In brief
An industrial PC is a computer designed for harsh production environments that handles control, visualisation and data tasks on machines.
Contents
What is Industrial PC?
Industrial PCs differ from office PCs in their robust housings, extended temperature ranges, resistance to vibration and dust and the long-term availability of individual components. Many models are fanless and use flash storage instead of rotating hard disks. They are used for visualisation, software-based control, image processing, test benches and data acquisition. They frequently also run software controllers that replace a conventional PLC.
Designs include DIN rail and box PCs, rack-mount PCs for control cabinets, panel PCs with an integrated touch display and computers in protective enclosures for use directly at the machine. Key ratings are processor, RAM, mass storage, interfaces (Ethernet, fieldbus, serial ports, expansion slots), supply voltage, operating system, temperature range and degree of protection. Many manufacturers offer configurations unchanged over a long period.
Failures frequently affect storage media, power supplies, fans and displays. Because software, licences and drivers can be tied to the hardware, a replacement is more complex than for other components. In addition, there is obsolescence when processors, chipsets or operating systems are no longer supported. For long-lived plants, an early look at successor models and migration paths is therefore advisable.
In practice: maintenance and procurement
Create a complete image of the storage medium of every industrial PC and document licences, drivers and plug-in cards. In an enquiry, the manufacturer part number, configuration and operating system are important, because a successor model may require different drivers or licences.
Synonyms and abbreviations: IPC · industrial computer · panel PC · box PC · embedded PC
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an industrial PC and a standard PC?
An industrial PC is designed for continuous operation, higher ambient temperatures, dust and vibration and often has no moving parts. In addition, components and configuration are offered unchanged for longer periods, which is important for machines with a long service life. Office PCs, by contrast, change their components frequently and are intended for clean, temperature-controlled rooms.
What is a panel PC?
A panel PC combines an industrial PC with a built-in display, usually with touch operation, in one housing. It is installed in control cabinet doors or operator consoles and handles visualisation and computing tasks at the same time. Unlike a pure operator panel, it runs a fully fledged operating system.
What information is needed to replace an industrial PC?
The manufacturer part number, design, processor, RAM, mass storage, interfaces and plug-in cards, supply voltage, operating system and, where applicable, display size are needed. It should also be clarified which software and licences run on the device and whether a storage image can be transferred. Without this clarification, a technically suitable device may still not be ready for immediate use.