Industrial Computers

Industrial computers are intended for use on factory floors or in other harsh environments. Unlike office computers, these systems are designed to withstand shock, vibration, humidity, EMI, RFI, dust, mist, and splash. Industrial computers are available in many configurations with a variety of CPUs, displays, and I/O interfaces.  Configuration or mounting style, processor type, memory, storage, and display are the most important parameters to consider when searching for industrial computers.  Additional specifications that are important to consider include I/O interfaces, expansion, power supply, features, and environmental parameters.

Choices for configuration or mounting style for industrial computers include desktop, portable or notebook, panel or rack.  Desktop computers are enclosed for desktop applications.  Portable or notebook computers often have integral displays and keyboards or are of folding construction.  Panel mount computers have flanges for mounting to the panel.  Rack computers can be mounted in a rack enclosure.  There are many processor types that are available for industrial computers.  These include Intel386^TM Family, Intel486^TM Family, Intel® Pentium®, Intel® Pentium® II, Intel® Pentium® III, Intel® Celeron^TM , AMD Athlon^TM, AMD Duron^TM , AMD-K6^®, VIA Cyrix® III, VIA Cyrix® MII^TM, National Semiconductor® Geode^TM GX1, National Semiconductor® Geode^TM GXLV, National Semiconductor® Geode^TM GXM, HP PA-RISC, Motorola 680 Family, Motorola 68HC11, Motorola PowerPC^TM, DEC Alpha Series, and UltraSparc^TM Family (UltraSparc^TM-II).  CPU speed is important to consider when selecting a specific processor.  CPU speed refers to the speed at which the CPU operates internally. It is calculated by multiplying the memory bus speed by the multiplier of the processor, or Processor Speed = Memory Speed x Multiplier. The multiplier is different for each processor. For instance, for a Pentium II 350 the multiplier is 3.5, and for a Pentium II 450 the multiplier is 4.5.

Memory and storage specifications to consider for industrial computers include RAM, flash memory (RAM), hard drive capacity, CompactFlash® capacity, and other drive options.  RAM (Random Access Memory) is the main memory of the computer.  Flash memory is a type of RAM that can electronically hold memory even when the power is off.  The hard drive capacity is the storage capacity of the computer's main storage device.  CompactFlash are mass storage devices first introduced in 1994 that provide complete PCMCIA functionality and compatibility. CompactFlash devices are solid-state products (they contain no moving parts) that provide greater protection for data integrity than the conventional magnetic disk drives.  Other drive options for industrial computers include 1.44 MB 3.5” floppy drive and CD-ROM drive.  Display options include no display, cathode-ray tube (CRT), and flat panel displays.  Choices for display resolution include VGA (640 x 480), SVGA (800 x 600), XGA (1024 x 768), AND SXGA (1280 x 1024).  Important display parameters to consider for industrial computers include minimum display size, color display option, and touch screen option.

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Part Numbers for Computers