What is an Industrial computer and how it is different from commercial computers?

Industrial Computers is a special type of computer crafted to deal with a wide range of factory and industrial workloads. It is highly reliable and can work in harsh environments. Fan-less cooling technology, cable-less connection, resistance to dust and water intrusion are some of the common traits of industrial computers. An industrial computer is very different from the commercial computer due to the place where it is deployed. All the internal components will look similar to that of commercial computers but it has many distinct rugged features.

Enclosure factor:

It is natural for industrial computers to go through very harsh environmental conditions such as wide temperature, vibrations, and voltage spikes. So they have certain internal components that are made from alloy materials to withstand high temperature and vibrations. The Aluminium chassis helps to transfer heat away from the internal components of the computer.

Industrial-computer

Quality Components:

The components integrated inside the industrial computer are tested and validated by the industry specified standards. Only such validated components can withstand harsh environments and work without any issues.

Protection from dust particles:

As said, industrial computers are deployed in harsh environments where the dust and other small substances can affect the computer. So these computers are designed to withstand those situations and work flawlessly.

Temperature Resistance:

Many modern-day industries require computers that are capable of withstanding high temperatures. Computers with fans may not function properly due to the accumulation of dust particle, hence these computers are designed with fan-less architecture which uses heat sinks and heat pipes to maintain the best operating temperature. It can support operating temperatures from -40C to 70C, thus it can work in two extreme conditions.

Shock, Vibration, and Resistance:

High-level shock and vibration could be a disaster to a computer which does not undergo extensive design validation and testing. Most of the computers have the ability to withstand a certain shock level. This helps to avoid many system failures in the workplace. Industrial computers support vibration level from 3-5 GRMS and shock support is upto 50G. Industrial computers are resistant to water upto a certain degree. A reliable computer must be able to eliminate factors that cause failure.

Lifetime:

Industrial computers can work with the same potential for more time than commercial computers. It provides embedded computing solutions and most of the components used in the system can last upto 15 years. It is vital because many industries cannot afford to upgrade their computers with the latest automation technology periodically.