CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, SEPTEMBER 29, 2009 GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a unit of GE Enterprise Solutions, today announced the ICS-1620 and ICS-1640 16-channel Digital/Analog Converters. Designed for the most demanding data acquisition applications, such as high frequency, multi-channel sonar systems, these new products offer unprecedented dynamic and frequency range, and multiple redundant levels of channel-channel and board-board synchronization, making them suitable for continuous operation in high channel count environments.

Both units are short form factor PCI Express x4 cards, making them extremely compact and well suited to size- and weight-constrained environments such as unmanned vehicles. The ICS-1620 features a 16-bit resolution DAC capability, while the ICS-1640 offers 24-bit resolution. Both operate at 2.5MHz.

“Navies around the world are now threatened less by large vessels in deep waters such as submarines, and more by small, often autonomous underwater vehicles, and even divers in coastal waters,” said Christopher Lever, Global Product Manager, Sensor Processing and I/O at GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms. “To search for these smaller threats requires much higher frequencies and the acquisition of much more data than was previously available – and the ICS-1620 and ICS-1640 uniquely respond to these new requirements.”

The ICS-1620 provides a DAC product complementary to the ICS-1640; the two are designed to work together in systems requiring both receive and transmit elements. As well as serving the needs of acoustic and ultrasound sonar systems designers, the ICS-1620 and ICS-1640 are also appropriate for other applications such as test and measurement and vibration analysis.

Notable features of the ICS-1620 and ICS-1640 include their high dynamic range – 16-bit/85 dB for the ICS-1620 and 24-bit/greater than 100 dB for the ICS-1640 - allowing for detection of smaller, quieter targets at longer distances. This allows the ICS-1640 to provide directly sampled analog signals without the inherent performance degradation of a complex signal conditioning stage, while the requirement for signal conditioning on the ICS-1620 is substantially reduced. Channel-channel receive-transmit synchronization allows for target localization with no down time as the boards automatically recover synchronization. The ability for multiple boards to be synchronized with each other means that systems need not be limited to the 16-channels available on each board: very high channel count solutions can be developed.

Flexible clocking schemes allow for programmability over the entire available sampling range with a resolution of 1 Hz. The clocks can be locked to a very stable on-board 10MHz TCXO, or to an externally supplied reference clock such a GPS receiver. The external clock can also be provided at the desired sampling rate as the oversampling clock.

About GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a joint venture between General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) and FANUC LTD of Japan, is an experienced high-performance technology company and a global provider of hardware, software, services, and expertise in automation and embedded computing. We offer a unique foundation of agile, advanced and ultra-reliable technology that provides customers a sustainable advantage in the industries they serve, including energy, water, consumer packaged goods, government & defense, and telecommunications. GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms is a worldwide company headquartered in Charlottesville, VA and is part of GE Enterprise Solutions. For more information, visit www.gefanuc.com.

About GE Enterprise Solutions

GE Enterprise Solutions elevates customers' productivity and profitability with integrated solutions using sensors and non-destructive testing; Security and life safety technologies; power system protection and control; and plant automation and embedded computing systems. Enterprise Solutions' high-tech, high-growth businesses include Sensing & Inspection Technologies, Security, Digital Energy, and GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms. The business has 17,000 problem-solving employees in more than 60 countries around the world.