Leading the Embedded World

CMC Electronics: MFD-3068 and PU-3000 Certified Multicore Avionics

The MFD-3068 Smart Multi-Function Display and the PU-3000 Avionics Computer from CMC Electronics are the world’s first two multicore avionics systems to be certified to DO-178C and CAST-32A. Both systems run the INTEGRITY-178 tuMP multicore RTOS, and those certifications depended upon the multicore robust partitioning and multicore certification support provided by INTEGRITY-178 tuMP.

“CMC Electronics selected the INTEGRITY-178 tuMP RTOS after determining that it uniquely provides the robust partitioning, resource configuration, and certification support required for CMC’s next generation of multicore avionics products,” said Don Paolucci, Vice President, Engineering, at CMC Electronics. “INTEGRITY-178 tuMP reduces development and integration costs for CMC and our customers by providing full support for multicore processing with mixed-criticality applications up to DO-178C DAL A airborne safety requirements and certified conformance to the FACE™ Technical Standard.”

Equipped with ARINC-653 compliant platform services, the MFD-3068 Smart Display is capable of hosting multiple high-demanding software applications developed to varying design assurance levels up through DAL A. The combination of the INTEGRITY-178 tuMP RTOS and CMC’s middleware allows customers to host their own applications, as well as applications from CMC and third parties, providing significant flexibility in meeting customer needs. Examples of CMC-hosted applications include Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) functions with optional Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS), Digital map, and software Flight Management System (FMS).

The PU-3000 series of multicore avionics computers is the fourth generation of avionics computers from CMC Electronics and is fit for both civil and military retrofit markets. Modular by design, the multicore PU-3000 can be used as a common computing platform to consolidate several levels of applications of varying design assurance levels up through DAL A into a single box. Those applications can range from the primary flight display (PFD), navigation display (ND), flight management systems (FMS), radio management systems (RMS), and flight director systems (FDS) to critical mission applications.

CMC Electronics CAST-32 MFD-3068 Smart Display

MFD-3068 Smart Multi-Function Display
(Image courtesy CMC Electronics)

CMC Electronics CAST-32 PU-3000 Avionics Computer

PU-3000 Avionics Computer
(Image courtesy CMC Electronics)

What makes such consolidation possible is the use of the INTEGRITY-178 tuMP multicore RTOS. INTEGRITY-178 tuMP supports the Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) concept, which requires robust partitioning to allow multiple applications to share a platform and its resources. INTEGRITY-178 tuMP provides that robust partitioning in a multicore system by mitigating the multicore interference that results from contention for shared resources among processor cores. Robust partitioning enables each application to be modifiable with little or no impact on other applications and the platform resources and modules. The ability to independently modify applications is critical to meeting the IMA goals of providing cost-effective upgrade paths and introducing new operational capabilities without retesting and reverifying the entire system.

The PU-3000 received TSO authorization as a Flight Director under TSO-C198 “Automatic Flight Guidance and Control System (AFGCS) Equipment.” The MFD-3068 smart display received authorization for three TSOs: TSO-C113 “Airborne Multipurpose Electronic Displays,” TSO-C165 “Electronic Map Display Equipment for Graphical Depiction of Aircraft Position,” and TSO-C209 “Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) Display.” Both sets of TSO submissions included evidence of meeting all CAST-32A requirements for multicore processors. The TSOs were approved by Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), with reciprocal acceptance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Additional Resources