The increase in IIoT applications is pushing the use of more industrial computers on the plant floor at the edge where essential IIoT data must be collected, analyzed and routed to decision-makers at the operations and enterprise levels. These computers are critical in both the continued operation of machines and systems, as well as data analysis and dissemination. That’s why end users and OEMs alike have to be so careful in their IPC selection, assuring that the computers have the performance required for IIoT operations and can be flexible and adaptable enough to access all sorts of data sources. Equally important, however, the IPCs must be able to stand up to the harsh, inhospitable environment of the industrial edge where extreme heat, cold, shock and vibration can combine to destroy any type of digital device. Typical consumer- or commercial-grade information technology (IT) assets like PCs don’t work for long in these environments, and these sites usually have limited IT personnel support. The typical IT device lifetime is about three years, which is not a good match for operational technology (OT) systems which must run far longer – sometimes decades.
In a recent article in Machine Design, Emerson experts Silvia Gonzalez and Nishita Palkar describe the characteristics of an industrial PC (IPC) that is truly designed for use on the plant floor and in IIoT. They state that just because a computer is called an IPC doesn’t mean it’s actually equipped with the ruggedness, performance and scalability of the IPC required in today’s applications.
For example, the article states, “A chief concern is designing the IPCs to be fanless, with careful heat sink arrangements to avoid hot spots and promote optimal thermal conductive paths to the external environment. This includes not only primary components like CPUs, but also often-neglected secondary components like SSDs.” And, “A quality IPC should also be designed using a zero-throttle principle, which means the thermal rating is designated at a 100% performance rating. Some IPCs claim an extended temperature operating range but may throttle the CPU to do so.”
The article also details the many types of application software necessary for an IPC to operate effectively at the industrial edge, and much more.
To determine if the IPC you’re considering meets the needs of the plant environment and IIoT applications, check out the article here.