parkerVM600 MPC4 machinery protection card

KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS

• From the Vibro-Meter® product line

• Continuously online machinery protection card

• Real-time measurement and monitoring using 

state-of-the-art DSP techniques

• 4 dynamic signal channels and 2 tachometer 

(speed) channels, all individually 

programmable

• Programmable broad-band and narrow-band 

filters

• Simultaneous amplitude and phase monitoring 

in order-tracking mode

• Programmable Alert, Danger and OK set points

• Adaptive Alert and Danger levels

• Front-panel BNC connectors for easy analysis of 

buffered “raw” sensor signals

• Front-panel LEDs indicate status and alarms

KEY BENEFITS AND FEATURES (continued)

• Integrated power supplies for sensors and 

signal conditioners such as IEPE 

accelerometers and proximity measurement 

systems

• Live insertion and removal of cards 

(hot-swappable)

• Available in “standard”, “separate circuits” 

and “safety” (SIL) versions

APPLICATIONS

• Machinery protection and/or basic 

condition monitoring

MPC4 card

The MPC4 machinery protection card is the 

central element in the VM600 series machinery 

protection system (MPS), from Meggitt’s 

Vibro-Meter® product line. This very versatile card 

is capable of measuring and monitoring up to 

four dynamic signal inputs and up to two speed 

inputs simultaneously.

The dynamic signal inputs are fully programmable 

and can accept signals representing 

acceleration, velocity and displacement 

(proximity), among others. On-board multichannel processing allows measurement of 

various physical parameters, including relative 

and absolute vibration, Smax, eccentricity, thrust 

position, absolute and differential housing 

expansion, displacement and dynamic pressure.

Digital processing includes digital filtering, 

integration or differentiation (if required), 

rectification (RMS, mean value, true peak or true 

peak-to-peak), order tracking (amplitude and 

phase) and measurement of the sensor-target 

gap.

The speed (tachometer) inputs accept signals 

from a variety of speed sensors, including systems 

based on proximity probes, magnetic pulse pickup sensors or TTL signals. Fractional tachometer 

ratios are also supported.

The configuration can be expressed in metric or 

imperial units. Alert and Danger set points are fully 

programmable, as are alarm time delay, 

hysteresis and latching. The Alert and Danger 

levels can also be adapted as a function of the 

speed or any external information. 

A digital output is available internally (on the 

corresponding IOC4T input/output card) for each 

alarm level. These alarm signals can drive four 

local relays on the IOC4T card and/or can be 

routed using the VM600 rack’s Raw bus or Open 

Collector (OC) bus to drive relays on optional 

relay cards such as the RLC16 or IRC4.

The processed dynamic (vibration) signals and 

speed signals are available at the rear of the rack 

(on the front panel of the IOC4T) as analog 

output signals. Voltage-based (0 to 10 V) and 

current-based (4 to 20 mA) signals are provided.

The MPC4 performs a self-test and diagnostic 

routine on power-up. In addition, the card’s builtin “OK system” continuously monitors the level of 

signals provided by a measurement chain (sensor 

and/or signal conditioner) and indicates any 

problem due to a broken transmission line, faulty 

sensor or signal conditioner.

An LED indicator on the MPC4 front panel 

indicates whether a processing or hardware error 

has occurred. Six additional LEDs (one per input 

channel) indicate whether the OK System has 

detected a fault and whether an alarm has 

occurred on the channel.

The MPC4 card is available in three versions: a 

“standard” version, a “separate circuits” version 

and a “safety” (SIL) version, all of which function 

as a card pair using a corresponding IOC4T input/

output card.

Different versions of the MPC4 card

The MPC4 card is available in different versions, 

including “standard”, “separate circuits” and 

“safety” (SIL) versions. In addition, some versions 

are available with a conformal coating applied 

to the circuitry of the card for additional 

environmental protection against chemicals, 

dust, moisture and temperature extremes.

Both the ‘standard’ version and the “safety” (SIL) 

versions of the MPC4 card are certified to 

IEC 61508 and ISO 13849, for use in functional 

safety contexts, such as SIL 1 in accordance with 

IEC 61508 and PL c in accordance with 

ISO 13849-1.

The “standard” MPC4 card is the original version 

and supports all features and processing modes. 

The “standard” MPC4 is intended for safety 

systems using a VM600 rack with a limited range 

of cards, that is, “standard” MPC4/IOC4T card 

pairs and RLC16 relay cards. It has a VMEcompatible slave interface so it is software 

configurable via VME when there is a CPUx card 

acting as a rack controller in the VM600 rack. It is