Description
B&R 5ACPCI.ETH3-01 | 3-Port 10/100 Ethernet PCI Card
Product Introduction
When an automated cell controller runs out of physical network ports, engineers are often forced to choose between adding unmanaged shop-floor switches or risking subnet crosstalk. Sliding into any standard 3.3V or 5V PCI slot, the 5ACPCI.ETH3-01 delivers three completely independent 10/100 Mbit/s RJ45 network connections directly from the PC backplane. This lets you isolate machine-level POWERLINK or PROFINET traffic from upper-level plant MES/ERP networks without cluttering enclosure DIN rails with extra hardware.
Engineered specifically for B&R Automation PC and Panel PC systems operating in noisy electrical environments, this half-size PCI card features fully shielded RJ45 jacks to resist EMI. Each interface handles line lengths up to 100 meters per segment while maintaining deterministic packet timing—though cabinet cooling must keep ambient cabinet temperatures below 60°C to preserve driver chip stability under full tri-port utilization. Replacing compromised network boards with a genuine original card eliminates dropped socket handshakes and unpredictable network timeouts across your motion networks.
5ACPCI.ETH3-01
Key Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Technical Specification |
| Manufacturer | B&R Industrial Automation |
| Part Number | 5ACPCI.ETH3-01 |
| Bus Interface | Universal PCI (3.3V and 5V keying) |
| Form Factor | Half-size PCI Card |
| Number of Ports | 3x Shielded RJ45 Ethernet Channels |
| Data Rate | 10 / 100 Mbit/s Auto-Negotiation (per port) |
| Maximum Line Length | 100 meters (CAT5e/CAT6 segment length) |
| System Compatibility | B&R Automation PC / Panel PC Series with standard PCI slots |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to +55°C (32°F to 131°F) |
| Status Indicators | LED Link and Activity indicators per RJ45 port |
Application Scenarios & Pain Points
Field Experience: A automotive assembly line in Ohio experienced continuous packet loss on its vision inspection stations whenever the IPC attempted to upload high-res images to the plant server. The single onboard NIC was bottlenecked. Installing a 5ACPCI.ETH3-01 allowed us to dedicate Port 1 to the local vision cameras, Port 2 to the safety PLC bus, and Port 3 to the plant IT network—instantly clearing the packet congestion and dropping scan cycles back under 12 ms.
- With Genuine 5ACPCI.ETH3-01: Absolute hardware isolation between subnets, low-latency deterministic communication, and immediate BIOS bus recognition.
- Without (Unshielded Commercial NIC): Electrical noise bleeding into Ethernet lines from variable frequency drives, random MAC address collisions, and driver crashes inside Automation Runtime.
- Multi-Subnet Machine Control: Separates real-time fieldbus motion networks, HMI client panels, and enterprise database connections on three physically distinct network interface controllers.
- Retrofitting Legacy IPC Cabinets: Installs quickly into older 5V or modern 3.3V PCI backplanes without requiring external 24VDC power drops or network switches.
QA & Live Testing SOP (Trust Signal)
Every 5ACPCI.ETH3-01 network board pulled from our warehouse passes through a strict hardware diagnostic routine prior to shipping:
- Connector & PCB Inspection: We check the PCI edge connector gold fingers under magnification for scratches, pitting, or trace oxidation, verifying that all three RJ45 port shield tabs are intact.
- Backplane Detection & Boot Test: The board is seated into a universal PCI slot on a B&R test chassis to verify clean BIOS enumeration and vendor ID detection.
- Tri-Port Data Traffic Stress: We run continuous bi-directional 100 Mbit/s loopback packet sweeps on all 3 ports simultaneously to confirm zero frame drops, stable PHY transceiver temperatures, and proper LED status indication.
- ESD Shielding & Packaging: Cleared boards are cleaned with solvent, enclosed in static-shielding ESD bags, and packed with custom foam inserts.
Field Engineer’s Pitfall Guide
- ❗ Check Universal PCI Slot Seating: Do not force the card into an incompatible PCIe (PCI Express) slot. The 5ACPCI. is a legacy PCI card (with dual notch keying for 3.3V/5V) and will not fit modern PCIe lanes.
- ❗ Avoid Ground Loops on Shielded RJ45 Cable Runs: When running high-speed Ethernet cables between different machinery skids, ensure both ends share a common ground potential. Ground potential differences passing through the 5ACPCI.’s shielded connectors can blow the board’s onboard PHY isolation transformers.
- ❗ Correct MAC Address Mapping in Automation Studio: When swapping this card, remember that adding three new Ethernet interfaces changes the system’s MAC address assignments in your B&R Automation Studio configuration. Update your IP routing tables accordingly to prevent network binding errors.
Intent-Driven FAQ
Q: Is the 5ACPCI. card compatible with both 3.3V and 5V PCI backplanes?
A: Yes. The card features a universal PCI edge connector with dual keying notches, allowing it to mount seamlessly into both legacy 5V PCI slots and 3.3V PCI expansion slots.
Q: Does this card require external power connections inside the IPC chassis?
A: No. All operating power for the 5ACPCI. is drawn directly through the PCI bus edge connector.
Q: Can I use all 3 Ethernet ports at 100 Mbit/s simultaneously without bandwidth throttling?
A: Yes. Each port utilizes an independent network controller channel, enabling full 100 Mbit/s full-duplex throughput across all 3 channels simultaneously.
Q: Do I need special drivers to run this board under B&R Automation Runtime?
A: Standard B&R system images contain native hardware support for this card. Once seated, Automation Runtime automatically initializes the 3 network interfaces upon system boot.
Q: What condition are these units in, and what warranty is included?
A: We supply fully bench-tested New Surplus and reconditioned original B&R inventory. Every 5ACPCI. card includes a 1-year functional replacement warranty and full QA bench clearance.
