AMC Compatibility PDF

GE
Power Conversion
MARINE SERVICE CUSTOMERS
CUSTOMER ADVICE DOCUMENTS
AMC COMPATIBILITY
Change Number:
Author: Staniforth, John Alan
Design Office: CA-RUGBY GB-WAR
Reason for new revision: Initial Issue
(see last page for
modification record)
©COPYRIGHT 2013 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. All rights reserved. This document and
the information it contains is the property of the General Electric Company and/or its affiliates. It has been
provided solely for private use. Copying, reproducing, selling, importing, exporting, displaying, transmitting or
distributing this document and any of the information it contains is strictly prohibited except as expressly
authorized in writing by the General Electric Company and/or its affiliates.
CLASS II (GE INTERNAL TECHNICAL PUBLICATION)

Customer : Marine Service Customers Ref :
Project : Customer Advice Documents Revision : 00
Document : AMC Compatibility Date : 09 Apr 13
File : AMC Compatibility Page : 1/5
©COPYRIGHT 2013 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. All rights reserved.
GE
Power Conversion
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................. 3
2. PART NUMBERS .............................................................................................................................................. 3
3. SOFTWARE/FIRMWARE ................................................................................................................................. 3
4. COMPATIBILITY TABLE .................................................................................................................................. 4
5. MIXING AND MATCHING ............................................................................................................................... 4
6. MODIFICATION RECORD ............................................................................................................................... 5

GE
Power Conversion
1. INTRODUCTION
The Advanced Micro Controller (formerly A-Series Marine Controller), or “AMC”, is the main controller used
in GE’s marine control systems. The original AMC was superseded by the AMC2; the AMC2 was
superseded by the AMC3. The different versions of AMC were designed to be backwards compatible but
require a system software/firmware upgrade to make this possible.
This document includes a compatibility table, showing which types of AMC and their software/firmware
packages can be used when replacing one version of AMC with another.
2. PART NUMBERS
Each version of AMC can be fitted with a number of expansion slots for various types of interface cards,
including fieldbus and serial cards. The AMC’s part number defines which combination of cards have
been fitted to the AMC, and the version (AMC1, 2 or 3). The part number is in the following format:
P1xx-6xxV
where “V” is the version number of the AMC.
For example, a P121-6151 is an AMC1 with a couple of expansion boards fitted. A P121-6152 is the
same variety of AMC (i.e. it has the same expansion boards fitted and has the same functionality) but is
the later AMC2. A P121-6153 is the same again but this time the latest AMC3.
To replace an AMC with another, the part number must be the same (to give the same functionality) but
the last digit will change if a newer version of AMC is used.
3. SOFTWARE/FIRMWARE
The AMC requires its firmware package (operating system plus drivers and other packages) to match its
hardware. Hence, when upgrading from one version of AMC to a newer version, the firmware package
is often required to be changed for compatibility with the hardware.
Each firmware package is also matched with different versions of software packages, and there are
many different sub-versions of firmware to accommodate the changes to the software versions. Hence,
when upgrading the software version for a system (e.g. to add a new facility) the firmware package may
also need to change. Similarly, if upgrading the firmware package for compatibility with a newer AMC
hardware version, the software version may need to be upgraded.
The firmware versions are in the format:
AMC_abcdefg_Vx_y_z
where “abcdef” could be a number of different characters, and the x, y and z are version numbers. The x
gives the main version number, and this indicates the compatibility with the AMC version.
For example, AMC_ISAG_hpci615_v2_4_8 is version 2 firmware, compatible with an AMC2.
The newer versions of firmware package that are put together are always made backwards compatible.
This means that in the above, the firmware would also be compatible with an AMC1, but not with an
AMC3.
One final note to make is that there are some system types that require version 1 firmware in the AMCs.
These are older systems. Special version 1 firmware has been produced that will run on later versions of
AMCs but still have the version 1 format. For example, AMC_ISAG_v615_v1_11_0_2.

GE
Power Conversion
4. COMPATIBILITY TABLE
Firmware AMC1 AMC2 AMC3
v1_y_z YES no no
v1_10_z YES YES no
v1_11_z YES YES YES
V2_y_z YES YES no
V3_y_z YES YES YES
5. MIXING AND MATCHING

The firmware (and software) versions for all controllers in a group must match. For example, if one DP
controller is running version v2_4_8, then all other DP controllers must also be running v2_4_8. It is also
necessary for main automation controllers to match the firmware version but it is not always necessary
for this version to be the same as the version on the DP controllers. The fieldstations and drive
controllers must also all have matching firmware versions but it is not always necessary for this version
to match the DP or automation controllers. It is also possible to have DP fieldstations running a different
firmware version than the automation fieldstations.
In terms of hardware, the automation controller AMCs must all be the same type. For example, if a
system that originally had 2 AMC2s for its main automation controllers had one AMC2 replaced with an
AMC3, the other controller(s) must also be replaced with an AMC3.
For DP controllers, fieldstations and drive controllers, it is perfectly fine to have a mix of AMC1s, AMC2s
and AMC3s running together in the system in any position, so long as the firmware (and software)
versions match as described above.

GE
Power Conversion
6. MODIFICATION RECORD
Revision Date Author Details

00 09 Apr 13 Staniforth, John Alan


AMC Compatibility PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

AMC Compatibility PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

AMC Compatibility PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

GE

MARINE SERVICE CUSTOMERS

CUSTOMER ADVICE DOCUMENTS

CLASS II (GE INTERNAL TECHNICAL PUBLICATION)

CLASS II (GE INTERNAL TECHNICAL PUBLICATION)

CLASS II (GE INTERNAL TECHNICAL PUBLICATION)

5. MIXING AND MATCHING

CLASS II (GE INTERNAL TECHNICAL PUBLICATION)

Revision Date Author Details

CLASS II (GE INTERNAL TECHNICAL PUBLICATION)

You might also like