GE DS200UCPBG6AFB Mark V I/O Engine CPU Board

Description

Product Model: DS200UCPBG6AFB
Product Brand: GE (General Electric)
Product Series: Mark V / DS200 Speedtronic (UCPB I/O Engine)
Product Features:

• 80486DX-based CPU board for I/O engine tasks within GE Mark V systems
• Supports COREBUS packet broadcasting (fast and slow packet timing)
• Includes dual RS-232 ports, ARCNET driver, SIMM DRAM, EPROM, and jumpers for configuration
• Designed as a daughter board in UCPB slot across IO Engines for turbine control

Technical Features & Benefits

The DS200UCPBG6AFB serves as the central processor card for GE’s I/O engine architecture in Speedtronic Mark V installations. It uses an 80486DX core integrated into the UCPB (I/O engine CPU) board

Memory architecture is handled via a SIMM socket (DRAM) and EPROM/flash modules that store BIOS and firmware images. Two RS-232 serial ports and an ARCNET driver are built in to support local and networked communication with operator interfaces or other control cards.

Physically, the DS200UCPBG6AFB is a daughter board that mounts on an STCA (Switchable Terminal Card Assembly) or the IO Engine chassis.  It communicates with the broader control system via the COREBUS, broadcasting packetized I/O data at scheduled intervals. Fast packets (100 Hz) carry critical real-time signals, while slower packets carry less time-sensitive data.

Configuration is flexible: jumpers select local bus speed, and DIP switches set COREBUS address. The module also supports a PCM daughterboard option for serial communication to motor controllers when needed.

From a benefits perspective, the DS200UCPBG6AFB offers tight synchronization of I/O activity across the control system, deterministic data flow, and robust legacy support. In systems where uptime and determinism are critical — especially in turbine control systems — this board helps maintain integrity and coordination.

Product Role & System Fit

Within a GE Speedtronic Mark V environment, the DS200UCPBG6AFB is the heart of each I/O engine. While peripheral modules (analog, digital, special I/O) handle signal interfacing, it is this UCPB board that aggregates, schedules, and publishes the data onto the system bus for use by controllers and monitoring units.

Multiple DS200UCPBG6AFB boards may co-exist—one per I/O engine—in a redundant or modular architecture. Each interfaces with its local I/O rack. The broader system loads packetized data onto the COREBUS, which then communicates to central control units.

Because of its role, compatibility is critical: replacing one board must preserve firmware, address configuration, and integration with existing wiring and other modules. The DS200UCPBG6AFB is designed to slot in behind STCA backplane or I/O engine chassis, simplifying such integration.

In modern hybrid facilities where legacy Mark V systems are still operative, this board bridges decades of control logic while enabling upgrades and maintenance without full system overhaul.

Applications & Industry Context

The DS200UCPBG6AFB is deployed wherever GE Mark V / Speedtronic systems remain in operation. You’ll find it in fossil fuel power plants, gas turbine facilities, combined-cycle plants, and large industrial complexes relying on turbine-driven generation or mechanical drives.

In such environments, the I/O engine must process and forward sensor, actuator, and control signals in real time. The UCPB board handles the burden of data collection, error checking, and packet scheduling. Operators working with turbine trip logic, fuel valve control, temperature monitoring, and ancillary systems depend on consistent behavior from this board.

Because many Mark V systems are aging, the DS200UCPBG6AFB is also a target for refurbishment, spare stocking, and legacy-specific upgrades. Suppliers often offer rebuild or replacement units with warranty coverage.

In a power plant, if an I/O engine board fails, the board’s absence could halt data flow and impair protection or control loops. Therefore, system designers commonly keep tested spares of DS200UCPBG6AFB modules to ensure rapid restoration.