The NI cRIO-9040 is a 4-slot CompactRIO controller designed for deterministic control and custom hardware acceleration in demanding industrial environments. It combines a dual-core Intel Atom E3930 processor running at 1.3 GHz base / 1.8 GHz burst with a Xilinx Kintex-7 70T reconfigurable FPGA, delivering the processing power and timing precision required for complex, time-critical applications. The system runs NI Linux Real-Time (64-bit) and supports multiple programming models: Real-Time via NI-DAQmx, Real-Time Scan using I/O Variables, and LabVIEW FPGA for custom logic implementation.
Technical Specifications
Processor & Memory
• Intel Atom E3930 dual-core CPU: 1.3 GHz base, 1.8 GHz burst, 2 MB L2 cache
• 2 GB DRAM volatile memory
• 4 GB SSD nonvolatile storage (Planar SLC NAND)
• Xilinx Kintex-7 70T FPGA
Network & Serial Connectivity
• Dual Gigabit Ethernet ports: 10Base-T, 100Base-TX, 1000Base-T, auto-negotiated, 100 m/segment maximum distance
• USB Type-A host (USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, 480 Mb/s, 900 mA max)
• Two USB Type-C ports: one host (USB 3.1 Gen1, 5 Gb/s, 900 mA), one dual-role host/device (USB 3.1 Gen1, 5 Gb/s, 900 mA)
• DisplayPort 1.2 over USB Type-C: 3840 × 2160 @ 60 Hz maximum
• RS-232 and RS-485 serial ports
• SD/SDHC card slot supporting UHS-I SDR50 and DDR50
– Key Features
• Deterministic real-time OS foundation for cycle-accurate control
• FPGA co-processing enables hardware acceleration and custom I/O logic
• Four C Series module slots for distributed I/O expansion
• Dual Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed network integration
• Mixed-mode USB connectivity: legacy Type-A plus modern 5 Gb/s Type-C ports
• SSD-based storage for application persistence and edge processing
– Typical Applications
• Industrial control systems requiring real-time determinism
• Custom signal conditioning and hardware-timed data acquisition
• Edge computing with local processing and network communication
• Motion control and robotics platforms
• Distributed test automation with synchronized multi-chassis deployment
– Compatibility & Integration
Develop applications in LabVIEW 2017 or later with the Real-Time Module and FPGA Module. C/C++ development is supported via NI Linux Real-Time tools. Requires NI CompactRIO Device Drivers (December 2017 or later) and NI-DAQmx 17.6 or later.
