GE Automation & Controls IC695HSC304

Technical Dossier

Product Details And Specifications

GE PACSystems RX3i Series Technical Notes

The GE PACSystems RX3i platform is one of the most widely deployed programmable automation controller (PAC) architectures in global heavy industry. Installed across petrochemical refineries, nuclear power generation facilities, offshore oil & gas platforms, pulp and paper mills, and large-scale water treatment infrastructure, the RX3i backplane-based architecture has maintained a dominant position in process-critical automation since its commercial introduction in the early 2000s. Its universal backplane design — accepting both legacy Series 90-30 I/O modules and native RX3i high-density modules — made it the preferred migration path for facilities running GE Series 90-70 and Series 90-30 systems. The IC695HSC304 is a representative high-speed counter module within this ecosystem, providing four independent 1 MHz counter channels for encoder feedback, pulse measurement, and position tracking applications.

The Evolution of PACSystems RX3i Architecture

The RX3i platform was introduced by GE Fanuc Automation (later rebranded GE Intelligent Platforms, then GE Automation & Controls, and subsequently absorbed into Emerson's portfolio via the 2018 acquisition) as a successor to the Series 90-70 rack-based PLC. The core architectural shift was the adoption of a high-speed PCI backplane (operating at 33 MHz, 32-bit) alongside a legacy serial backplane for backward compatibility with Series 90-30 I/O modules. This dual-bus design allowed facilities to preserve existing I/O investments while migrating CPU and specialty modules to the higher-performance RX3i standard.

Early RX3i CPUs (IC695CPU310, IC695CPU315) were limited to 10 MB user memory and lacked embedded Ethernet. Subsequent generations introduced the IC695CPU320 with dual Ethernet ports, followed by the IC695CPE302, IC695CPE305, and IC695CPE330 — the latter supporting C-based user-defined function blocks and IEC 61131-3 structured text natively. The introduction of the IC695CPE400 and IC695CPE410 marked the transition to the RSTi-EP architecture, which uses a DIN-rail form factor and EtherCAT I/O expansion, representing the current-generation replacement for rack-based RX3i deployments. Facilities still operating IC695-series rack hardware should note that GE/Emerson has placed the majority of IC695 CPU and specialty modules into a mature/end-of-active-development lifecycle, with continued spare parts availability but no new feature development.

PACSystems RX3i Full Catalog & Functionalities (SKU List)

The following SKUs represent verified, commonly stocked modules within the PACSystems RX3i (IC695) product family. Modules are classified by functional category.

CPU & Controller Modules

• IC695CPU310: RX3i CPU, 10 MB memory, single serial port, no embedded Ethernet.
• IC695CPU315: RX3i CPU, 10 MB memory, enhanced instruction set over CPU310.
• IC695CPU320: RX3i CPU, 10 MB memory, dual 10/100 Ethernet ports, Modbus TCP support.
• IC695CPE302: RX3i CPU, 64 MB memory, dual Gigabit Ethernet, USB programming port.
• IC695CPE305: RX3i CPU, 64 MB memory, enhanced motion coordination, dual GbE.
• IC695CPE330: RX3i CPU, 64 MB memory, C toolkit support, IEC 61131-3 native, dual GbE.
• IC695CPE400: RSTi-EP CPU, DIN-rail mount, EtherCAT I/O bus, 128 MB memory.
• IC695CPE410: RSTi-EP CPU, enhanced cybersecurity features, role-based access control.

Analog I/O Modules

• IC695ALG600: 8-channel universal analog input, configurable per channel (V/mA/RTD/TC), 16-bit resolution.
• IC695ALG608: 8-channel analog input, voltage/current, 16-bit, high-speed scan.
• IC695ALG616: 16-channel analog input, voltage/current, 16-bit resolution.
• IC695ALG704: 4-channel analog output, voltage/current, 16-bit resolution.
• IC695ALG728: 8-channel analog output, voltage/current, 16-bit, simultaneous update.

Digital I/O Modules

• IC695MDL654: 16-point 24 VDC positive/negative logic discrete input module.
• IC695MDL664: 32-point 24 VDC discrete input, high-density, positive logic.
• IC695MDL740: 16-point 12/24 VDC discrete output, 0.5 A per point, positive logic.
• IC695MDL752: 32-point 12/24 VDC discrete output, high-density, 0.5 A per point.

Specialty & Counter Modules

• IC695HSC304: 4-channel high-speed counter module, 1 MHz per channel, quadrature encoder input, 32-bit counters, configurable gate/latch functions.
• IC695PSD010: Power supply module, 18–30 VDC input, 40 W output for RX3i backplane.

Communication & Network Modules

• IC695ETM001: Ethernet interface module, 10/100 Mbps, Modbus TCP, SRTP, EGD protocol support.
• IC695PBM300: PROFIBUS DP master module, up to 125 slave devices, 12 Mbps.
• IC695CMM002: Serial communications module, 2-port RS-232/RS-485, Modbus RTU, SNP, SNPX.
• IC695CMM004: Serial communications module, 4-port RS-232/RS-485.

Quality Control for the PACSystems RX3i Range

RX3i modules present specific test challenges due to their dual-bus backplane architecture (PCI + serial) and the variety of communication protocols supported across the module range. DriveKNMS applies the following verification procedures to all IC695-series modules:

• Backplane bus integrity test: Each module is seated in a live RX3i rack and verified for correct enumeration on both the PCI high-speed bus and the legacy serial backplane bus.
• CPU functional test: CPU modules are loaded with a standardized test program covering ladder logic execution, Ethernet communication (SRTP/Modbus TCP), and memory read/write cycles across the full declared memory range.
• Analog I/O calibration verification: ALG-series modules are tested across the full input/output range (0–10 V, 4–20 mA, thermocouple, RTD) using calibrated reference sources, with deviation logged against OEM specifications.
• High-speed counter validation: IC695HSC304 and similar counter modules are tested with a calibrated pulse generator at 100 kHz, 500 kHz, and 1 MHz to verify count accuracy, gate response, and latch function integrity.
• Communication module protocol test: ETM001, PBM300, and CMM-series modules are tested for correct frame transmission and reception using protocol analyzers (Modbus TCP, PROFIBUS DP, Modbus RTU).
• Visual and component inspection: All modules undergo inspection for capacitor condition, connector pin integrity, conformal coating status, and firmware revision identification.