The NI cRIO-9046 is an extended-temperature embedded controller for demanding industrial applications requiring data logging, monitoring, and control in harsh environments. It pairs an Intel Atom E3930 dual-core processor running at 1.3 GHz base / 1.8 GHz burst with a Xilinx Kintex-7 70T FPGA for high-speed, low-latency hardware processing and real-time decision-making. The system runs NI Linux Real-Time (64-bit) on 2 GB DRAM with 4 GB onboard storage, plus SD card expansion for data logging.
Technical Specifications
Processor & Memory
• Intel Atom E3930 dual-core CPU: 1.3 GHz base, 1.8 GHz burst
• 2 MB on-die L2 cache
• 2 GB DRAM, 4 GB flash storage
• SD card slot for removable data logging
FPGA
• Xilinx Kintex-7 70T: MHz-class processing with hardware-level control and coprocessing
Operating Environment
• Temperature range: -40 °C to 70 °C
• Ex ec IIC T4 Gc certified for Zone 2 hazardous locations and nonhazardous installations
Network & Serial Interfaces
• 2 × Gigabit Ethernet ports (10 Mb/s, 100 Mb/s, 1000 Mb/s auto-negotiate, 100 m/segment)
• USB 3.1 and USB 2.0 ports
• RS-232 serial: 115,200 bps maximum
• RS-485 serial: 230,400 bps maximum; supports 1.2 km cable length without surge protection; functionally isolated from chassis ground
• DisplayPort over USB Type-C
– Key Features
• Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) for precise, synchronized timing in distributed systems
• NI Linux Real-Time OS combines deterministic performance with desktop-class usability
• Kintex-7 70T FPGA enables coprocessing and advanced control algorithms
• Extended temperature operation simplifies deployment in extreme environments
• Hazardous location certification for Zone 2 facilities
– Typical Applications
• Industrial process control and monitoring
• Distributed measurement systems requiring synchronized timing
• Data acquisition and embedded analytics in temperature-constrained environments
• Real-time control with hardware acceleration
– Compatibility & Integration
The cRIO-9046 accommodates 8 slots of NI C Series I/O modules, enabling modular system configuration for custom measurement and control requirements.
