Specifications

MACRO CPU Board Hardware Reference Manual
2 Introduction
The 3U MACRO Station can be configured in either of two
fundamental assemblies – UMAC MACRO and MACRO Stack:
• UMAC MACRO – In this configuration (once called Pack) the
3U-format boards are put together to communicate through a
backplane bus called the UBUS. All boards are installed in a
Euro-card rack. In this configuration, all 3U-format boards or
modules can be installed or withdrawn from the pack
individually, providing ease of installation, debugging, and
repair.
The photo at the upper right shows a UMAC rack with power
supply and I/O boards that are connected through a backplane. This
system allows for an easier integration of the 3U MACROCPU for
larger (up to 8 axes) applications.
• MACRO Stack – In the Stack configuration the 3U-format
boards are put together as a stack of piggyback boards, (right,
below). This configuration is ideal for compact, cost-sensitive
embedded applications.
Note:
The Stack boards and related breakout boards can be installed in a Euro-card rack,
creating a hybrid “stack/pack” configuration. This requires a special backplane
configuration that makes removing stack boards difficult.
This hybrid configuration is now recommended for existing legacy systems only.
3U Product Configurations (General Description)
Assemblies of 3U-format boards can be made with either of two CPU processor boards – a 3U
MACRO CPU board, or a 3U Turbo PMAC2 CPU board. Most other 3U-format boards, labeled
Accessory boards, can be used with either CPU board.
• When the 3U MACRO-CPU board is used, the resulting assemblies are called UMAC MACRO or
3U MACRO Stack.
• When the 3U Turbo PMAC2 CPU board is used, the resulting assemblies are called UMAC Turbo or
Turbo Stack.
Refer to the UMAC and 3U Stack Products Selection Guide for more detailed descriptions of how the
rack and stack products are integrated.