Diamond Systems RUBY-MM-1616A : RMM-416A-XT 4-Channel 16-bit Analog Output PC/104 Module with Digital I/O

In production PC/104 designs the analog requirement is often small but the digital one is not: a few setpoints or current loops next to dozens of switch inputs and relay drives. The RMM-416A-XT is the four-channel analog output module in the Diamond Systems RUBY-MM-1616A series, pairing four 16-bit outputs with the series’ full 48-line digital I/O. Diamond lists a 50-unit minimum order, so it is aimed at volume builds.

Each of the four outputs is 16-bit and takes its own range: 0-5 V, 0-10 V, ±5 V or ±10 V, or 0-20 mA, 4-20 mA and 0-24 mA current. Outputs update together from a software command or an external trigger, settling time is 10 µs maximum to ±0.003%, and a waveform generator can drive all four channels. Each DAC has its own DC/DC converter, so the board needs nothing more than +5 V from the bus.

The 48 digital lines split into 40 byte-wide and eight bit-wide, all with programmable direction, alongside two 32-bit counter/timers on a 40 MHz clock and four 24-bit pulse width modulators. Analog outputs and the external trigger use one 50-pin header, digital I/O a second. Where more outputs are needed on the same board, the RMM-816A-XT has eight and the RMM-1616A-XT has 16.

The RMM-416A-XT plugs into the PC/104 ISA bus and operates from -40 to +85 °C. Diamond builds it on a six-layer PCB with split analog and digital planes, calibrates every output at the factory and resets all DACs to 0 V at power-up or reset. Jumpers can be replaced with 0-ohm resistors for high-vibration installs, and the Universal Driver supports C programming under Windows, Linux and DOS.