Adlink’s Linux-ready “cExpress-WL” Compact Type 6 module features an 8th Gen Whiskey Lake-UE chip with up to 64GB DDR4, 3x SATA, 8x PCIe, 4x USB 3.1 Gen2, triple displays, and optional -40 to 85°C.

Adlink announced a COM Express Compact Type 6 module that follow earlier modules with the 95 x 95mm form factor including the Intel 6th Gen Skylake based cExpress-SL and Apollo Lake powered cExpress-AL. This time, Adlink showcases Intel’s more recent 8th Gen Whiskey Lake UE-series.

The UE-series is the embedded version of the U-series that adds 10-year plus availability, but otherwise appear to be identical. Other Whiskey Lake-UE based Compact Type 6 modules include Kontron’s COMe-cWL6 (E2S), Congatec’s Conga-TC370, and TQ Systems’ TQMx80UC, which was announced with U-series, but now also offers several UE options.

cExpress-WL and block diagram
(click images to enlarge)

The cExpress-WL offers standard support for Windows 10, Ubuntu LTS, and CentOS, and offers a Yocto Project based extended BSP posted on GitHub, running on the following processors:

• Core i7-8665UE (4x cores @ 1.7GHz, 8MB cache, 15W; Intel UHD Graphics 620)
• Core i5-8365UE (4x cores @ 1.6GHz, 6MB cache, 15W; Intel UHD Graphics 620)
• Core i3-8145UE (2x cores @ 2.2GHz, 4MB cache, 15W; Intel UHD Graphics 620)
• Celeron 4305UE (2x cores @ 2.0GHz, 2MB cache, 15W; Intel UHD Graphics 610

Like the Congatec and TQ modules, the cExpress-WL supports up to 64GB DDR4-2400 via dual channels. There’s also an eMMC 5.0 build option for up to 32GB.

The module supplies 3x SATA III interfaces, one of which is muxed with one of the 8x PCIe x1 Gen 3 interfaces. You also get 4x up to 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen2 links plus LPC and I2C interfaces.

The cExpress-WL supports up to three independent displays via 2x DDI (DisplayPort/HDMI/DVI) and single/dual-channel 18-24-bit LVDS. Optionally, one of the DDI interfaces can be swapped out for an HD-ready VGA port, and you can exchange the LVDS for 4K-ready, 4-lane eDP. The Whiskey Lake chips include Intel HD audio support, and the module supports the Realtek ALC886 HD audio codec on the optional Express-BASE6 carrier board.

The module’s Intel I219-LM/V based GbE controller supports AMT 12.x. Other features include 4x USB 2.0, 8x GPIO, 2x UART, and a potential third UART via a build-optional Super I/O port on the carrier.

There’s a debug interface with a 40-pin flat-cable connector supported by Adlink’s watchdog and hardware monitoring enabled SEMA Board Controller. A TPM 2.0 chip is also available. The module offers standard 12V and wide-range 5-20V DC inputs with ACPI 5.0 compliant power management and smart battery support.

The cExpress-WL provides a relatively wide 0 to 60°C operating range, as well as an optional -45 to 85°C model “on selected SKUs.” Heatspreaders and active and passive heatsinks are optional. You also get 5-90% RH, non-condensing humidity resistance plus shock and vibration hardening per IEC 60068-2-64, IEC-60068-2-27, and MIL-STD-202F, Method 213B.

The module ships with an AMI Aptio V UEFI BIOS or optional Intel Slim Bootloader. The Slim Bootloader is open-source boot firmware “built from the ground up to be small, secure and optimized to run on Intel x86 architecture,” says Adlink. There’s also support for Intel’s OpenVINO Toolkit for computer vision applications.

Express-BASE6 carrier (left) and the Starter Kit Plus add-on boards (top to bottom): DDI adapter, PCIe adapter, and debug module
(click images to enlarge)

A COM Express Type 6 Starter Kit Plus with the Express-BASE6 carrier is optional. More details are available at the end of our story on the 8th Gen Coffee Lake based Express CF/CFE COM Express Basic Type 6 module.

 
Further information

No pricing or availability information was provided for the cExpress-WL. More information may be found in Adlink’s cExpress-WL announcement and product page.