Flexcase and Rockchip for telematics

[Sagar]

#21440

Hi Audesse team,

I am currently working on the FlexCase-E telematics controls and attempting to bring up the telematics functionality on the hardware. Upon inserting the Rockchip board into the FlexCase-E, smoke was observed coming from the chip board.
Kindly confirm the possible cause of this issue.

We replaced the board with another new Rockchip module. However, when it was inserted into the FlexCase-E, the board became excessively hot, and the FS chip on the FlexCase-E board started continuously turning on and off.
Kindly confirm the possible reason for this issue as well.

[Audesse Team]

#21441

Hi Sagar,

I am sorry to hear about the issues you are experiencing with your hardware integration. Based on your description, here is an initial assessment of the situation:

Technical Assessment:

The presence of smoke indicates that at least one component has suffered a catastrophic failure. Once a component reaches the point of emitting smoke, that specific part is dead and cannot be recovered.

The continuous power cycling of the FS chip suggests that the system is detecting a short circuit or a severe overcurrent condition. The chip is likely entering a protection loop to prevent further damage to the FlexCase-E mainboard.

This type of failure often stems from incorrect assembly or physical misalignment when mating the Rockchip module to the board. If the pins were damaged or bridged during insertion, it would cause the thermal runaway and electrical shorts you described.

Troubleshooting Steps:

To isolate the failure, please remove the Rockchip module entirely and power on the FlexCase-E board alone. If the FlexCase-E works correctly without the module, the issue is isolated to the Rockchip module itself, and the E-board should function properly for other tasks. However, if the FlexCase-E continues to cycle or fails to power, the mainboard may have sustained permanent damage.

Next Steps and RMA:

Since the hardware has sustained physical damage, these units likely cannot be used further. To begin the replacement process, you can find the RMA form on our website. Please complete the form and send it to our team via email to start the RMA process.

[Sagar]

#21448

Thanks for this confirmation.

I would like to know whether the mounting slots of the Rockchip module and the WhiteBeet board are the same?
Could you share the recommended assembly and mating guidelines for connecting the Rockchip module to the carrier board to prevent failures due to misalignment or incorrect assembly?

[Sagar]

#21444

Hi Audesse Team,

Thanks for this confirmation.

I would like to know whether the mounting slots of the Rockchip module and the WhiteBeet board are the same?
Could you share the recommended assembly and mating guidelines for connecting the Rockchip module to the carrier board to prevent failures due to misalignment or incorrect assembly?

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by Sagar.

[Audesse Team]

#21450

Hi Sagar,

I wanted to follow up with some important context regarding those modules. It is important to note that while the mounting slots for the Rockchip and Whitebeet modules are indeed the same, the assembly and mating process is not something we generally permit users to do by hand. This level of integration is precision work that must be sent back to the factory to be completed via an RMA or a formal work order to ensure it is done correctly.

At this stage, it is likely that the board you were working on has been permanently damaged. Even if the module were to be assembled correctly now, the board would probably still fail to function and would likely cause immediate damage to the Whitebeet module itself. Our recommendation is as was previously mentioned, an RMA.

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