National Instruments IC-3121 User manual

National Instruments IC-3121 Manual
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USER MANUAL
IC-3121
Industrial Controller
This document contains detailed electrical and mechanical information for the National
Instruments IC-3121.
Contents
Hardware Overview.................................................................................................................. 1
Connector Pinouts............................................................................................................. 2
LED Indicators................................................................................................................14
Using the RESET Button................................................................................................ 18
Software Options.....................................................................................................................19
BIOS Configuration and System Recovery............................................................................ 19
Entering BIOS Setup.......................................................................................................19
BIOS Keyboard Navigation............................................................................................ 20
Main Menu......................................................................................................................20
Advanced Menu.............................................................................................................. 20
Boot Menu.......................................................................................................................21
Save & Exit Menu...........................................................................................................23
Restoring the NI Linux Real-Time Operating System....................................................24
Restoring the Windows Operating System..................................................................... 24
Mounting the IC-3121.............................................................................................................26
Securing the IC-3121 to a Mount....................................................................................30
Clearance Requirements................................................................................................. 30
Where to Go Next................................................................................................................... 31
Worldwide Support and Services............................................................................................ 32
Hardware Overview
The IC-3121 front panel consists of a VGA port, RJ50 serial port, two USB 2.0 ports, a
10/100/1000 Ethernet port, and two USB 3.0 ports.
The IC-3121 front panel also includes LEDs for communicating system status and a 44-pin
Digital I/O port. The Digital I/O port offers 8 isolated inputs, 8 isolated outputs, 2 bidirectional
differential I/O (RS-422) or single-ended input lines that can be used with a quadrature
encoder, and 8 bidirectional TTL lines.

Figure 1. IC-3121 Front Panel Connectors
IC-3121
Industrial Controller
RESET
DIGITAL I/O
10/100/
1000
ACT/
LINK
USER1
USER2
PWR/
FAULT
STATUS
5
3
6
1
2
4
1. VGA Connector
2. RS-232/RS-485 Serial Port
3. USB 2.0 Ports
4. Gigabit Ethernet Port
5. USB 3.0 Ports
6. 44-pin Digital I/O Connector
Connector Pinouts
The IC-3121 provides the following connectors.
Chassis Grounding Screw
Use the grounding screw to connect the chassis to earth ground. An earth ground connection is
optional.
Note An earth ground connection does not connect C or CISO to earth ground.
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Figure 2. Chassis Grounding Screw
SYSTEM
12-24 V
C V
ISO
5-24 V
1
CISO V
ISO
1. Chassis Grounding Screw
Power Input Connectors
The IC-3121 requires a power supply to power the system. If needed for your application, an
additional power source is required to power the isolated outputs.
The same power supply may be used for both the system power and isolated outputs power if
isolation is not required and the power supply meets the voltage and power requirements for
both inputs. Refer to the IC-3121 Specifications for power requirements.
NI recommends the following power supply for the IC-3121.
Power Supply Part Number
NI PS-15 Industrial Power Supply, to power the system or isolated outputs 781093-01
IC-3121 User Manual | © National Instruments | 3

Figure 3. Power Connectors
SYSTEM
12-24 V
C V
ISO
5-24 V
1
2
CISO V
ISO
1. System Power Connector
2. Isolated Outputs Power Connector
Table 1. Power Connector Terminals
Terminal Description
C Common signal
V System power (12-24 VDC)
CISO Isolated common signal
VISO Power for isolated outputs (5-24 VDC)
Ethernet Port
The IC-3121 provides a Gigabit Ethernet port. The Ethernet port provides a connection
between the IC-3121, a network, and other Ethernet devices. The IC-3121 automatically
detects the speed of the connection and configures itself accordingly.
A CAT 5e or CAT 6 1000Base-T Ethernet cable is required to achieve 1,000 Mbps (Gigabit)
Ethernet performance. CAT 5 Ethernet cables are not guaranteed to meet the necessary
requirements. While CAT 5 cables may appear to work at 1,000 Mbps, CAT 5 cables can cause
bit errors, resulting in degraded or unreliable network performance.
(Windows only) The network Ethernet port provides Wake-on-LAN functionality from the
power off state when associated with the Intel® driver. Wake-on-LAN must be enabled in the
Power Management tab of the Intel I210 Gigabit Network Connection Properties dialog for the
primary Ethernet port in Device Manager. The NI GigE Vision driver (NI-GEV) does not
support Wake-on-LAN.
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Figure 4. Ethernet Port Pin Locations
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Table 2. Ethernet Port Pin Descriptions
Pin Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps) Gigabit Ethernet
MDI MDI-X
1 TX+ BI_DA+ BI_DB+
2 TX- BI_DA- BI_DB-
3 RX+ BI_DB+ BI_DA+
4 No Connect BI_DC+ BI_DD-
5 No Connect BI_DC- BI_DD-
6 RX- BI_DB- BI_DA-
7 No Connect BI_DD+ BI_DC+
8 No Connect BI_DD- BI_DC-
USB 2.0 Ports
The USB ports support common USB peripheral devices such as USB flash drives, USB hard
drives, USB-to-IDE adapters, keyboards, mice, and USB cameras.
(RT only) LabVIEW usually maps USB mass-storage devices to the /U, /V, /W, or /X drive,
starting with the /U drive if it is available. Refer to the LabVIEW Help for more information.
Figure 5. USB 2.0 Pin Locations
4
3
2
1
IC-3121 User Manual | © National Instruments | 5

Table 3. USB 2.0 Port Pin Descriptions
Pin Signal Name Signal Description
1 VBUS Cable Power (+5 VDC)
2 D- USB Data -
3 D+ USB Data +
4 GND Ground for power return
RS-485/422/232 Serial Port
The IC-3121 has a single serial port that can operate in either RS-485/422 mode or RS-232
mode. Set the serial port mode in the BIOS setup utility.
The serial port is a 10-position RJ50 modular jack, which can connect to serial devices, such
as PLCs, scanners, and lighting devices.
NI recommends the following serial cables for the IC-3121.
Cable Part Number
RJ50 10-position modular plug to DB-9 serial cable 182845-01 for 1 meter cable
182845-02 for 2 meter cable
182845-03 for 3 meter cable
Figure 6. RS-485/422/232 Serial Port Pin Locations
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1
2
Table 4. RS-485/422/232 Serial Port Pin Descriptions
Pin RS-485/422 Mode RS-232 Mode
1 No Connect No Connect
2 TXD- Unused
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Table 4. RS-485/422/232 Serial Port Pin Descriptions (Continued)
Pin RS-485/422 Mode RS-232 Mode
3 TXD+ Unused
4 No Connect No Connect
5 No Connect No Connect
6 RXD- GND
7 RXD+ Unused
8 Unused TXD
9 Unused RXD
10 GND GND
Related Information
Serial Port Configuration Submenu on page 21
VGA Port
Use the VGA port to connect a monitor to the IC-3121. Use any standard 15-pin VGA cable to
access the VGA port. The VGA port has a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1200 at 60 Hz.
Figure 7. VGA Port Pin Locations
5 15
11
6
1
10
Pin Signal Name Signal Description
1 RED Red analog video signal
2 GREEN Green analog video signal
3 BLUE Blue analog video signal
4 RESERVED Reserved
5 GND Ground reference
6 RED RETURN Ground reference
IC-3121 User Manual | © National Instruments | 7

Pin Signal Name Signal Description
7 GREEN RETURN Ground reference
8 BLUE RETURN Ground reference
9 PWR 5 V power for DDC
10 GND Ground return for power
11 NC No connect
12 DDC_D Data signal of serial communication
13 HSYNC Horizontal synchronization signal
14 VSYNC Vertical synchronization signal
15 DDC_C Clock signal of serial communication
USB 3.0 Ports
The USB ports support common USB peripheral devices such as USB flash drives, USB hard
drives, USB-to-IDE adapters, keyboards, mice, and USB cameras.
(RT only) LabVIEW usually maps USB mass-storage devices to the /U, /V, /W, or /X drive,
starting with the /U drive if it is available. Refer to the LabVIEW Help for more information.
Figure 8. USB 3.0 Port Pin Locations
5
4
9
1
Table 5. USB 3.0 Port Pin Descriptions
Pin Signal Name Signal Description
1 VBUS Cable Power (+5 VDC)
2 D- USB Data -
3 D+ USB Data +
4 GND Ground for power return
5 StdA_SSRX- SuperSpeed receiver differential pair
6 StdA_SSRX+
7 GND_DRAIN Ground for signal return
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Table 5. USB 3.0 Port Pin Descriptions (Continued)
Pin Signal Name Signal Description
8 StdA_SSTX- SuperSpeed transmitter differential pair
9 StdA_SSTX+
Digital I/O
The 44-pin Digital I/O port on the IC-3121 offers 8 isolated inputs, 8 isolated outputs, 2
bidirectional differential inputs (RS-422) or single-ended input lines that can be used with a
quadrature encoder, and 8 bidirectional TTL lines. The Digital I/O port can be connected to
any appropriate shielded device or connector block using a shielded cable.
NI recommends the following digital I/O cables for the IC-3121.
Cable Part Number
44-pin D-sub male to pigtail cable 156083-03 for 3 meter cable
44-pin D-sub male to 44-position D-sub female cable 156084-03 for 3 meter cable
156084-0R5 for 0.5 meter cable
Refer to the following image and table for pin locations and descriptions.
Figure 9. 44-pin Digital I/O Connector Pin Locations
15
30
44
1
16
31
Table 6. Digital I/O Pin Descriptions
Pin Number Signal Description
1 Diff 0+ Bidirectional RS-422 I/O (positive side), or quadrature encoder
phase A+
2 GND Digital ground reference for TTL and differential I/O
3 TTL 0 Bidirectional TTL I/O
4 TTL 1 Bidirectional TTL I/O
IC-3121 User Manual | © National Instruments | 9

Table 6. Digital I/O Pin Descriptions (Continued)
Pin Number Signal Description
5 GND Digital ground reference for TTL and differential I/O
6 TTL 2 Bidirectional TTL I/O
7 TTL 3 Bidirectional TTL I/O
8 GND Digital ground reference for TTL and differential I/O
9 Diff 1+ Bidirectional RS-422 I/O (positive side), or quadrature encoder
phase B+
10 VISO Isolated power voltage reference output
11 CISO Common ground reference for isolated inputs and outputs
12 Iso Out 0 General purpose isolated input
13 Iso Out 1 General purpose isolated input
14 CISO Common ground reference for isolated inputs and outputs
15 Iso Out 4 General purpose isolated output
16 Diff 0- Bidirectional RS-422 I/O (negative side), or quadrature encoder
phase A-
17 GND Digital ground reference for TTL and differential I/O
18 TTL 4 Bidirectional TTL I/O
19 TTL 5 Bidirectional TTL I/O
20 GND Digital ground reference for TTL and differential I/O
21 TTL 6 Bidirectional TTL I/O
22 TTL 7 Bidirectional TTL I/O
23 GND Digital ground reference for TTL and differential I/O
24 Diff 1- Bidirectional RS-422 I/O
25 VISO Isolated power voltage reference output
26 CISO Common ground reference for isolated inputs and outputs
27 Iso Out 2 General purpose isolated output
28 Iso Out 3 General purpose isolated output
29 CISO Common ground reference for isolated inputs and outputs
30 Iso Out 5 General purpose isolated output
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Table 6. Digital I/O Pin Descriptions (Continued)
Pin Number Signal Description
31 Iso In 0 General purpose isolated input
32 iso In 1 General purpose isolated input
33 CISO Common ground reference for isolated inputs and outputs
34 Iso In 2 General purpose isolated input
35 Iso In 3 General purpose isolated input
36 CISO Common ground reference for isolated inputs and outputs
37 Iso In 4 General purpose isolated input
38 Iso In 5 General purpose isolated input
39 CISO Common ground reference for isolated inputs and outputs
40 Iso In 6 General purpose isolated input
41 Iso In 7 General purpose isolated input
42 CISO Common ground reference for isolated inputs and outputs
43 Iso Out 6 General purpose isolated output
44 Iso Out 7 General purpose isolated output
Wiring an Isolated Input
You can wire an isolated input to a sourcing output device.
Caution Do not allow the voltage on the isolated inputs to exceed 30 VDC. Doing
so will damage the IC-3121.
Figure 10. Connecting an Isolated Input to a Sourcing Output Device
VREF
CISO
Industrial Controller
Input
Sourcing
Output
Device
Current
Limiter
Power Supply
+
–
IC-3121 User Manual | © National Instruments | 11

Wiring an Isolated Output
The digital isolated output circuits source current to external loads.
When an inductive load, such as a relay or solenoid, is connected to an output, a large counter-
electromotive force may occur at switching time due to energy stored in the inductive load.
This flyback voltage can damage the outputs and the power supply.
To limit flyback voltages at the inductive load, install a flyback diode across the load. Mount
the flyback diode as close to the load as possible. Use this protection method if you connect
any of the isolated outputs on the IC-3121 to an inductive load.
The following image shows an example of an isolated output wired to an external load with a
flyback diode installed across the load.
Caution Do not draw more than 35 mA from each isolated output when VISO is
5 V. Do not draw more than 80 mA from each isolated output when VISO is 24 V.
Figure 11. Connecting an Isolated Output to an External Load
Digital Output
External Flyback
Diode for
Inductive Loads
VISO
CISO
VCC
Industrial Controller
Load
Overcurrent
Protection Circuit
Connecting to Differential I/O
The IC-3121 accepts differential (RS-422) line driver inputs. Each of the two differential I/O
can be configured as an output. Use shielded cables for all applications. Unshielded cables are
more susceptible to noise and can corrupt signals.
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Figure 12. Quadrature Encoder/RS-422 Input/Output Circuit
+
–
Diff I/O 0–
Diff I/O 0+
Diff I/O 1–
Diff I/O 1+
+3.3 V
+
–
10 kΩ10 kΩ10 kΩ10 kΩ
EN
EN
7.5 kΩ7.5 kΩ7.5 kΩ7.5 kΩ
Figure 13. Connecting Differential Line Drivers
Diff In 0+
Diff In 0–
Phase A
Phase A
Diff In 1+
Diff In 1–
Phase B
Phase B
External Device Industrial Controller
Twisted Pair
Twisted Pair
+
–
+
–
IC-3121 User Manual | © National Instruments | 13

Figure 14. Connecting Single-Ended Line Drivers
Diff In 0+
Diff In 0–
Phase A
Twisted Pair
Twisted Pair
Diff In 1+
Diff In 1–
Phase B
External Device Industrial Controller
+
–
+
–
TTL I/O
The following image shows the circuit for a bidirectional TTL I/O.
Figure 15. TTL Input/Output Circuit
100 Ω
TTL_OUT
TTL_OE
TTL_IN
10 kΩ
FB
TTL I/O
LED Indicators
The IC-3121 provides the following LED indicators.
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Figure 16. LED Indicators
RESET
DIGITAL I/O
10/100/
1000
ACT/
LINK
USER1
USER2
PWR/
FAULT
STATUS
01
USER1
USER2
PWR/
FAULT
STATUS
IC-3121
Industrial Controller
The following table describes the LEDs and indications.
IC-3121 User Manual | © National Instruments | 15

Table 7. LED Indications
LED LED
Color
LED State Indication
STATUS Yellow OFF The IC-3121 initialized successfully and is ready
for use.
2 blinks (RT only) There is no software installed, which is
the out-of-box state, or the IC-3121 has detected
an error in its software. The device has
automatically started up into safe mode. This
usually occurs when an attempt to upgrade the
software is interrupted or if system files are
deleted from the IC-3121. Reinstall software on
the IC-3121.
3 blinks (RT only) The IC-3121 has booted into safe mode.
Refer to the Safe Mode section for information
about the safe mode state.
4 blinks (RT only) The IC-3121 has experienced two
consecutive software exceptions. The IC-3121
automatically restarts after an exception. After the
second exception, the IC-3121 remains in the
exception state, alerting you to resolve the
problem. Reinstall software on the IC-3121 or
contact NI for assistance. Refer to the IC-3121
Getting Started Guide for information about
installing software on the IC-3121.
Continuous
blinking
(RT only) The IC-3121 has not booted into NI
Linux Real-Time. The controller either booted into
an unsupported operating system, was interrupted
during the boot process, or detected an
unrecoverable software error.
Solid (RT only) The IC-3121 is booting up.
(Windows only) An internal drive is being
accessed.
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Table 7. LED Indications (Continued)
LED LED
Color
LED State Indication
PWR/
FAULT
— OFF The IC-3121 is OFF. This is not an indication of
whether power is applied or not.
Green Solid The IC-3121 is operating normally and is properly
powered on.
Red Blinking The IC-3121 power-up sequence failed.
USER1/
USER2
Green/
Yellow
— User-controlled LEDs that can be controlled using
the NI System Configuration API.
Related Information
Safe Mode on page 18
Ethernet LEDs
The Gigabit Ethernet port has the following LEDs.
Figure 17. LEDs for the Gigabit Ethernet Port
1
2
1. Activity/Link LED
2. Speed LED
Table 8. Ethernet LED Indications
LED Status Indication
Activity/Link
Unlit No link has been established
Solid A link has been established
Blinking Activity on the link
Speed
OFF No link, or 10 Mbps link
Green 100 Mbps link
Amber 1,000 Mbps link
IC-3121 User Manual | © National Instruments | 17

Using the RESET Button
Pressing the RESET button resets the processor and reboots the system.
Figure 18. RESET Button Locations
SYSTEM
12-24 V
C V
ISO
5-24 V
1
CISO V
ISO
1. RESET Button
(RT only) Troubleshooting Network Connectivity
Use the RESET button to troubleshoot network connectivity.
1. Hold the RESET button for 5 seconds, and then release it to boot the IC-3121 into safe
mode.
2. After booting the controller into safe mode, hold the RESET button again for 5 seconds to
enable IP reset, which resets the network adapter to its default configuration.
Safe Mode
When you boot the IC-3121 into safe mode, it launches only the services necessary for
updating its configuration and installing software. To resume normal operations, press the
RESET button for less than 5 seconds.
IP Reset
Use IP reset to reset the TCP/IP settings when moving the system from one subnet to another
or when the current TCP/IP settings are invalid.
When the IC-3121 is in the IP reset state, the IP address of the network port resets to DHCP or
a link-local address. You can then set up a new network configuration for the IC-3121 from a
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development machine on the same subnet, or you can connect the IC-3121 directly to the
development computer.
Note By default, the target automatically attempts to connect to the network using
DHCP. If the target is unable to initiate a DHCP connection, the target connects to
the network with a link-local IP address (169.254.x.x).
Software Options
Use the following software to develop applications with the IC-3121. Refer to the IC-3121
Getting Started Guide for information about installing software.
• NI Industrial Controller Device Drivers 15.5 or later driver software.
• One of the following options for developing machine vision applications:
– LabVIEW 2014 SP1 or later, LabVIEW Real-Time 2014 SP1 or later, the NI Vision
Development Module 2015 SP1 or later.
– NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection (Vision Builder AI) 2015 or later.
• Software for using and reconfiguring the IC-3121 FPGA. Different configurations are
referred to as hardware personalities, and are defined by bitfiles. NI Industrial Controller
Device Drivers include a reconfigurable I/O personality that you can use out of the box.
Install the following software if you need to compile a custom personality for your
application:
– LabVIEW 2014 SP1 or later and LabVIEW FPGA Module 2014 SP1 or later—You
must install the LabVIEW FPGA Module to reconfigure the default personality of
the IC-3121 FPGA.
BIOS Configuration and System Recovery
You can change the configuration settings for the IC-3121 in the BIOS setup utility. The BIOS
is the low-level interface between the hardware and PC software that configures and tests your
hardware when you boot the system. The BIOS setup utility includes menus for configuring
settings and enabling features.
Most users do not need to use the BIOS setup utility. The system ships with default settings
that work well for most configurations.
Entering BIOS Setup
Complete the following steps to start the BIOS setup program.
1. Connect a monitor to the VGA connector on the IC-3121.
2. Connect a USB keyboard to one of the USB ports on the IC-3121.
3. While holding down the <Delete> key, power on or reboot the IC-3121.
The IC-3121 will enter the BIOS setup program and display the Main menu.
IC-3121 User Manual | © National Instruments | 19