REQUIREMENTS THAT RUGGED INDUSTRIAL COMPUTERS HAVE TO MEET

A rugged industrial computer is designed to operate reliably and efficiently in harsh conditions and environments. For instance, strong vibrations, dusty or wet conditions, and extreme temperatures.

Rugged Embedded Computers are made to withstand rough conditions in their external housing, cooling arrangements, and internal components. All rugged industrial computers have to meet specific requirements to be considered functional in an industrial setting.

Here is an idea of some of these requirements:

1. Temperature-Resistant Industrial Computers

Some industrial environments operate under either extremely hot or cold temperatures. Therefore, a rugged industrial PC could be exposed to ambient and fluctuating temperatures from time to time. Its function must be optimal between -40C to +85C.

2. Waterproof

IP protection plays a vital role in many industries, like the marine sector and production halls, where splash protection is essential. This way, industrial computers aren’t affected by any water intrusion that may damage internal servers and cause memory failure. If you require a waterproof computer, be sure to look out for the IP-rating. IP65 is usually the minimum requirement in a very wet environment, whereas IP68 would be required for full submersion.

3. Shock resistance

Shock and vibrations are common in industrial settings, and they can be dangerous for some computer components. That’s why most industries that operate in harsh environments, such as on vehicles or machinery, use rugged industrial embedded computers that have permanently soldered processors and components that are certified to specific standards for shock and vibrations such as MIL-STD-810 and IEC 60068 .

For example, rugged sticks of RAM use anti-vibration fill that minimizes the impact of shock and vibrations to the computer.

4. Continuous operation

Industrial PCs need to withstand continuous operation 24/7 without failing, overheatingp, or breaking down. Thus, industrial computers are designed with high-quality components, e.g., SSDs, connectors, and and intelligent chassis design, to ensure continuous operation.

However, the product design is usually specially tailored to fit the needs of your industry. For example, a rugged computer used in an in-vehicle application would need to be able to be powered on through ignition of the vehicle, and would require a wide input voltage to maximize the life of components.

5. Low-maintenance

In the industrial sector, there is a high need for low-maintenance PCs to save on time, money and resources required to maintain computers. For example, a fanless industrial PC eliminates the need for interior cleaning.

Have Specific Requirements Not Covered Here?

New Era Electronics has a brand extension called Rugged Computers Canada. We can design and engineer an industrial PC that fits the requirements for any industry. Our goal is to ensure your industrial PC functions properly under the harshest conditions. Contact us today to learn more about Rugged Industrial Computers.