What is a field-programmable gate array (FPGA)?
An FPGA is a device that contains a matrix of reconfigurable gate array logic circuitry. When an FPGA is configured, the internal circuitry is connected in a way that creates a hardware implementation of the software application. Unlike processors, FPGAs use dedicated hardware for processing logic and do not have an operating system. FPGAs are truly parallel in nature so different processing operations do not have to compete for the same resources. As a result, the performance of one part of the application is not affected when additional processing is added. Also, multiple control loops can run on a single FPGA device at different rates. FPGA-based control systems can enforce critical interlock logic and can be designed to prevent I/O forcing by an operator. However, unlike hard-wired printed circuit board (PCB) designs, which have fixed hardware resources, FPGA-based systems can literally rewire their internal circuitry to allow reconfiguration after the control system is deployed to
