When purchasing board level modules to build a system, it can be challenging to get modules configured in the most optimal way. Many companies will have a team of software, hardware, FPGA and system engineers targeted to work on the program. With teams averaging 10 employees, these project-specific groups could be costing $50,000 per week or more. Valuable time can be spent getting the basic framework set up, leading to unexpected costs or alternatively, expensive turn-key systems are purchased with little to no options for customization.
A large radar developer wanted to build a radar system based on a large number of DSP processor modules interconnected via a 40G switch, some FPGA modules, and an FMC. The customer wanted a base example design that demonstrated all the interconnections needed in the system worked and supported the necessary bandwidth. The customer understood the sooner the team became productive, the more cost effective the development would be.
Over the last few years, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions has developed an initiative called light integration to provide a framework for customers to start development. The primary application of light integration is to focus on the data flow of the customer’s particular use case and validate their specific configuration of hardware, software and firmware work as intended, both functionally and with the expected bandwidth.
Download the Case Study to learn more about how Curtiss-Wright worked with the customer to define the requirements, solved the computing challenges, saved the program money, and eased the uncertainty of integrating unfamiliar modules using CHAMP-AV9 6U VPX Intel Core i7 based DSP boards, VPX6-1958 6U VPX Intel Core i7 SBC and Switch, FPGA processor cards and FMC modules.