Industrial Computer VS Commercial computers
The so-called industrial computers mean that computer applications in the industrial field. Although industrial computers and general computers are basic common main parts, such as CPU, memory, graphics card, hard drive, keyboard, mouse, optical drives, displays, etc., because of the special nature of the industrial environment, therefore industrial computer also has many of its own characteristics.
An early industrial computer is a better quality of PC. But over time, the industry has changed the nature of the computer architecture, according to the user environment changes, evolved into the now popular added card backplane architecture. The advantage of this architecture is to reduce maintenance time, excellent scalability, and excellent heat dissipation.
Industrial computers also the following characteristics:
1) In line with “EIA” the chemical industry-standard steel chassis, enhanced resistance to electromagnetic interference.
2) Bus architecture and modular design techniques. CPU use and the functional modules are inserted plate structure, and layering with rubber lock, improved impact resistance, vibration resistance.
3) A highly reliable industrial power, and overvoltage, over current protection.
4) Both with an electronic power supply and a keyboard lock switch to prevent illegal, off, and illegal keyboard input.
5) A self-diagnostic function.
6) Visualization requires optional I / O modules.
7) Has a “watchdog” timer when crashes due to failure without human intervention and automatic reset.
8) Great openness and compatibility can run a variety of applications software directly.
9) Real-time operating system can be configured to facilitate multitasking scheduling and running.
10) Passive motherboard, easy system upgrades.
Differences in industrial computer motherboards and ordinary motherboard are that:
1) Extended support slot:
For commercial-grade motherboards, subject to the PCI specification, most provide only three PCI slots. The industrial motherboard, because of its design materials industry, and its support for the PCI slots can easily support 5 PCI and PCI without causing attenuation drive capability and support for high-bandwidth PCI-X devices. With an ISA slot, you can achieve a good acquisition for industry support low-ISA card, the data card. Embedded GPIO bus, you can achieve GPI, GPO function.
2) Use of components:
Commercial-grade motherboards due to the pursuit of product timeliness, and market positioning of their products, the requirements for component selection are only to meet system operation which lasts 2-3 years of life. Materials of industrial motherboard will be chosen a long time, demanding verification components to ensure products of high-reliability requirements in harsh conditions. For example, industrial motherboards are embedded with lots of solid capacitors and inductors, which are only appeared inside servers and high-end commercial motherboards.
3) Life cycle:
Because of the fast replacement rate in the commercial motherboard market, the general commercial-grade motherboards only have six months to a year lifecycle. In the industrial market, because CPU vendors and Acura Embedded Systems are a long-term strategic partnership, so Acura’s industrial-grade motherboard can reach a five-year life cycle.
4) Product reliability:
Because of commercial level motherboard market position, its products generally only do electronic products need to electromagnetic compatibility certification at the civilian level. Industrial motherboard, the demand for reliability in each section of the motherboard will do in premarket CEEMC, FCC, vibration, falls, and other industrial testing and certification requirements.
5) Manageability:
An ordinary commercial motherboard provides only the simplest remote management (via a network connection, use a third-party software, such as RealVNC, PCANYWHARE, etc. to achieve). The industrial motherboard in addition to providing similar remote connection management, but also allows remote unattended Switcher features. Through embedded IPMB, the SMNP-1000 module can achieve real-time information management systems, recording, transmission function.
6) Customization:
A commercial motherboard cannot be produced for the market demand changes, completely customizable design. But in the industrial sector, many industrial motherboards can be flexible to meet the special needs of some customers. You can implement user customization. The better and more perfect environment to meet customer’s needs.
7) Protection:
This feature, in the commercial motherboard, is not available. Industrial motherboard through a specially designed can achieve WATCHDOG, anti-surge function. High stability requirements can ensure a full system in harsh environments.
8) Working temperature:
Ordinary commercial use only basic motherboard outside environment between 5 to 38 °C, the site is quite squeamish. Industrial grade motherboard can work stable between -10 to 60°C and has excellent heat dissipation.
From the above points, we can see that although industrial motherboard ATX also uses a common architecture, from design, materials, production, manufacturing is born for industrial environments, reliability and easy maintenance of the degree of importance is far higher than the commercial motherboard.
