Commercial and Industrial Boards: Choosing the Right Model
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Today’s market offers a wide variety of choices when it comes to the computers that can be used for OEM computing. The most important criteria when it comes to purchasing your own computer would be the efficiency and power to work within the needs of the OEM and industrial applications. Let’s look at some of the important characteristics of commercial and industrial boards.
There are now two major types of embedded boards that can be used: the commercial board and the industrial board. While commercial boards are typically high quality in terms of performance, their functionality and efficiency does not necessarily translate to industrial and OEM applications for a number of reasons. This is where the industrial motherboards, such as the ATX and micro ATX, come in handy for your computing needs.
Commercial and Industrial Boards: Life Cycle Span
One major factor that contributes to the suitability of industrial boards for OEM computing functions would be their life cycle. Ideally, industrial boards such as ATX and micro ATX can last up to a minimum of five years before they go end of life. Compare this to the life cycle of commercial boards, which usually reach the end of both life span and shelf life as quickly as six to eight months from release.
Industrial Boards Ideal for Harsher Settings
The environments dealt with in industrial automation and similar applications are far harsher compared to simple commercialized settings, which commercial boards are more suited for. As such, industrial boards were created to really suit the industrial setting, with components and parts made to withstand a rugged environment and survive the harsher conditions.
Easier and Less Frequent Upgrades
Upgrades for industrial boards are usually minimal and require hardly any changes in components and parts of the board. Compared to the commercial boards, there is less work to be done in terms of hardware upgrades in industrial boards, because the likes of ATX standards remain the same throughout various developments.
Availability of Orders: Play by the Numbers
For those who want to order a small quantity of customized boards, industrial boards can be bought from a seller for as few as 50 pieces. In addition, these are constructed with legacy parts, including serial ports, PCI slots and ISA slots.
On the other hand, buying commercial boards may result in your company having to wait for a complete order and delivery of as many as 10,000 per order, which is the smallest customizable amount per order.
The Verdict on Commercial and Industrial Boards
For those who are looking at purchasing boards, always take note that when considering commercial and industrial boards, it is not necessarily a matter of one being better over the other, but the suitability of each type in accordance to the setting where it will be used.
Just because commercial boards are less likely to last in an industrial setting does not mean that they are the less worthy or lower quality boards in general. In fact, commercial boards have their own particular strong suits, including cost effectiveness and rich functionality for high-performance commands and actions.
In terms of its efficiency and life span in an industrial setting for OEM computing, it is far better to opt for industrial boards. In this case, it is to ensure that you maximize the use for your board.
Brian Luckman is the President of New Era Electronics. He has worked in the industrial OEM market for over 25 years, serving a variety of different industries, gaining a strong reputation for his expertise and a thorough understanding of how to properly service OEM customers. In 2000 he began New Era Electronics and the company continues to grow. He’s a husband and father and enjoys exploring the outdoors.
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