ARINC 429 is the name given to a particular vital set of specifications used to facilitate communication between various components on commercial aircraft in particular. Given that it was developed based on the wealth of experience gained and lessons learned from previous specifications, the ARINC 429 remains a significant development in avionics. This article will look at some of the most outstanding features in quality ARINC 429 products.

Advanced monitoring and data acquisition

With large amounts of onboard memory (128 MB), an IRIG B time encoder/ decoder for external synchronization, and a flexible triggering and filtering engine, the AIT ARINC 429 modules provide advanced monitoring and data acquisition solution. In order to do so, they contain the following features:

  1. High channel density with full monitoring of up to 32 channels concurrently (Up to 64 channels for VXI and VME modules)
  2. Hardware timestamping which receives data with 1 MS resolution; with independent onboard clock.
  3. Complex software configurable triggers and filters.
  4. Full error detection.
  5. Simultaneous reception of data to chronological bus monitor and SDDI specific buffers.

In-line data corruption

ARINC 429 products have the capability to link any reception channel to any transmit channel to provide a “pass through” data analyzer. Additionally, data corruption operations can be defined to selectively modify ARINC 429 label data in order to inject errors prior to transmission.

High-quality hardware modules

Quality ARINC 429 modules utilize an FGPA based architecture to provide a flexible ARINC 429 compliance protocol engine capable of supporting low-level error injection and detection and can easily support program-specific customizations when required. Moreover, a company producing ARINC 429 modules should have years of experience in the field and make consistent, reliable, and on-time product delivery.

Flexible, high-performance output

A quality ARINC 429 modules product should be able to provide flexible and efficient output operations as follows:

  1. Autonomous operation of labels while still offering in-rate oriented and block transfer modes of operation.
  2. Acrylic (on command) label transmission concurrently with scheduled output.
  3. Full error injection for each label transfer including short gap, partly and bit count encoding.
  4. Multi-buffering with real time buffer updates.
  5. Programmable gap time between labels.
  6. Programmable selection of high and low speed operations on all channels.
  7. Industry’s highest channel density with up to 32 fully operational concurrently operating channels.

Multi-Protocol 4000 Modules

ARINC 429 modules with 4000 modules are incredibly beneficial when it comes to relaying and storing data as there are huge 80 channels that’ll each transmit or receive information. In addition, all selected labels are stored in full, including status and time tag information that are vital should anything go wrong during testing. Most of the operations of ARINC 429 modules are automated so that there is minimal human interaction.

Conclusion

Finding a good ARINC 429 product is hectic, however, the features that have been stated above are essential if you are trying to identify a quality ARINC 429 modules product.