GE PCI-5565 Modules – PCI-5565PIORC-110000 Fiber Optic Reflective Memory Card

Technical Dossier

Product Details And Specifications

GE PCI-5565 Series Technical Notes

The GE Fanuc PCI-5565 series of Reflective Memory cards represents a foundational real-time data-sharing technology deployed across heavy industrial sectors including petrochemical refineries, nuclear power generation facilities, offshore oil & gas platforms, and continuous-process chemical plants. Reflective Memory (RFM) is a deterministic, broadcast-based shared memory network that allows multiple nodes — PLCs, DCS controllers, SCADA hosts, and motion controllers — to maintain synchronized copies of a common memory map with microsecond-level latency. The PCI-5565 family, manufactured by GE Fanuc Embedded Systems (later Abaco Systems), is the PCI-bus generation of this architecture and remains one of the most widely installed RFM platforms in legacy industrial infrastructure globally. Its deployment in safety-critical environments means that demand for spare parts, including the PCI-5565PIORC-110000, persists well beyond the product's commercial production lifecycle.

The Evolution of PCI-5565 Architecture

GE Fanuc's Reflective Memory product line originated with VMEbus-based nodes (VMIPCI-5565 predecessors) in the late 1980s and early 1990s, designed to meet the real-time determinism requirements of distributed control systems before Ethernet-based fieldbus protocols matured. The transition to PCI bus form factor with the 5565 series addressed the growing adoption of PC-based industrial controllers and embedded computing platforms running VxWorks, QNX, Windows NT, and Linux.

The PCI-5565 architecture uses a fiber optic ring or star topology to interconnect nodes. Each card contains a local SRAM buffer (ranging from 64 MB to 256 MB depending on variant) that is continuously mirrored across all nodes on the network. Write operations by any node are broadcast to all others within a single network cycle, typically under 1 microsecond per node hop. This determinism is the primary reason the platform was adopted in nuclear I&C systems and high-speed motion synchronization applications where Ethernet jitter is unacceptable.

Key architectural generations within the 5565 family include: the base PCI-5565 with copper SMA connectors for short-range links; the PCI-5565RC (Reflective Memory with interrupt support); the PCI-5565PIORC variant adding programmable I/O and interrupt-on-write capability; and fiber optic variants (suffix -110000, -210000, -310000) specifying different fiber wavelengths and cable distance ratings. The series reached end-of-active-production status, with Abaco Systems (the successor entity post-GE divestiture) transitioning customers toward the VMIPCI-5565 and PCIe-5565 platforms. However, installed base replacement cycles in nuclear and refinery environments operate on 20–30 year timelines, sustaining aftermarket demand.

PCI-5565 Full Catalog & Functionalities (SKU List)

The following SKUs represent verified, commonly deployed modules within the GE Fanuc PCI-5565 Reflective Memory series. Each entry reflects a distinct hardware configuration defined by memory size, interface type, fiber optic specification, or I/O capability.

PCI-5565PIORC-110000: 128 MB RFM card, PCI bus, fiber optic, programmable I/O, interrupt-on-write, single-mode 1310 nm fiber, standard ring topology node.

PCI-5565PIORC-210000: 128 MB RFM card, PCI bus, fiber optic, programmable I/O, dual-port fiber interface for redundant ring configurations.

PCI-5565PIORC-310000: 256 MB RFM card, PCI bus, fiber optic, extended memory map for large-scale distributed control node synchronization.

PCI-5565RC-110000: 64 MB RFM card, PCI bus, fiber optic, interrupt-on-write, no programmable I/O, standard single-mode fiber node.

PCI-5565RC-210000: 64 MB RFM card, PCI bus, fiber optic, dual-fiber port, interrupt-on-write, redundant network topology support.

PCI-5565-110000: Base 64 MB RFM card, PCI bus, fiber optic, no interrupt or programmable I/O, entry-level network node.

PCI-5565-210000: Base 64 MB RFM card, PCI bus, dual fiber optic port, standard broadcast memory synchronization.

PCI-5565-310000: Base 128 MB RFM card, PCI bus, fiber optic, extended memory, no I/O extensions.

VMIPCI-5565-110000: VME/PCI hybrid form factor, 64 MB, fiber optic, backward-compatible with VMEbus chassis deployments.

VMIPCI-5565-210000: VME/PCI hybrid, 64 MB, dual fiber port, for VMEbus systems requiring PCI-compatible RFM nodes.

PCI-5565PIORC-000000: 128 MB RFM card, PCI bus, copper SMA interface, programmable I/O, short-range intra-cabinet node.

PCI-5565RC-000000: 64 MB RFM card, PCI bus, copper SMA interface, interrupt-on-write, no fiber, local rack deployment.

PCI-5565-000000: Base 64 MB RFM card, PCI bus, copper SMA, no interrupt or I/O extensions, entry-level copper node.

PCIe-5565PIORC-110000: PCIe bus successor variant, 128 MB, fiber optic, programmable I/O, for modern embedded computing platforms replacing legacy PCI slots.

PCIe-5565RC-110000: PCIe bus, 64 MB, fiber optic, interrupt-on-write, direct functional replacement for PCI-5565RC-110000 in PCIe chassis.

PCI-5565PIORC-110002: 128 MB RFM card, PCI bus, fiber optic, extended temperature rating variant for harsh environment enclosures.

PCI-5565PIORC-110001: 128 MB RFM card, PCI bus, fiber optic, conformal coating variant for high-humidity or marine industrial environments.

Sourcing Hard-to-Find & Obsolete PCI-5565 Parts

The PCI-5565 series has entered the mature/end-of-life phase of its product lifecycle. GE Fanuc's industrial automation division was divested and reorganized under Abaco Systems, which has shifted its active product roadmap to PCIe-bus and newer interconnect standards. As a result, PCI-5565 variants — including the PCI-5565PIORC-110000 — are no longer available through standard distribution channels and must be sourced from the secondary market or specialist spare parts suppliers.

Quality Control for the PCI-5565 Range

PCI-5565 cards present specific test challenges due to their reliance on high-speed SRAM integrity, fiber optic transceiver alignment, and PCI bus signal timing. DriveKNMS applies a structured test protocol to all PCI-5565 units prior to shipment.