I-FUNCTION · EXPANSION MODULES

i-Function Boards

Q: What is the difference between the i-Function board and the i-Core mainboard?

The i-Core™ mainboard is the computing board of the FlexCore™ three-board architecture (CPU/memory/storage) and determines the computing platform and performance. The i-Function board is a function-expansion board that mounts onto the i-Core and adds HDMI/VGA/COM/USB/4G/GPIO/Modbus interfaces and communication capabilities. One complete unit = 1 i-Core + 1-2 i-Function + 1 i-Connect routing board, freely combined to match each customer's real-world scenario.

Q: What is the difference between the EXB and EPB expansion board series?

The EXB (Expansion Board) series focuses on interface and communication expansion, covering VGA/HDMI display output, RS-232/485 serial ports, USB, GPIO, 4G/5G and Modbus. The EPB (Expansion Power Board) series focuses on power management and network expansion, integrating wide-voltage input, dual Gigabit LAN ports and smart thermal control, ideal for field devices and always-on industrial scenarios.

Q: Which board do I choose to drive 3 HDMI screens (a video wall) on an industrial PC?

Choose the EXB-D2461 multi-HDMI video-wall expansion board: 3 HDMI ports with EDID anti-blackout + 4 USB + 5 COM + 1 M.2, designed for commercial display, digital signage, control-room video walls and multi-screen split scenarios. Paired with an i-Core Core mainboard, it can drive 3 independent 1080P displays or a single ultra-wide stitched screen.

Q: How do I choose a board for a 4G/5G all-network field device?

Choose the EXB-D22C1 wireless communication expansion board: an onboard 4G/5G all-network module interface + Mini PCIe slot + TF storage, supporting all major carriers. It suits outdoor sites without fixed cabling: smart agriculture, energy surveying, mobile monitoring vehicles and temporary logistics RFID gateways. Paired with the EPB-D2251 power board, it enables 9-36V wide-voltage vehicle or battery power.

Q: How do I choose a board for GPIO isolated I/O and the Modbus protocol?

Choose the EXB-D22C2 GPIO + Modbus smart expansion board: GPIO 8-in / 8-out + 3 serial ports + 2 USB + an onboard Modbus protocol stack. The 8 digital inputs read sensors, buttons and light-grid signals; the 8 digital outputs drive relays, solenoid valves and indicators; and Modbus communicates directly with PLCs, inverters and smart meters, making it the optimal choice for machine tools and SCADA field control cabinets.

Q: Our legacy equipment only has a VGA monitor — how do we keep VGA output?

The i-Function series offers 4 VGA boards for different scenarios: EXB-D2211 (basic VGA+COM+M.2, most economical), EXB-D21C2 (VGA+2 USB, 9-36V wide voltage for vehicles), EXB-D2138 (VGA+GPIO+multiple serial ports, for control cabinets) and EXB-D2351 (VGA+M.2+multiple serial ports, for storage expansion). Legacy HMIs and CNC systems from the Windows 7/XP era all connect seamlessly.

Q: Do you support OEM customization and small batches?

All EXB/EPB boards support full OEM/ODM: custom interface placement, pre-installed Mini PCIe/M.2 communication modules, silkscreen logos, wide-voltage power switching and temperature-grade upgrades (-20 to 70°C). The minimum order is 5-50 boards with a 3-year long-lifecycle supply, and major projects can sign a 5-year EOL commitment.

The function-expansion layer of the FlexCore™ three-board architecture ── built on a standard industrial bus with support for many interface protocols. HDMI / VGA / RS-232/485 / CAN-FD / GPIO / 4G / 5G / Mini PCIe / M.2 expansion across 11+ EXB series boards.

5 EXPANSION CATEGORIES

5 Function Expansion Categories

i-Function boards are organized into 5 categories by purpose, covering the vast majority of I/O and communication expansion needs on the industrial floor. They plug straight into the i-Core mainboard with no chassis redesign required.

▣

Display Expansion

VGA / HDMI / multi-screen video wall / audio output

6 boards

⇄

Serial Communication

RS-232 / RS-485 / USB-to-serial

1 board

⊞

GPIO + Modbus

8-in / 8-out + PLC/SCADA protocols

1 board

⊙

4G/5G Wireless

All-network module + Mini PCIe / TF card

1 board

⚡

Power + Dual LAN

9-36V wide voltage + dual Gigabit + smart thermal control

1 board

ABOUT I-FUNCTION

About the i-Function Board

The CESIPC i-Function board is the key module for function expansion: built on a standard industrial bus architecture with support for multiple interface protocols.

Supports a wide range of industrial communication standards including PCIe / USB / COM / Modbus
Fast development and small-batch customization let customers tailor functionality while keeping costs under control
Compatible with diverse field environments, with anti-interference and wide-temperature tolerance for demanding industrial applications
Works efficiently with the i-Connect board through standard connectors to keep the whole system stable

EXB & EPB SERIES

10 Standard i-Function Boards (Grouped by Purpose)

Every expansion board comes with a real board photo and detailed specs. Select by scenario and plug straight into the i-Core mainboard.

▣

Display Expansion Series

DISPLAY EXPANSION · VGA / HDMI / multi-screen video wall

DISPLAY

EXB-D2211

Basic VGA Display Board

1×VGA output
1×COM serial port
1×M.2 storage expansion

Use cases: legacy HMIs, CNC machine tools and entry-level control cabinets — the most economical VGA solution

DISPLAY

EXB-D2138

VGA + GPIO Control Board

1×VGA output
4×USB + 3×COM
9-36V wide voltage (optional)

Use cases: control cabinets, smart lighting and power monitoring — any site that needs VGA display plus rich I/O

DISPLAY

EXB-D21C2

VGA + USB Wide-Voltage Board

1×VGA output
2×USB 2.0
9-36V wide voltage (optional)

Use cases: in-vehicle control, mobile monitoring vehicles and battery-powered portable industrial terminals

DISPLAY

EXB-D2351

VGA + Multifunction Board

1×VGA output
1×M.2 high-speed storage
1×power input

Use cases: machine vision, image capture and projects that need VGA compatibility for legacy software plus large local storage

DISPLAY

EXB-D2532

HDMI + Audio Control Board

1×HDMI with EDID support
1×audio output
9-36V wide voltage (optional)

Use cases: information displays, advertising players, digital signage and self-service kiosks — commercial display with audio and video

DISPLAY

EXB-D2461

Multi-HDMI Video-Wall Board

3×HDMI with EDID support
4×USB + 5×COM
1×M.2 high-speed storage

Use cases: control-room video walls, surveillance walls, multi-screen stitching and commercial display — any multi-screen split scenario

⇄

Communication & I/O Expansion Series

COMMUNICATION · serial / GPIO+Modbus / 4G·5G wireless

SERIAL

EXB-D2137

RS-232 Multi-Serial Board

3×RS-232 serial ports
2×USB
1×mSATA + 1×Mini PCIe

Use cases: SCADA, energy meters and legacy rail-transit equipment — traditional sites that need multiple RS-232 serial ports

GPIO·IO

EXB-D22C2

GPIO + Modbus Control Board

GPIO 8-in / 8-out
3×RS-232/485 serial + 2×USB
onboard Modbus protocol stack

Use cases: machine-tool control cabinets, PLC coordination, inverter commissioning and sensor/relay matrix control

WIRELESS

EXB-D22C1

4G/5G Wireless Communication Board

4G/5G all-network module interface
1×TF card slot
1×Mini PCIe slot

Use cases: sites without fixed cabling · smart agriculture / energy surveying / mobile monitoring / outdoor RFID gateways

⚡

Power + Dual LAN Expansion Series

POWER & NETWORK · EPB series · wide voltage + smart thermal control

POWER

EPB-D2251

Power + Dual LAN Board

2×Gigabit LAN ports
smart fan thermal control
9-36V wide-voltage input

Use cases: dual-LAN redundancy, in-vehicle battery power and always-on industrial servers / edge gateways

SELECTION COMPARISON

10 i-Function Boards · Selection Comparison

Compare display output, serial ports, network, GPIO and power side by side to quickly pinpoint the right model.

Model	Category	Display Output	Serial / GPIO	USB / Network	Expansion / Power	Main Applications
EXB-D2211	Display	1×VGA	1×COM	—	1×M.2	entry VGA control cabinets
EXB-D2138	Display	1×VGA	3×COM	4×USB	9-36V wide voltage	power / smart lighting
EXB-D21C2	Display	1×VGA	—	2×USB	9-36V wide voltage	vehicle / portable terminals
EXB-D2351	Display	1×VGA	—	—	1×M.2	vision / image storage
EXB-D2532	Display	1×HDMI EDID + audio	—	—	9-36V wide voltage	commercial display / signage
EXB-D2461	Display	3×HDMI EDID	5×COM	4×USB	1×M.2	video wall / stitched screen
EXB-D2137	Serial	—	3×RS-232	2×USB	mSATA + Mini PCIe	SCADA / energy meters
EXB-D22C2	GPIO	—	GPIO 8-in/8-out + 3 serial	2×USB	Modbus protocol	machine tools / PLC commissioning
EXB-D22C1	Wireless	—	—	—	4G/5G + Mini PCIe + TF	smart agriculture / outdoor gateways
EPB-D2251	Power	—	—	2×Gigabit LAN	9-36V wide voltage + smart thermal control	dual-LAN redundancy / edge gateway

FREQUENTLY ASKED

i-Function Selection FAQ

What is the difference between the i-Function board and the i-Core mainboard?

The i-Core™ mainboard is the computing board of the FlexCore™ three-board architecture (CPU/memory/storage) and determines the computing platform and performance.

The i-Function board is a function-expansion board that mounts onto the i-Core and adds HDMI/VGA/COM/USB/4G/GPIO/Modbus interfaces and communication capabilities.

One complete unit = 1 i-Core + 1-2 i-Function + 1 i-Connect routing board, freely combined to match each customer's real-world scenario.

What is the difference between the EXB and EPB expansion board series?

The EXB (Expansion Board) series focuses on interface and communication expansion, covering VGA/HDMI display output, RS-232/485 serial ports, USB, GPIO, 4G/5G and Modbus.

The EPB (Expansion Power Board) series focuses on power management and network expansion, integrating wide-voltage input, dual Gigabit LAN ports and smart thermal control — ideal for field devices and always-on industrial scenarios.

Which board do I choose to drive 3 HDMI screens (a video wall) on an industrial PC?

Choose the EXB-D2461 multi-HDMI video-wall expansion board: 3 HDMI ports with EDID anti-blackout + 4 USB + 5 COM + 1 M.2, designed for commercial display, digital signage, control-room video walls and multi-screen split scenarios.

Paired with an i-Core Core mainboard (such as the CES-1201 or CES-1901), it can drive 3 independent 1080P displays or a single ultra-wide stitched screen.

How do I choose a board for a 4G/5G all-network field device?

Choose the EXB-D22C1 wireless communication expansion board: an onboard 4G/5G all-network module interface + Mini PCIe slot + TF storage, supporting all major carriers.

It suits outdoor sites without fixed cabling: smart agriculture, energy surveying, mobile monitoring vehicles and temporary logistics RFID gateways. Paired with the EPB-D2251 power board, it enables 9-36V wide-voltage vehicle or battery power.

How do I choose a board for GPIO isolated I/O and the Modbus protocol?

Choose the EXB-D22C2 GPIO + Modbus smart expansion board: GPIO 8-in / 8-out + 3 serial ports + 2 USB + an onboard Modbus protocol stack.

The 8 digital inputs read sensors, buttons and light-grid signals; the 8 digital outputs drive relays, solenoid valves and indicators. Modbus communicates directly with PLCs, inverters and smart meters, making it the optimal choice for machine tools and SCADA field control cabinets.

Our legacy equipment only has a VGA monitor — how do we keep VGA output?

The i-Function series offers 4 VGA boards for different scenarios:

EXB-D2211 (basic VGA+COM+M.2, most economical) | EXB-D21C2 (VGA+2 USB, 9-36V wide voltage for vehicles) | EXB-D2138 (VGA+GPIO+multiple serial ports, for control cabinets) | EXB-D2351 (VGA+M.2+multiple serial ports, for storage expansion).

Legacy HMIs and CNC systems from the Windows 7 / XP era all connect seamlessly.

Do you support OEM customization and small batches?

All EXB/EPB boards support full OEM/ODM: custom interface placement, pre-installed Mini PCIe/M.2 communication modules, silkscreen logos, wide-voltage power switching and temperature-grade upgrades (-20 to 70°C).

The minimum order is 5-50 boards with a 3-year long-lifecycle supply, and major projects can sign a 5-year EOL commitment.

Can EXB boards be swapped between different FlexCore™ models?

Yes. The core value of the FlexCore™ three-board architecture is decoupling the chassis, i-Core mainboard and i-Function expansion board.

The same EXB-D2461 video-wall board can be installed in a ComputeOps industrial PC, a FrontOps panel PC or a CleanOps stainless steel all-in-one — customers only swap one board instead of redesigning the chassis, dramatically lowering BOM and maintenance costs.

START A PROJECT

Need help choosing the right FlexCore™ modules for your project?

Tell us your processor platform, I/O requirements and industrial scenario, and our engineers will respond within 24 hours with a complete solution, recommended module combinations and a prototype evaluation.

Submit Your Requirements Call 0755-85286060