Expansion Slot specification

Creators & Developers Expansion Card
1

HI All,

i have some questions regarding expansion slot ( maybe i missed it):

  1. Are those 4 expansion slots all the same, have same functionality?
  2. Are those ports USB 3.2 Gen 2 downstream ports 10Gbps or do they have additional functionality like PD, Alternate mode, thunderbolt ?
  3. if the ports have PD ( Power delivery) what is the max power ( voltage and current ) supported on each port?
  4. what is the part number of the C-type (male) connector used on the expansion module?

Best Regards,
zero0d.

1 Like
2
  1. Yes
  2. All of the above. Thunderbolt certification is still in progress, but it’s reported to work.
  3. I assume it’s 60W (20V 3A) input because that matches the charger. And I read elsewhere 15W (5V 3A) output, which is what most laptops do.
  4. Molex 105444. I remember hand-soldering those for an unrelated project before Framework even existed. Perfectly doable.
3 Likes
3

Like PeetzOr said they are Thunderbolt 4 but are pending certification so they can’t legal advertise as T4. Unofficial and functionally they are.

The laptop has the 4 physical ports split into two logical PCIE devices. With the ports on the left side going to one controller and the ports on the right side going to the second controller.

All ports are PD3.0 and if I remember in another thread the team comment about running the main board without a screen or battery using a 100w charger (probably for cyberdecks) the battery can take a 1C charge rate.

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4

From what I remember only two ports can handle 3A and the other two is 1.5A, first come first serve.

5

Hi all,

thanks for the info.

So if i’m understand you correctly the port can only provide 15W ( 5V 3A Type C specification max regardless that it has a PD controller inside) and can’t provide eg 15V 3A if there is a PD device inside the expansion card to communicate out higher voltage? In other words there is a PD 3.0 controller in framework laptop , and if i put a PD controller into the expansion card i sill can’t get those to communicate so that the framework laptop increases the voltage on the VBUS pin?

Br.

6

Yep, 15w is the max. It cannot automatically supply 3A aswell you have to use all the needed components otherwise it will use type c current spec.

7

Hi Josh,

how do you mean it can’t automatically supply 3A? For 5V 3A i don’t need a PD 3.0 controller on card side but only a Type-C Port controller configured in UFP mode only that will ask for 5V 3A.

8

Yup, if you have the controller it should be all good setup for 3A that is.

9

Yes I was thinking to use TUSB321AI from TI, i think this will do the job.

I have one other question what is the max height inside the expansion card? ( i found on git hub only the lower case part dimensions)

Br.

10

Not much but make sure to use 0.8mm or 1mm thick PCBs. I cannot easily remember.

11

is there a 3D model where i can look this up?

12

On the github the expansion card is there. The PCB you have to deal with yourself.

13

Hi Josh,

i found the 3D file " ExpansionCard_threadedInsert.stp" but the expansion card doesn’t have the top of the housing. So we have bottom case 1.5mm then 1.6mm clearance-> then 0.8mm pcb → and then 2.9mm clearance to the top edge ( = 6.8mm) ( do i have to subtract the top case from 2.9mm top clearance?)

is the 6.8mm thickness measure form whole expansion card or is 6.8mm +1.5mm top case ?

14

Yep. You need to include the top case.

1 Like
15

PXL_20210919_014518664
PXL_20210919_0145186643024×4032 2.77 MB

2 Likes
16

thank you for the measurement :slight_smile:

Expansion card spec additional question:
1)
I need confirmation that i don’t need to use MUX on USB SS signals because the card can’t be turned around. Can you tell that the connected signals are the A (A1 to A12) signals on the USB C-type connector and B signal row is no use?

where is the pin A1 form the side of framework laptop on port C ?
2a) Is A row toward keyboard or toward bottom?
2b) IA A1 towards upper side of keyboard or toward touchpad?

Question is because inspecting the -

737×646 239 KB

and

and

there are some differences:

on the top of the MCU PCB is the A row because it has all the pins and the left pin beside the notch pin should be A12 as per molex datasheet

but if you look at the MCU image and MCU schematic then you see that from left the pin 5 is actual A5 and not A8 because it connects to R1 on schematic

Where did i get wrong??