An Industrial Computer is a specific type of computing system designed to manage a variety of factory and industrial workloads for machine automation, manufacturing equipment, and new-age autonomous robotics.
One of the great benefits of an Industrial Computer is its ability to operate with high reliability in the harshest industrial environments. Most Industrial Computers are built with rugged design in mind, using fanless cooling technology, cable-free connections to eliminate moving parts, and resistance to a certain level of dust and water intrusion. These key features are some of the biggest benefits of Industrial Computers as it provides stability and efficiency to the computer. Many Industrial Automation deployments cannot afford downtime.
How do Industrial Computers differ from Commercial Desktop Computers? Industrial Computers differ from Commercial Desktop Computers in very specific ways due to their deployment use cases. While the internal components may look like regular desktop computer components, (CPU, memory, storage); Industrial Computers are very different in their unique rugged design features that are designed for reliability and precision in Industrial Automation machines. There are a number of design features that are integral to the performance and stability of industrial computers and should be compared and evaluated to ensure the best total cost of ownership when integrating computing hardware: Enclosure Size: Industrial computers are often subjected to harsh factory conditions where exposure to wide temperatures, vibrations, and voltage spikes can be damaging to ordinary computers. As a result, the internal components of industrial computers are made of alloy materials that are strong enough to withstand high temperatures and vibrations. Most external enclosures feature a rugged aluminum chassis that acts as a heat sink to transfer heat away from critical internal components such as the CPU, memory, and storage.
Industrial Grade Components: Industrial computers are often equipped with industrial grade components that have been tested and verified to operate in harsh industrial environments. Everything from the PCB motherboard to the soldered capacitors are specially selected and integrated into the final industrial computer design to be deployed on a large scale in a factory setting. Protection from Dust and Particle Intrusion: Industrial computers are designed for deployment in areas such as factory automation or mining processes where dust and foreign matter are common. As a result, industrial computers are designed with rugged design features that eliminate the need for cooling vents and prevent dust and other particles in harsh environments from compromising the computer and its functions.
**Extreme Temperatures:** Many industrial applications require computers that can withstand extreme operating temperatures. Because computers with fans can fail due to dust contamination, these specialized computers are designed with a fanless system architecture that utilizes heat sinks and heat pipes to maintain a wide operating temperature range. This allows industrial computers to operate in harsh environments and environments where temperatures are not normally controlled. For example, computers in industrial use cases can support operating temperatures from –40C to 70C (-40F to 158F), allowing them to function in both extremely cold and extremely hot applications.
**Shock and Vibration Resistance:** High levels of shock and vibration can be harmful to computers that have not been extensively designed and tested. Most industrial computers will have some level of resistance to these environmental factors and remain functional in these specific situations. For example, some industrial automation equipment generates some level of shock and vibration during the manufacturing process, which can cause damage to ordinary computers and cause system failures. Vibration levels of 3-5 GRMS are supported; shocks are often supported up to 50G; some industrial computers can also meet stringent military specifications.
**Ingress Protection (IP Rating):**Industrial computers are not only dustproof, but also waterproof to some extent. The key to a reliable and rugged computer is to eliminate multiple points of failure, especially the elements of dust and water. For example, in industrial applications such as food manufacturing and chemical processing, automation equipment and its computers are often washed down with hot water jets or cleaning materials. Therefore, most industrial computers used in these environments have some degree of IP protection, from design to special M12 connectors, which will be explained below.
EMI Resistance: Short for electromagnetic interference (EMI), this is a naturally occurring phenomenon that occurs when the electromagnetic (EM) field of one device reduces the electromagnetic field of another nearby device. This can cause circuit degradation and may even cause it to stop working. In an industrial environment, the presence of different equipment combined with improper installation can promote the emission of harmful EMI and cause signal interference. Therefore, most industrial computers are properly designed, shielded, and tested to ensure complete isolation and adherence to strict regulatory standards and compliance.
Scalability and Extended Life: Industrial computers have more expansion capabilities than commercial computers, including proper support for many older devices and applications. Many of the components used are available and can last up to 15 years, providing a long-term embedded computing solution. This is especially important for industrial plants that may not be upgraded or retrofitted with the latest automation technology every few years. Therefore, most of today's industrial computers provide a platform to help consolidate multiple workloads derived from a variety of legacy and latest technology features. A key example is the ability to support legacy analog serial ports alongside the latest digital Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors.
