Industrial Pc | Tangent Blog

Fanless Industrial PCs For Every Sector

January 3, 2020January 3, 2020 Michelle

Industrial PCs have come a long way since their original implementation, and the rise of the internet has made these Industrial PCs both invaluable and necessary tools for every industrial sector. In a time where productivity is falling in the factory setting, the concerted use of industrial PCs to create smart factories is proving to be even more necessary, and may very well help save U.S. manufacturing. One of the biggest problems with creating a smart factory is the very same thing that makes them possible: the implementation of industrial PCs in nearly every aspect of a factory.

Simply put, not every Industrial PC is capable of being deployed in any location in a facility. While many Industrial PCs do just fine sitting in the office or above a conveyor belt, they may falter in environments where actual production occurs. Fanless Industrial PCs offer a compelling solution to this conundrum, surviving and thriving in the bowels of chemical, automotive, and even material industrial facilities.

Fanless Industrial PCs Go Where Others Cannot

Transforming your industrial facility into a smart factory requires much more than giving all your employees the latest smartphone. A smart factory requires a network of sensors, microcontrollers, trackers, and most importantly Industrial PCs across the entire facility to truly make the differences seen by the early adopters of such strategies as previously described. Fanless industrial PCs help achieve this goal by going where other industrial PCs cannot. Fanless industrial PCs, like the Rugged Mini E3 from Tangent, feature a passive cooling system devoid of openings. Without a gaping opening that constantly circulates air through their enclosures, fanless Industrial PCs are able to operate in environments where dust, liquids, and metal shavings are a fact of life.

Less Maintenance, More Productivity

Keeping your Industrial PCs up and running is crucial to the smart factory mission, and the longer it takes to maintain your industrial PCs the less productive they are. Fanless Industrial PCs, like the Rugged Mini O from Tangent, require significantly less maintenance than their fan-based counterparts as their solid enclosure does not let pollutants in, keeping their delicate components safe. What’s more, dust build up promotes component overheating, leading to a decrease in Industrial PC lifespan and in severe cases can fry the CPU, rending the entire Industrial PC useless. Fanless Industrial PCs bypass this problem entirely, letting your IT staff worry about the big picture, not dusting schedules.

Mini C1 Industrial Computer

Fanless Industrial PCs: No Compromise

Fanless Industrial PCs may lack fans, but they make no compromises when it comes to surviving the most extreme temperatures. Whether near a forge or in a refrigerated facility, fanless industrial PCs like the Rugged Mini C1 from Tangent are capable of withstanding temperature ranges from as cold as -40°F to as hot as 144°F with ease. Truly, fanless industrial PCs are the glue that can hold your burgeoning smart factory together, going where other industrial PCs cannot.

How Much RAM Do I Need in My Industrial PC?

January 3, 2020January 17, 2020 Michelle

When shopping for new industrial PCs, there are many important factors to consider. CPU age and clock speed, hard drive space, and availability of I/O ports are all crucial considerations to make when deciding on the equipment that will keep your facility running in the years to come. But one critical, and usually overlooked, aspect of industrial PCs to consider when purchasing a new setup is the amount of random access memory (RAM) they contain.

What Is RAM In An Industrial PC?

When we think of an Industrial PC, we like to imagine one tower that does everything itself. But this is actually not the case, and even in the smallest microcontrollers different components make up the larger computer. RAM serves a secondary storage for your computer alongside your hard drive, but has a specific task. Instead of saving data such as programs and files on a long term basis, RAM is actually empty when the computer is not in use. When you use a program, such as autoCAD, Premiere Pro, or even SOLIDWORKS, on your industrial PC the program is copied from the hard drive to the RAM. Hard drives have a certain amount of data they can transfer around the Industrial PC every second, and RAM has a much higher rate of data transfer; Therefore RAM allows for programs, files, and data in use to be easily accessed by the industrial PC for immediate use.

How Much RAM Do I Need In My Industrial PC?

While everyone’s industrial PC needs vary, a good rule of thumb when looking at RAM is: The more, the better. There simply is no real drawbacks to having as much RAM as possible, as more RAM allows more programs, files, and data to be in use at once on your Industrial PC. However, there is a minimum amount of RAM for many programs that should be beared in mind. For instance, SOLIDWORKS requires a minimum of 16 gigabytes (gb) of RAM to function and 32 gb to work optimally. The Rugged Mini E3 from Tangent can be configured to both a 16 gb and 32 gb amount of RAM, enabling this industrial PC to function as a standalone SOLIDWORKS workstation or general use station. Every program should have a minimum system requirements section listed on its software page which will tell you how much RAM is needed for the program.

Why Should My Industrial PC Have More Ram Than It Needs?

As technology progresses, the file sizes of programs are getting bigger, and require more computing power to handle. SOLIDWORKS now recommends the use of solid state drives over hard drives due to their significantly faster data transfer speeds. Having more RAM than is required for programs is an easy way to future-proof your industrial PC purchase. In the short run, a larger pool of RAM allows your industrial PC to multitask, running multiple industrial software at once. In the long run, your industrial PC will still be able to handle the new, updated industrial software without needing an upgrade itself.

RAM In Industrial PCs

Whether you put the maximum or minimum amount of RAM in your industrial PCs, it is important to understand what RAM does and make an informed decision on the matter. Tangent industrial PCs have a wide range of RAM options, from 4gb up to 32 gb, allowing you to make the best decision possible for your facility.

How Can Stress Be Reduced In The Industrial Workplace? Industrial Grade PCs May Hold The Key.

November 25, 2019November 25, 2019 Michelle

Stress impacts us in a variety of different ways. From our relationships with others to our quality of sleep, stress limits our ability to function at our prime. When workers bring stress into the job site, it can lead to a drastic increase in accidents in the workplace. According to Dr. David Spiegel, a medical director of the Stanford Center on Stress and Health, “[i]t’s very clear that a big proportion of safety problems are due to human error, and some of that is related to stress.” Companies hoping to retain the edge in the increasingly competitive industrial sector will need to find ways to reduce stress and hassle in the workplace, not only to avoid costly accidents but to increase productivity overall. To that end, industrial grade PCs offer a compelling avenue for decreasing frustrations in the workplace, freeing workers from the stress of handling subpar technology.

Industrial Grade PC’s are Tough, Versatile Products Employees Can Rely Upon.

When an employee is faced with pressing deadlines and the day-to-day demands of their job, the last thing they need is a piece of equipment they cannot rely upon. Industrial grade PCs perform where commercial PCs cannot. For instance, the R14 Industrial Tablet PC, featuring a 14” screen and dual, high capacity batteries that can sustain up to 18+ hours of demanding video-based programs, allowing for usage well beyond the typical 8-hour workday. The R14 can also, like many other of Tangent’s industrial grade PCs, withstand temperatures ranging from -4° to 140°F, allowing for use in nearly any industrial or manufacturing environment. Without the worry about whether or not their equipment can perform across a wide range of environments, and with a battery capacity over twice the standard workday , employees with industrial grade PCs can focus solely on the critical aspects of their role.

Up To The Task: Powerful Industrial Grade PCs.

Sluggish, unresponsive technology is annoying for anyone to deal with, even more so for employees relying on that technology to perform vital roles in their company. Fortunately, Tangent’s line of industrial grade PCs come packed with power. Industrial grade PCs like the Rugged Mini E3 sport up to an Intel 6th Gen. Core i7, along with 32GB of DDR4 RAM, to guarantee lightning-fast response times with even the most demanding programs. Commercial PCs may be able to offer similar responsiveness, but only industrial-grade PCs marry that performance to resilience. Industrial grade PCs. such as the VITA KW. feature dust and water resistance, backed by an IP65 certified rating, along with a fanless cooling system that prevents the buildup of particulates that can lead to the degradation found in less durable commercial PCs. Employees can rest easy knowing their industrial grade PCs will hold up in the toughest of workplaces.

The Fusion of Productivity and Flexibility: Industrial Grade PCs.

No one wants to be stressed, but the accumulation of stress in the workplace seems more and more like a fact of life. Industrial grade PCs from Tangent can help negate stress in the workplace. With incredible battery life and lightning-fast Intel processors, Industrial Grade PCs can give your workers one less thing to worry about.

Will Automation Take Over Manufacturing?

November 18, 2019November 18, 2019 Michelle

It’s a both awe-inspiring, and terrifying prospect: a fully automated factory. While there are debates surrounding the use of such facilities, a fully automated facility is still some time away. Scott Anderson, director of Amazon Robotics Fulfillment recently said in an interview with Reuters that the technology needed to automate an entire Amazon facility was still at least a decade away. Until then, the prospect of automating every aspect of a manufacturing facility remains just as unlikely as occurring. However, this does not mean that there aren’t ways of upgrading your facility with automation technology, and increasing efficiency and reducing cost in the process.

Industrial grade computers are the backbone of any modern-day manufacturing facility, and rightly so. Industrial grade computers serve as a bridge between automation and good old fashioned labor, allowing for workers to finish jobs that used to take hours in just minutes. Just like how Email reduced the waiting time for correspondence from days to seconds, industrial-grade computers have exponentially increased worker productivity. Their use in quickening tasks extends beyond operating as workstations; industrial grade computers can help turn your facility into a smart facility.

Creating Networks

One of the rising uses of industrial grade computers is the creation of facility wide networks. These networks can be used to monitor sensors, change up the production line, and even provide real time reports on errors and issues. Industrial grade computers, like the Rugged Mini C from Tangent, feature up to eight ethernet ports for connectivity. These ethernet ports can each handle up to 2.5 GT/s of data transfer, allowing the Mini C to easily communicate information from one end of the facility to the other with lightning speed. The Mini C’s small form factor, less than that of a cereal box, combined with flexible mounting options allows this industrial grade computer to be placed anywhere and everywhere.

Going Where Workers Can’t

While it would be nice to have a worker perform real time analysis of site that’s underwater, freezing cold, or freezing hot 24/7, this simply just is not possible. That’s where industrial grade computers like the Rugged Mini O from Tangent come in. The Rugged Mini O is IP69K certified water and dust proof, allowing for it to be used in situations where workers simply cannot be. This IP69K rating is complemented by an extreme operating temperature range of -40°F to 185°F. This industrial grade computer can be mounted in locations where other computers simply could not, and become a vital part of your industrial grade computer network.

Staying Safe And Secure

With every new leap in automation technology, there is an equal leap in the ability of phishers and hackers to hijack your facility. These hackers may be benign malevolent, but either way keeping them out of your facility is a top priority. As more components of your facility become automated, it is important to keep the software of each individual device up to date. This can help reduce the likelihood of hackers being able to find backdoors into your systems. Industrial grade computers like the Rugged Mini E3 from Tangent come equipped with a trusted platform module from Infineon. This security module can help beef up the security protocols of your network by employing cryptography and encryption algorithms to protect the integrity and authenticity of embedded devices and systems.

Automation: It’s On The Way

While automation is nowhere near ready for full deployment, it is on the horizon. Keeping your facility up to date with the latest industrial grade computers can help bridge the gap between modern-day labor and the future of automation.

Maintain Your Legacy Equipment Longer With Industrial Grade Computers

November 12, 2019November 12, 2019 Michelle

It’s a big world out there, full of not only people — but competition. Each and every day, technology is advancing in all fields, with industrial fields being no exception. While it may be nice to think that one can always stay at the forefront of industrial technology, doing so would be extremely cost-prohibitive. That’s one of the main reasons why legacy equipment is so common in the industrial sector: new equipment can cost a small fortune while your legacy equipment hums away without issue. While using legacy equipment is common practice, there are cost-effective ways of “upgrading” this equipment and gaining the upper hand over competition in the process.

Optimize Readouts

Whether your legacy equipment is ten or twenty years old, industrial grade computers can serve as well overdue upgrade without breaking the bank. Older legacy equipment may not seem as though it can benefit from co-mingling with industrial grade computers, but this could not be further from the truth. Industrial grade computers, like the Tangent S Series can become a natural extension of legacy equipment. When hooked up to a video camera, the S Series industrial grade computer panel can serve as a remote access interface to perform readouts on equipment. If hooked up to sensors and other equipment, the S Series can be used to remotely control features of the legacy equipment from the comfort of an office. With sixteen gigabytes of RAM, the S Series can handle multiple video camera inputs at once, becoming a hub for viewing your legacy equipment.

Network Sensors

Speaking of hubs, creating a sensor network around your facility can help mitigate rising problems before they have a chance to affect production. Many forms of legacy equipment produced in the last twenty years have input/output ports in the form of ethernet ports. With an industrial grade computer like the Rugged Mini C from Tangent, these ethernet ports can be hijacked to turn the equipment into a makeshift sensor network. The Rugged Mini C can be customized to have up to eight ethernet ports compared to most commercial grade computer’s singular port. This allows the Mini C to read information from multiple legacy equipment at once, and with the proper IT magic, spoof a program to act as a brain for the equipment.

Customization Options

There’s no one size fits all solution to updating your legacy equipment. Many forms of updating legacy equipment amount to jury-rigging a customized solution for every situation. That’s why having a large selection of customization options for your industrial grade computers is so important, as these choices allow you to create custom solutions that are the best for each problem. Take the Rugged Mini E3 for instance, which is an industrial-grade computer that can be customized to have up to thirty two gigabytes of RAM, allowing it to run a plethora of programs simultaneously. Or the R14 Industrial Grade Computer tablet, which can serve as a mobile industrial-grade computer for workers who are constantly on the move. For every situation, there’s an industrial-grade computer that can be customized to thrive in.

Industrial Computers for Desert Applications

Industrial PCs For Desert Use

October 8, 2019October 8, 2019 Michelle

There’s one environment that is seemingly designed to destroy computers from the inside out. Scorching heat that prevents CPUs from cooling down, kicked up sand that threatens to short circuit motherboards, and a cascading environment that can change in the blink of an eye. If you haven’t guessed it by now, I’m referring to the desert. Even though deserts constitute 33% of the entire world, our modern day computers struggle to operate for even a few hours in the conditions presented by them. This is unfortunate, as many industrial operations such as mining and oil extraction occur there. Luckily, Tangent’s Industrial PC Line features computers that can not only operate under the extreme conditions of the desert, but thrive in them.

Mini C3

Extreme Temperature Operation.

One of the main challenges of operating an industrial site in the desert is the wide range of temperatures one can expect. Freezing nights quickly turn into scorching days, and commercial computers simply cannot handle such variations on a daily basis. Industrial PCs like the Rugged Mini E3 from Tangent have extreme temperature operating ranges, being able to operate from -13°F to as hot as 158°F, easily meeting the demands of even the most perilous desert.

Mini C1

Sand Proof Casing

Sand presents a unique problem in the industrial sector, as it can quickly wear down equipment or otherwise pollute it. Sand presents an even greater threat to computers, being able to destroy a computer’s delicate innards simply by touching them in the wrong location. Traditional computers have fan-based cooling systems that are prone to sucking up and storing dust on the inside of the case; in the desert these computers would instead suck up sand and destroy themselves. Tangent’s rugged industrial PCs like the Rugged Mini C1 have passive, fanless cooling systems that keep the PC cool without letting dust or sand in. This allows them to work in the harsh desert without worry that their components will be damaged.

Mini Tank

Extreme Shock And Vibration Resistance

Industrial equipment is loud, it’s heavy, and it vibrates. Industrial PCs from Tangent are built just for this sort of working environment, and can be placed anywhere on the job site regardless of the equipment surrounding it. The Rugged Mini Tank is the goto example of Tangent’s engineering here, living up to its name. The Rugged Mini Tank has Military Grade vibration resistance, being able to withstand the rigors of military use with ease. This allows it a special use on industrial job sites, being able to perform in any scenario.

Rugged Mini Li Industrial Computer

Adaptable To Your Needs

No two jobs are the same, and every situation needs a unique solution. Tangent’s industrial PC lineup features PCs like the Rugged Mini L1, with a sleek form factor that can fit in practically any space. This 2 pound industrial PC is lightweight enough to be placed anywhere on the job site, and sleek enough to fit into even the smallest of crevices. Our Mini Industrial PCs can turn any space, regardless of size, into a workstation.