Need a Tough Computer? 5 Key Steps to Picking and Industrial Panel PC

Industrial panel PCs can take a huge pounding. Drown them, burn them, they can usually take it.

Industrial panel PCs take off where traditional computers leave off. They can handle more punishment, higher temperatures, have some degree of waterproofing or resistance. They comes with a lot of legacy I/O ports to serve the needs of factories that incorporate a lot of legacy technology.

The typical installation would be for controlling a machine, in a line of machines, or part of a flow element in a production line.

Here are the things to look out for:

1. Steel casing

Lightweight is not your friend. This makes the whole computer really heavy, but incredibly resistant to damage and flex. Weight will rarely be a factor in a factory, so the reliability of steel is a must.

2. IP65 front panel

Any higher rating is good too. Dust is one of the panel PCs biggest enemies, it builds up in the moving parts, blocks vents and holds in heat when it settles on heat-producing components like chips. The front panel should be able to keep absolutely all dust out of the system under normal conditions. The other, more immediately fatal element is water. Electricity + water + not much fun. Make sure the front panel can withstand at least a direct low pressure spray.

3. Touch screen or keypad

Mice and traditional keyboards won't do the trick. The mouse is unworkable with gloves and easily broken, normal keyboards are just as bad. A touch screen can be operated with gloves on, and a soft keypad attached to the system provides easy input for typing and is resistant to both water and dust.

4. Basic performance

The inside bits and pieces are just a computer. The chipset, installed memory and the processor are usually standard items. The choice of parts will determine the overall speed. The parts should exceed the capabilities and specifications of the system it is replacing. Be careful when replacing the old system with a fanless system as heating issues can occur. If the old system was fanless, choosing a fanless replacement is the best choice.

5. Multiple I/O ports

An industrial panel PC will include legacy ports such as serial ports and parallel ports. Digital I/O ports are also common. Also make sure the networking requirements are met, this is typically a Fast Ethernet port, but could also include Wifi. USB ports are also typical and very necessary for installing newer parts.

6. Modern extras

Newer industrial panel PCs will also offer some more modern features that can improve ease of installation and setup. Built-in wireless networking can replace a wired network and offers speeds comparable to most wired installations. Optical drives are sometimes included, but accessibility depends on the installation.

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