What are the advantages of industrial PCs
What are the advantages of industrial PCs
Imagine you're running the New York Marathon: you've trained hard for a year, even in the cold or rain. You've built up your stamina and worked on your performance. After all the effort and energy you've put into it, the time has come: you're getting ready for the start, and there are only a few seconds left. You look down, and you find yourself in flip-flops.
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Using a consumer PC in industrial environments is like running the New York marathon in flip-flops. You are at a disadvantage with potential problems right from the start. This type of computer is not suitable for the industrial sector: harsh environments with dust or humidity, considerable temperature variations, hardware changes over time, and unsuitable specifications are just the tip of the iceberg, inevitably leading to significant issues. For your company, this results in long downtimes, production stops, and loss of turnover.
If you work in a sector such as 4.0 automation, industrial production, or you are a system integrator, you need to rely on secure, high-performance devices that can fully meet your company's needs even in the most demanding contexts.
That's why industrial PCs are the ultimate solution for these environments. Thanks to their multiple advantages, you no longer have to worry about hardware changes after three months, moisture or debris getting into your computer and sending it back for service, or buying an undersized PC that you have to replace every six months.
Let's have a closer look at them.
Why choose an industrial PC
- Industrial hardware
The hardware of an industrial computer differs from that of a consumer PC. Consumer PC hardware is subject to frequent changes by manufacturers, often without warning. On the other hand, industrial hardware has a much longer lifecycle, with product lines dedicated to the industrial sector and a long-term support guarantee. Typically, industrial PCs have a lifecycle of 3-5 years up to 10 years, which means that for this time, you won't have to worry about reconfiguring PCs with the correct settings every time you change hardware, and your production will run smoothly.
- 24/7 operation
Industrial computers need to be operational 24 hours a day, even unattended. Using a consumer PC for this purpose leads to significant damage to the device, overheating, possible power surges with the risk of downtime, and loss of production data. On the other hand, industrial computers are built and tested to guarantee 24/7 operation, even with low power consumption and under the harshest conditions. Additionally, industrial hardware is designed to avoid power surges and minimise the risk of failure.
- High performance even in harsh environments
The application environment is one of the most important deciding factors when choosing a PC. Industrial production contexts often involve dust, chemicals, humidity, and wide temperature fluctuations, which could seriously damage a consumer PC and compromise its functionality, as it is designed for home use. Industrial computers, by contrast, are designed for such applications, guaranteeing high performance even in the presence of dust, production residues, and humidity, as they are completely fanless. Furthermore, thanks to their extended temperature range, they can tolerate temperature variations between -40°C and +85°C.
- No fan
Mechanical components inside computers, such as the fan, can be severely damaged if used in harsh environments. For example, if used outdoors or in humid, sub-zero temperatures, the mechanical parts can fail, causing the internal components to overheat and no longer dissipate heat. Besides, the cooling fans inevitably suck dust and moisture into the PC through the ventilation holes, thereby making the PC completely unusable and requiring repair. However, industrial computers are generally fanless (unless specifically requested by the customer) and dissipate heat through their case. Consequently, this problem does not arise either, and the PC can continue to operate safely!
- Customer-specific design
While common consumer PCs are ready-made, industrial computers can be designed and manufactured according to customer requirements. You no longer risk spending money only to end up with an undersized and unsuitable machine: for example, if you need to connect three independent monitors, you can include three video outputs; if you need to protect your data or have more memory, you can structure a RAID or expand the RAM.
- Dimensions
Last but not least, size. An industrial PC does not necessarily mean a bulky machine: many models are indeed extremely compact, and you can easily hold them in the palm of your hand. Some models are so thin that they can fit into a slot as small as 39 mm!
Who needs an industrial PC?
First of all, these are not computers to put in your living room or office, nor are they suitable for gaming or home entertainment. Indeed, their special technical features would be superfluous in these areas.
So, who are they suitable for? In short, for all those who work in industry and no longer want to run into broken, undersized, or malfunctioning PCs.
Specifically, industrial computers are perfect for:
- Machine manufacturing
- 4.0 industrial automation and robotics
- Digital kiosk production
- Video surveillance
- Automotive sector
- Industrial production lines
- Mechanical workshop
- System integrator
- Digital signage
Read reviews from our customers
Kimera for 4.0 Automation Systems
My name is Marco Zana, and I am the Project Manager at Robot At Work. Our company operates in the industrial automation sector. We were looking for industrial PCs to integrate into our robot cells, suitable for HMI, 4.0 data exchange management, and 2D and 3D machine vision systems processing. KM Soltec's technical staff carefully analyzed our needs and realized Kimera Computers with the most suitable configurations for our application context, thereby fully meeting our expectations. We chose KM Soltec because of their competence and professionalism. We had already worked with them to purchase industrial keyboards, and after a visit to the company, they got us a Kimera on trial for a fortnight. We were able to test the PC in our robot cells, and it was perfect for our needs. Finding reliable and efficient partners is essential in our sector, with high technological and qualitative standards. With their Kimera Computers, KM Soltec proved to be just that. In a few words, outstanding quality at a great price!
- Marco Zana, Robot at Work
Kimera for Digital Kiosks
My name is Rosa Fanelli, and I work at BBS Italy, an indoor and outdoor digital kiosk manufacturer. We were looking for industrial devices to integrate into our products to solve malfunctioning issues. Indeed, using unsuitable hardware for 24/7 operation under adverse weather conditions caused severe computer damage, which, in turn, led to malfunctioning and failure of the entire kiosk. Therefore, we had to carry out frequent and very costly maintenance operations. After several searches, we found Kimera Computers. They provided us with technical support throughout the entire process and they always offered the best solutions for our needs, providing us with fanless PCs suitable for 24/7 operations.
We turned to Kimera Computers because of their reliability and competence. They were also able to design and realize our industrial solutions more quickly than other suppliers: indeed, they delivered each of our orders within the guaranteed 5-day delivery time!
- Rosa Fanelli, BBS
1U Fanless Server for ATEN European Demo & Training Centers
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit 10.1 inch touch screen monitor.
Hi, I’m the Technical and Sales Manager for Italy at ATEN, a Taiwanese company with 40 years of experience in the KVM and Professional Audio/Video sectors. I was looking for fanless servers in 1U format for the setting-up of the first Demo & Training Center in Milan. We didn't have any particular performance requirements, and the usual commercial servers were just too big and noisy for us. Matteo's good job with SEO allowed me to find KM Soltec and their fanless Kimera Computer Rack 1U. His helpfulness and professionalism were essential to get the 4 servers configured as we needed them. Six months later, we were so satisfied with our purchase that we bought four more of them for the Demo & Training Center in Madrid. And soon it will be the turn of the one in Paris...
- Luca Enea Spilimbergo, ATEN
Professionalism and collaboration
We at Mager S.r.l. had long been looking for a reliable supplier of industrial computers or their fanless alternatives. As a manufacturing company, we wanted to substitute some onboard computers on CNC machines, looking for the right balance between economic investment, operational performance, robustness, and reliability. Matteo and his team provided a prompt response and maximum helpfulness at every stage, from analyzing the problem to the technical and financial designing of the solution. The industrial PCs (KIMERA) we bought from KM Soltec have been operating for several months now, producing the expected performance in terms of energy-saving and reduction of machine downtime. Matteo and his team have shown great professionalism and care also in the management of the customer-supplier relationship.
- Gian Luca Rivalta, Mager Srl.
If you also work in the industrial sector and fall into one of the categories listed above, or if you simply want to equip your company with a safe, high-performance device, contact our team:
We will carefully examine your project and realize the most suitable solution for your needs!
Pros and Cons of Industrial PCs
An industrial PC refers to a computing platform that is used in industrial applications. This type of computer is used for heavy industrial duties because it is designed with features that enable it to do so.
An industrial computer is used for acquiring data and process control. The software of the computer might be written in a customized manner for a certain application.
Industrial PC touch-screen systems and industrial touch PC technologies are different from standard computers
An industrial PC has different features that other personal computers do not have, including compatibility, reliability, and long-term supply. They are usually produced in lower volumes compared to office or home computers.
When it comes to cost, the computer usually costs more than other types of computers. Most of them also have COTS motherboards. An industrial computer also has heavier construction compared to other office or personal computers. They also have an extra cooling system that helps in air filtering.
Pros of industrial fanless PCs and industrial touch panel PC systems
This type of touchscreen computer offers several advantages that you cannot get from others. Here are some of these advantages: The best single board computer has a higher temperature range of operation compared to other types of computers. The computer also has other cooling options including liquid, forced air, and conduction. It has card support and retention.
Additional robust features and controls make the computer more functional and efficient. The computer also has extra protection including water spray, dustproof, immersion proof, among others, making it not only more functional but durable too. Most of them usually have a watchdog timer that assists in resetting the system automatically in case there is a lock-up of the software. The industrial PC can withstand random shock, vibrations, and particles that can destroy a system from its inside.
This makes the computer more efficient and reliable for all types of industrial applications. There are also those that operate without fans, thus making them operate without any noise.
Cons involved in utilizing touch screen industrial PCs and industrial mini PC systems
One of the greatest disadvantages of an industrial PC or rugged touchscreen is that it is much more expensive compared to normal computers. The high price results from the additional features and components that normal computers do not have. Most of them are also large, meaning that they occupy a significant space. So, in case of limited space, they might cause constraints.
With the many features and components in the industrial-grade motherboard, it also means that in case of damage, it costs more to repair. It is also not easy to operate the computer when compared to a normal computer. You have to understand how to use the different features they have effectively.
Work with industrial PC manufacturers who can provide the industrial PC solutions your industry demands
Our rugged computer systems have several features that help in carrying out various applications. It is possible to handle complex tasks in an industry using the computer, thus enhancing efficiency and productivity.
There are those that do not have a fan, making them produce less noise when in operation. This makes the workplace less noisy and more conducive for working.
Contact us today regarding your industry-specific needs and our experts can guide you to our best industrial computing solutions.
Contact Faytech North America, one of the top US touch screen suppliers and industrial products for all your questions.
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