A380

TECHNICAL TRAINING MANUAL

RAMP & SERVICING COURSE - M02
(RR Trent 900) ATA 42 IMA & ADCN
ATA 42 IMA & ADCN
IMA & ADCN Introduction (1)........................2
IMA Presentation (1)........................................4
ADCN Presentation (1)..................................10

IMA & ADCN INTRODUCTION (1)

General
The Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) and Avionics Data Communication Network
(ADCN) supply shared avionics resources and powerful data exchange capability to
various A/C systems.

GENERAL
IMA PRESENTATION (1)
General
Thanks to the new avionics concept Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA), most of the
conventional LRU functions are done by avionics applications. These independent
applications are hosted in shared IMA modules, called Core Processing Input/Output
Modules (CPIOMs).
As a consequence, IMA concept reduces the maintenance cost due to less spare
computers.
Each CPIOM integrates new hardware and software technologies and hosts these
independent applications in the same computing and memory resource, and also supplies
an Input/Output interface service to some of the conventional avionics.
Moreover, in order to satisfy the high demand of conventional avionics, this service
capability has been increased thanks to additional IMA modules called Input/Output
Modules (IOMs).
CPIOMs and IOMs are Line Replaceable Modules (LRMs).
These LRMs dialog through the Avionics Data Communication Network (ADCN) by the
means of a communication technology developed from a non-aeronautical standard,
which has been adapted to aviation constraints.
This technology is called Avionics Full DupleX switched ethernet (AFDX).

GENERAL
IMA PRESENTATION (1)
CPIOM
The CPIOM integrates shared processing resource to execute independently its hosted
avionics applications.
In addition the CPIOM processes independently specific input/output data for each
application.
This data is an AFDX data when the applications dialog with A/C systems through the
ADCN and a non-AFDX data when they dialog directly with conventional LRUs.
There are 7 types of CPIOM, each one identified by a letter (A to G):
-A: PNEUMATIC+ OPTIONAL AIR CONDITIONING
-B: AIR CONDITIONING
-C: COCKPIT + FLIGHT CONTROLS
-D: DATA LINK
-E: ENERGY
-F: FUEL
-G: LANDING GEAR
Each type is associated to a specific part number.
CPIOMs with the same part number are interchangeable but may require a software
reconfiguration.
 CPIOM

IMA PRESENTATION (1)

IOM
The IOM does not host avionics applications.
The IOM converts non-AFDX data, coming from conventional LRUs, into AFDX data
used within the Avionics Data Communication Network (ADCN) and vice versa.
There is only one type of IOM identified by the letter A. All IOMs are fully
interchangeable
.
 IOM

ADCN PRESENTATION (1)

General
On the A380, computers are structured within an Avionics world and an Open world.
The Avionics world gathers the aircraft systems supplied within 7 functional areas,
related to:
-Flight Controls and Auto Flight,
-Cockpit,
-Engines control,
-Energy,
-Pneumatic and Cabin,
-Fuel,
-and Landing Gear.
These functional areas group LRUs and/or Line Replaceable Modules (LRMs) that share
a common interest or characteristics.
The open world hosts mainly avionics, flight operations, communication and cabin
applications.
For security reason, 2 firewalls protect the Avionics world against malicious data coming
from open world.
Within the avionics world, the A/C systems computers exchange operational and
maintenance data.
For most of them, this exchange is done through the Avionics Data Communication
Network (ADCN).
The ADCN supports also data loading operations.
ADCN Subscribers
The A/C system computers connected directly to the ADCN are the LRMs, which are
Core Processing Input/Output Modules (CPIOMs) or Input/Output Modules (IOMs) and
the LRUs including an Avionics Full DupleX switched ethernet (AFDX) interface. These
computers are called ADCN subscribers.
The communication between the ADCN subscribers is done through the AFDX
technology.
The other LRUs, not including an AFDX interface, are connected to the ADCN through
the Input/Output resource of its subscribers.

GENERAL & ADCN SUBSCRIBERS

ADCN PRESENTATION (1)

ADCN & AFDX Technologies
The ADCN is supported by the AFDX technology.
The AFDX is a communication technology based on commercial Ethernet protocol
adapted to aeronautical constraint to meet the avionics requirements. It gives the
following advantages:
-secure and reliable communications,
-high data rate 10 and 100 Mb/s.
-flexibility for future developments of system architecture,
-and less wiring,
The ADCN is made of AFDX switches and AFDX cables.
The AFDX switches are electronic devices. They manage the data traffic on the network
between the connected subscribers.
Indeed, the AFDX switches receive data from an ADCN subscriber or from others
switches, analyse and route it to one or several appropriate recipients through AFDX
cables.
The AFDX cable is a Full Duplex physical link between a subscriber and an AFDX
switch and between two AFDX switches. The term Full duplex means that the subscriber
can simultaneously transmit and receive on the same link.
This link is a STAR QUAD cable, composed of four wires uniformly twisted, one pair for
transmission and one pair for reception.
For availability reasons, the ADCN implements a redundant network. Indeed, all ADCN
subscribers have a connection to both redundant networks A and B thanks to the
redundant switches.

ADCN & AFDX TECHNOLOGIES

ADCN PRESENTATION (1)
The ADCN Overview
The Avionics Data Communication Network is composed of 16 switches, 8 per network,
and related AFDX cables. These switches interconnect the aircraft systems components:
-8 Input Output Modules (IOMs),
-22 Core Processing Input Output Modules (CPIOMs),
-50 Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) with AFDX interface plus 2 optional. Note that the 22
CPIOMs are classified in 7 types:
-4 are in type A,
-4 are in type B,
-2 are in type C,
-2 are in type D,
-2 are in type E,
-4 are in type F,
-4 are in type G.
Pairs of superposed switches show the full network redundancy.

THE ADCN OVERVIEW