what do you expect
to be available to those who help you? (scopes, etc.)
We have a LogicPort and a LabJack and can get 60 MHz digital scopes, multimeters etc.
* Who is responsible for validating a stuffed board?
That might best be done by the stuffer, but we could negotiate that.
Emmett Redd Ph.D. mailto:[email protected]
Professor (417)836-5221
Department of Physics, Astronomy, and Materials Science
Missouri State University Fax (417)836-6226
901 SOUTH NATIONAL Lab (417)836-3770
SPRINGFIELD, MO 65897 USA Dept (417)836-5131
In statesmanship get the formalities right, never mind about the moralities. -- Mark Twain.
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Posted by: "Redd, Emmett R" <[email protected]>
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