MicroTCA Bus
Micro Telecommunications Computing Architecture
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The MicroTCA system is based around the AdvancedMC Mezzanine Card standard.
The MicroTCA system architecture allows the AdvancedMC mezzanine card to be plugged directly into the MicroTCA backplane.
So the AdvancedMC mezzanine can be used with out a carrier card.
The MicroTCA chassis is used as the carrier, or provides the interconnect the carrier card would have.
The ATCA standard uses the AdvancedMC board as a mezzanine card being plugged onto a ATCA carrier card.
MicroTCA eliminates the carrier card altogether. AMC modules plug straight into the MicroTCA chassis.
The AMC module contains 170 gold plated pads or fingers [similar to a PC board].
The fingers are than inserted into a right-angle mounted female connector mounted onto the MicroTCA backplane.
Each AMC module has its own face plate attached to the board, and a card ejector.
In addition to the single and double wide card sizes [shown], different board heights are allowed.
Compact Size: 3HP, 13.88 mm heigh, in single or double width formats.
Mid Size: 4HP, 18.96 mm heigh, in single or double width formats.
Full Size: 6HP, 28.95 mm heigh, in single or double width formats.
Note; the double wide card does not provide any additional I/O over a single wide card, only more board area.
HP stands for Horizontal Pitch, 1HP is equal to 5.08mm.
Editor note; this is the only mezzanine card standard that does not require a baseboard, or carrier card.
In other words when plugged directly into a MicroTCA chassis, the card is not a mezzanine card at all. | 
MicroTCA Dimensions |
MTCA.0 MicroTCA Specification; July 2006
This is the first release of the specification.
PICMG; Compact PCI Industrial Computer
Manufacturers Group
The MicroTCA board Pinout is the same as the AMC pinout.
The backplane however holds more than just AMC boards, and also accepts power supply modules.
Pin Grouping and functions;
Management Power; 1 pin
Payload Power; 8 pins
Fabric; 84 pins
Sync Clock; 6 pins
System Management; 8 pins
Ground; 56 pins
JTAG; 5 pins
Reserved; 2 pins
{MicroTCA Bus Index}
The electrical interfaces may include; PCI Express, Advanced Switching, Serial RapidIO, and Gigabit Ethernet.
Of course the pinout is defined in the specification, but not yet listed here. The
JTAG interface is also included as part of
the I/O interface.
Signal chip solutions or ASIC parts may be listed on this
page.
IC Manufacturers {All other types}
{MicroTCA Bus Index}
The MicroTCA uses card edge copper fingers, the connector resides on the backplane.
However a power module does use a card mounted connector.
Connector Vendors;
Harting
{B+ type AdvancedMC connector for AdvancedTCA, press-fit}
Samtec
{2x85 pins MicroTCA connector}
Yamaichi Electronics Co., Ltd.
{PICMG AMC.0-compliant carrier board connectors for AdvancedTCA-based architecture}
MicroTCA Chassis are design to hold the Advanced Mezzanine Cards (AdvancedMC) module.
A 19 inch rack mount MicroTCA chassis with 2 redundant power entry modules can hold up to 11 AdvancedMC.
Refer to MicroTCA Chassis manufacturers.
{MicroTCA Bus Index}
The MicroTCA platform uses the Advanced Mezzanine Card standard as the card type.
The Advanced Mezzanine Card [AMC] was developed first as a Mezzanine Bus.
There are two basic types of AMC board sizes; the single
width module, 73.5mm x 181.5mm and a double width module, 148.5 x 181.5mm.
These module may also be found as half-height and full height modules.
This page link provides a list of MicroTCA Card
manufacturers and vendors.
The listing includes both AMC cards and MicroTCA backplane boards.
Modified 7/16/2015
Copyright © 1998 - 2016 All rights reserved Larry Davis
