An industrial computer, often referred to as an industrial PC, is purpose-built to handle complex industrial tasks. Crafted from industrial-grade components, enclosed in ruggedized casings, and rigorously tested for reliability, these industrial PCs excel in environments where standard desktop computers would falter.
Key features of industrial PCs include:
- Ventless and Fanless Design: Industrial PCs are designed to operate without traditional fans, making them resistant to dust and debris, while reducing the risk of internal component damage.
- Resilience to Vibrations and Harsh Environments: These PCs are built to withstand extreme temperatures, moisture, and vibrations, ensuring uninterrupted performance in challenging conditions.
- Easy Configuration: Industrial PCs offer flexibility in terms of configuration, allowing them to be tailored to specific applications and industries.
- Comprehensive I/O Options: These PCs provide a wide range of input and output options, facilitating seamless integration with existing equipment and systems.
- Extended Lifecycles: Industrial PCs are engineered for longevity, ensuring they continue to perform reliably over an extended period.
- Durable Components: Built with high-quality components, industrial PCs are designed to endure the test of time, even in the harshest environments.
Selecting the right industrial PC for your specific application is essential for maintaining productivity and efficiency within your facility. By exploring the main types of industrial PCs, considerations during the selection process, key benefits, typical applications, and more, you can make an informed choice to meet your industrial computing needs.
Common Types of Industrial PCs
Industrial PCs come in various types, each tailored to specific industrial applications. Here are three common types:
- Industrial Panel PCs (IPPCs): These are the most robust and durable industrial PCs, suitable for heavy-duty industrial settings like automotive, steel manufacturing, dairy, and meat processing. Equipped with capacitive or resistive touch sensors, IPPCs can be operated by gloved personnel, making them ideal for challenging environments. They offer features such as installed I/O cards, redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAIDs), multiple drives, and PCI/PCIe expansion slots.
- Panel PCs (PPCs): Designed for a wide range of light industrial tasks, PPCs are affordable and versatile. They provide ample input and output expansion options and come with various screen choices, including widescreen with multi-touch features or a standard 4:3 screen with a resistive touchscreen. PPC sizes range from 6.5 inches to 42 inches.
- Touch Panel PCs (TPPCs): These PCs are designed for standard industrial applications and have a slim profile with a thin client terminal. They are fanless, SCADA-ready, and feature screen sizes ranging from 6.5 inches to 42 inches. Typically, TPPCs have fewer I/O options compared to other industrial PC types.
Industrial PCs can offer various characteristics and mounting options depending on the specific application’s demands, including fully enclosed, in-wall, wall-mounted, VESA-mounted, swing arm, fold-down, pedestal, purged, and non-purged designs. Additionally, the materials used for industrial PC enclosures and displays vary and may include aluminum, stainless steel, carbon fiber, composites, polycarbonate, glass, and Lexan.
Choosing the Best Industrial PC
When selecting an industrial PC for your application, consider factors such as computing performance, operating environment, power supply availability, space constraints, and required connectivity features. Key options you’ll need to choose from include mounting styles, processors (CPUs), ratings, operating environments, application or industry use, connectivity, and operating systems. Storage, memory, and expansion options will also play a crucial role in determining the best fit for your needs.
Industrial PCs are versatile, providing benefits such as the ability to operate in harsh environments, resistance to vibration and shock, and fanless design to resist dust and debris. They find applications in various industries, including manufacturing, packaging inspection, asset tracking, simulation and control, remote data management, chemical and food processing, original equipment manufacturing (OEMs), and integration by system integrators.
Why Choose Tangent?
As a leading manufacturer of industrial PCs and display solutions, Tangent offers off-the-shelf and customized solutions for demanding industrial applications across industries like chemical, food processing, manufacturing, military, and more. With over 30 years of industry experience, their products are engineered and constructed to provide long-lasting performance in a wide range of applications.
For more information on how Tangent’s industrial computer solutions can meet your application demands, or to request a quote, visit: Tangent’s industrial PC page. Tangent is dedicated to providing tailored solutions for system integrators without unnecessary NRE charges, ensuring reliable and successful operation in every project.