cRIO-9036

National Instruments cRIO-9036 CompactRIO Controller

The cRIO-9036 is a rugged 8-slot CompactRIO embedded controller from National Instruments, designed for deterministic control, industrial automation, embedded monitoring, and high-performance real-time applications. It combines a 1.33 GHz Intel Atom dual-core processor with a user-programmable Xilinx Kintex-7 70T FPGA, delivering deterministic processing, FPGA-based hardware control, and modular I/O expansion in a compact industrial platform.

Key Features of cRIO-9036

The NI cRIO-9036 includes:

• 1.33 GHz Intel Atom E3825 dual-core CPU
• 1 GB DDR3L RAM
• 4 GB onboard storage
• Kintex-7 70T FPGA
• 8-slot CompactRIO architecture
• NI Linux Real-Time operating system

The controller is optimized for deterministic industrial control, embedded monitoring, and real-time measurement applications.

FPGA-Based Embedded Architecture

The onboard Kintex-7 70T FPGA enables engineers to implement:

• Custom timing and synchronization
• Deterministic hardware-level control
• Inline signal processing
• Industrial communication protocols
• High-speed digital processing
• Real-time trigger and event handling

This FPGA-based architecture makes the cRIO-9036 suitable for motion control, machine automation, power systems, robotics, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) applications.

Modular CompactRIO System

The cRIO-9036 supports up to 8 NI C Series modules, enabling integration of:

• Analog input/output
• Digital I/O
• CAN / LIN communication
• Motion control
• Vibration and condition monitoring
• Temperature and strain measurement
• Industrial communication interfaces

The modular design allows engineers to build scalable embedded systems for industrial and laboratory deployments.

Rugged Industrial Design

The cRIO-9036 features a rugged industrial form factor:

• Fanless design
• Operating temperature range from -40 °C to 70 °C
• Shock and vibration resistance
• DIN-rail and panel mounting support
• Industrial EMC and hazardous location certifications

This makes it suitable for harsh industrial environments, transportation systems, energy infrastructure, and outdoor automation applications.

Connectivity and Interfaces

The controller includes:

• 2× Gigabit Ethernet ports
• 2× USB host ports
• 1× USB device port
• 2× serial ports (RS-232 and RS-485/422)
• Mini DisplayPort
• SDHC storage slot

The Mini DisplayPort supports local HMI deployment and industrial visualization applications without requiring an external industrial PC.

Software Ecosystem

The cRIO-9036 integrates with:

• LabVIEW FPGA
• LabVIEW Real-Time
• NI-RIO drivers
• NI industrial automation software ecosystem

Developers can program the FPGA directly, deploy deterministic real-time applications, and synchronize I/O operations across multiple modules.

Typical Applications

The NI cRIO-9036 is widely used in:

• Industrial automation
• Embedded control systems
• Machine condition monitoring
• Robotics and motion systems
• Automotive testing
• Aerospace validation
• Power and energy monitoring
• Distributed data acquisition
• FPGA-based deterministic control

Technical Specifications

Typical specifications of the cRIO-9036 include:

• Intel Atom E3825 dual-core processor
• 1.33 GHz CPU frequency
• Kintex-7 70T FPGA
• 1 GB DDR3L RAM
• 4 GB onboard storage
• 8-slot CompactRIO architecture
• 9–30 VDC power input
• NI Linux Real-Time operating system
• Industrial Ethernet, USB, serial, and DisplayPort interfaces

Summary

The NI cRIO-9036 is a rugged 8-slot CompactRIO real-time controller that combines a dual-core Intel Atom processor, a Kintex-7 FPGA, and modular C Series I/O support for deterministic industrial automation and embedded control applications.