International Telemetering Conference (ITC), Las Vegas, Nevada (Booth #925) – October 23, 2023 – Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions Division today announced the latest addition to its expansive range of Axon™ advanced airborne data acquisition unit (DAU) modules for use in demanding flight test programs. The Axon AXN/CBM/401, and its ADAU ACAN-408A-1 equivalent, are Curtiss-Wright’s first Axon data acquisition modules to support the flexible data rate features of CAN FD, a vehicle data network standard fast growing in popularity for data-intensive next-generation vehicles, such as EVTOL aircraft. Size, weight and power (SWaP) optimized Axon modules deliver up to 10x the data throughput of competitive offerings via their high-speed serial backplane that provides a 1 Gbps dedicated link for each module. In addition to CAN FD, the modules are also compatible with CAN bus 2.0 A/B to ensure support for legacy systems. An advantage of CAN FD for flight test programs is its support for up to 4x higher bit rates in the Data Field compared to the CAN bus 2.0 A/B Arbitration Field messages. This increases the payload from a maximum of 8 bytes to a maximum of 64 bytes using CAN FD, allowing higher data throughput than available with CAN bus devices. The new DAU modules are ideal for use in data-intensive applications, such as flight test, HUMS, OLM, L/ESS, and production test.
“Our Axon and ADAU data acquisition systems for critical flight test applications provide flight test engineers with high-speed, flexible solutions for demanding FTI programs,” said Brian Perry, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions Division. “The new AXN/CBM/401 8-channel CAN Bus monitor module, and its ADAU ACAN-408A-1 equivalent, represent Curtiss-Wright’s ongoing commitment to lead the industry with the broadest range of high-performance DAU offerings to meet the unique needs of every flight test program.”
The 8-channel AXN/CBM/401 provides FTI system designers a single-module solution for coherent message parsing and packetizing. The new Axon module, which supports both the ARINC-825 and CANaerospace data protocols, enables flight test engineers to capture CAN bus bulk data in a wide variety of formats, including DARv3, iNET-X, IENA, and IRIG 106 Chapter 10. Optionally, the message stream can be filtered to capture and packetize specific messages.
As a message parser, the AXN/CBM/401 coherently parses up to 127 messages on each of its 8 data busses, along with time and status tags. Its packetizer can generate either a single packet stream per input bus or packetize messages from all active busses into a single packet stream. A programmable timeout ensures that smaller packets are generated at all times, enabling the real-time analysis and processing of acquired messages.
About the Axon Product Family
The Axon product family is the most advanced airborne data acquisition system available today, offering low SWaP with the best feature set, data acquisition, and thermal performance on the market. The Axon product family builds on Curtiss-Wright’s heritage as the leading supplier of rugged, reliable data acquisition for aerospace applications.
Axon’s future-proof design, using a high-speed serial backplane (1 Gbps dedicated link per module), ensures future high data rates are supported. Its optimized SWaP design enables an Axon module to be located in tight spaces and operate reliably without requiring bulky heatsinks. Axon modules can be hosted in ultra-miniature "Axonite" housings and located remotely, separated from the chassis by up to 10 meters. Locating data acquisition closer to the sensors can significantly decrease the installation time and cost of the instrumentation while simultaneously reducing wiring weight. Axonites can also save significant system costs in larger installations by minimizing the number of DAUs required in remote locations and eliminating the need for extra chassis controllers and power supplies.
Axon ADAU modules are optimized for use with Curtiss-Wright MnACQ and MnACQ network-based DAUs and TTCWare software, while Axon AXN family modules are optimized for use with Curtiss-Wright Acra KAM-500 network-based DAUs and DAS Studio software.
The AXN/CBM/401 (ACAN-408A-1) product sheets are available for download here.
For additional information about Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions products, please visit www.curtisswrightds.com, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter) @CurtissWrightDS.
About Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE:CW) is a global integrated business that provides highly engineered products, solutions and services mainly to Aerospace & Defense markets, as well as critical technologies in demanding Commercial Power, Process and Industrial markets. We leverage a workforce of approximately 8,400 highly skilled employees who develop, design and build what we believe are the best engineered solutions to the markets we serve. Building on the heritage of Glenn Curtiss and the Wright brothers, Curtiss-Wright has a long tradition of providing innovative solutions through trusted customer relationships. For more information, visit www.curtisswright.com.
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John Wranovics
Director of Public Relations
John Wranovics has over thirty years of experience in managing media relations and the promotion of high technology products. He has been with Curtiss-Wright since 2003. He has a degree in English Literature from the University of California, Berkeley.
