The Rising importance of the Industrial Panel PC and Applications

The Rising importance of the Industrial Panel PC and Applications

Few inventions have had as much impact on manufacturing environments around the world as the Industrial panel PC and related applications. These robust computers have evolved into a vital component for every industrial environment.

While the design of home computers is increasingly rigid, there is still little to compare a traditional computer to an Industrial Panel PC. In fact, the industrial computer is designed specifically for harsh environments in which a standard computer would be unable to withstand, and the software is something which requires a lot less attention regarding updates or maintenance.

Features and benefits and applications of an Industrial Panel PC

s22 S22 , THREE MONITOR CAPACITY

Tangent’s S22 Industrial Computer is an excellent example of the capacities of Industrial Panel PCs. The S22 Industrial computer is fanless, waterproof, shock proof and capable of operating in temperatures up to 104°F (0° to 40° C). Although the fanless nature of this particular model is common, the temperature capacity is not something found in all Industrial PCs. In fact, it must be noted that variations exist in Industrial computers, with each one equally powerful yet tailoring to a very specific environment.

For example, Tangent’s high tech F15 Industrial Computer incorporates an Intel 3rd Gen Core i3/i7 processor and this resilient machine is fitted with a forklift mount.

Simply put, these purpose-built Industrial computers are specifically engineered with the rigors of tough machinery for applications such as a plant floor and other corporate, industrial and healthcare applications.

Consisting of a programmable logic controller (PLC), these applications can automate the production process and at the very least monitor this process by retrieving and calculating relevant data.

Along with offering an endless line of control and automation applications, Industrial Panel PCs also provide a seamless way to connect the corporate office with what is happening in the production environment.

The Industrial Panel PC: Take Home

f15

When you consider the overall value of these machines and processes, the rising importance of the Industrial Panel PC and applications is rather obvious. Many of these models such as the F15 Industrial Computer are extremely compact (15”) which have a streamlining effect and helps to minimize unnecessary interference in the industrial workplace.

Tangent is a leading provider of Industrial Panel PCs and also a reliable resource to provide training and extensive support to assists with every aspect of the implementation process.

The Industrial Panel PC is now a necessity for healthcare, Industrial and corporate businesses to remain at the forefront of their respective industry, contact us today to find the right product for your workplace. 650-342-9388 or sales@tangent.com

Fanless Computers: Still Running Cool!

Fanless Computers: Still running cool!

 

Making a computer with a single fan is good engineering, making them fanless is an art. TANGENT offers fanless computers which are reliable and robust to meet your demanding requirements of ruggedness and performance.

What are major problems with the fans that require us to build fanless computers?

  • Noise: Fans produce noise during normal operation. As the installed system becomes older, the fan becomes nosier. In some applications, noise above a certain level is unacceptable.
  • Maintenance: Fans suck in dirt and clog the filters. This requires frequent cleaning of filters. In certain embedded systems, access to the computer for maintenance is not feasible. Problem of choking of filters exacerbates if the computer in installed in a dusty environment.
  • Failure: A fan is a moving part, with an electric motor. This can fail, resulting in overheating of the computer and eventual system shutdown or even total system failure.

Fanless computer eliminates these problems completely. The computer becomes quieter, becomes more robust and requires less maintenance.

Why are fans required in computers anyway? Well, computers need a lot of processing power that requires high-performance components, especially the CPU. These components generate a lot of heat. If this heat is not removed rapidly and continuously, the system will over-heat and will eventually fail. Fans provide an easy and cheap way to remove this generated heat by blowing air across the hot components and out of the computer casing, keeping the temperature inside the computer within the acceptable limits.

However, the limitations of fans in a dusty environment are significant and in certain application, noise is a major issue. To minimize noise generated by fans and reduce heat generation, various techniques such as; variable and low-speed fans with efficient CPU heat sinks, logic to slow down or shutdown the CPU when not in active use are incorporated. However, the best way to remove the fan-related problems is to remove the fan altogether, replacing it with an alternate heat removal system.

A computer with a good performance is simple to build, but a fanless computer requires a good design. Heat load is carefully calculated and the heat removal system is designed to match the heat load in worst case operating conditions. A system of heatpipes is used to remove the unwanted heat out of the system.

Heatpipes are made of copper or copper alloy, capable of transferring a large amount of heat. Inside the heatpipe there is liquid under low pressure that boils into vapor when it absorbs heat. This vapor then condenses back into liquid at the cooler surfaces of the heatpipe and releases the heat. Heat is taken from the CPU by one end of the heatpipe, and transferred to the other end of the heatpipe in contact with a larger heat sink, which is the Aluminum casing of the computer system. This casing comes in contact with the ambient air and thus dissipates the heat in the air, thereby cooling the system.

TANGENT’s Fanless Rugged Mini PC line is designed with industrial and military grade components and specifications for reliable operation under a demanding environment which require reliable and noiseless operation.

Model Rugged S is specially designed for use in industrial and medical applications. It can be used in mobile medical carts, anesthesia module and display systems. It provides optional ISO ports to meet the needs of Critical Care environments.

Model Rugged S meets rugged design specifications and medical UL60601-1 certification. It comes with built-in watchdog timer for automatic re-start on a non-fatal system fault, optional 4k V Isolation card for patient protection, and an optional TPM for added security.

ruggeds MINI RUGGED S

TANGENTS’s newest model Rugged G is also a fanless computer, designed to handle 12, 19, or 24V DC system power input, a wide range of operating temperatures, and can be installed in a variety of industrial environments.

rUGGED-g-MINI-PC Rugged G

Rugged G’s fanless design is ideal for dusty factory floors and offers a lot of installations options for wall or DIN rail mounting. 4 COM ports, 6 USB ports, and a Digital I/O port, provide maximum connectivity from this rugged industrial Mini PC. Rugged G can operate in extreme operating temperature range of 14° to 131°F (-10° to – 55°C).