How to select an industrial computer for an industrial automation application?
When selecting industrial computers for automation applications, we look primarily at their performance and housing. Performance, for obvious reasons, influences the smoothness of the installed applications, while the casing and its protection class allow to protect electronic components such as the motherboard or hard drive from the negative influence of industrial conditions. Sometimes users forget about a very important element when choosing an industrial computer, such as the screen. An improperly selected touchscreen interface in touchscreen computers can hinder the use of the installed HMI application and thus negatively affect the operation of the production process.
The technology used in the construction of the resistive screens allows easy operation (clicking on the screen depends on the amount of pressure, so the operator can operate the installed HMI application with gloves or with available objects, such the plastic cards, a pen case or a pencil tip), gives resistance to dirt (dust accumulation on the screen, drops of oil or water do not affect the usability of the computer itself, i.e. it does not affect the computer's functions. Moreover, the technology used is relatively cheap, which is why 'resistive' computers are usually cheaper than 'capacitive' ones.
The downsides of resistive screens
Capacitive screens
The downsides of such a solution are: lack of glove operation, higher price compared to resistive screens, problem with operation when splashed with water.
In factories, industrial IPCs (or industrial touchscreens) are used as operator panels to supervise and manage the production process and to acquire, process and analyse data. Every time an IPC is taken out of service, it impedes the proper running of the production process or, in the worst-case scenario, even brings the plant to a standstill. In order to minimise the risk of downtime and the financial losses it generates, most manufacturing companies choose to purchase more expensive equipment that is better suited to the environmental conditions on the factory floor.
Industrial computers and industrial tablets have:
protection against dust
resistance to vibrations and shocks
high operating temperature ranges
protection against liquid splashes
resistance to electromagnetic interference
In addition to resistance to adverse environmental conditions, a very important parameter influencing the selection of an industrial computer is its dimensions, type of enclosure and mounting method. The models available on the market fall into three main categories in this aspect:
1. Single-board industrial computers
2. IPC Box industrial PCs
3. Industrial panel PCs
An industrial computer that is well matched to the production environment can successfully operate without failure for many years. The higher initial purchase amount, may prove to be relatively low compared to the potential consequences of failure of unsuitable models.
ASTOR's range of industrial PCs includes Astraada PCs with both resistive and capacitive screens with diagonal sizes ranging from 12" to 22". They are dedicated to small and complex visualisation, control, reporting and data analysis systems.
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