Features of industrial control computers
1. The fully steel industrial chassis conforming to the "EIA" standard is adopted, which enhances the anti-electromagnetic interference capability.
2. It adopts a bus structure and modular design technology. The CPU and each functional module use a plug-in structure and are equipped with a soft locking lever, which improves the shock and vibration resistance.
3. The chassis is equipped with dual fans, positive pressure convection exhaust, and a dust filter for dust prevention.
4. Equipped with a highly reliable industrial power supply, and has overvoltage and overcurrent protection.
5. Both the power supply and keyboard are equipped with electronic lock switches to prevent unauthorized opening/closing and unauthorized keyboard input.
6. It has a self-diagnostic function.
7. I/O templates can be selected as needed.
8. It is equipped with a "watchdog" timer, which will automatically reset without human intervention in the event of a system crash due to a malfunction.
9. It has good openness and compatibility, incorporating all the functions of a PC and can directly run various PC application software.
10. Configurable real-time operating system, facilitating multi-task scheduling and operation.
11. A passive motherboard (baseboard) can be used, facilitating system upgrades. Applicable fields.
The difference between industrial control computers and ordinary computers
Although they are all computers and have roughly the same basic configuration, such as motherboard, CPU, memory, and various peripheral serial and parallel ports, their technical requirements differ due to different applications. Ordinary home or office computers are consumer-grade, while industrial control computers are industrial-grade. They have specific requirements for other aspects of their architecture.
From the outside, most ordinary computers are open, revealing numerous heatsinks and only a single power supply fan dissipating heat outside the chassis. Industrial control cases, on the other hand, are completely enclosed and significantly heavier than ordinary computer cases, indicating the use of thicker and more robust motherboards. They not only have a power supply fan but also an internal blower to maintain greater positive pressure within the chassis. In this way, the external structure protects against dust and shields against electromagnetic interference. Ordinary computers typically only have one motherboard with standard components such as a CPU socket and memory slots. Other components, such as a dedicated graphics card, are inserted into expansion slots on the motherboard.
Most modern PCs use PCI slots. Industrial PCs are different. They have a larger motherboard, also known as a passive motherboard. This board doesn't have many integrated circuits, only more expansion slots. The motherboard with the CPU should be plugged into a dedicated slot on the motherboard. Other expansion boards should also be plugged into the motherboard, not the CPU. The advantage of this is that the motherboard can better shield against external interference, as industrial PCs sometimes operate in worse environments with more interference, allowing the main analysis to work more reliably. The larger motherboard also makes it easier to expand other components. In this way, designers have more options when developing systems without worrying about whether there's space to fit them all.
In terms of power supply, the power supply of a conventional industrial PC differs from that of a regular power supply. The resistors, capacitors, and coils used in the power supply are several levels higher in terms of shock and interference resistance than those in a typical household power supply. The load capacity is also much greater. Fanless industrial PCs integrate the CPU and memory on the motherboard. They use laptop hard drives, as well as CF cards and SSDs. The power supply typically uses 5-30V DC. Industrial PCs have a wide range of applications. By inserting a motion control card into an industrial computer slot, stepper or servo motor systems can be controlled, such as dispensing machines, winding machines, visual printers, pick-and-place machines, PCB inspection machines, fast and slow line machines, laser cutting machines, engraving machines, and other equipment. It can also communicate with an industrial computer via serial ports, RJ45 interfaces, and PLC modules. For example, Nitto's reflow soldering machines use Dalian Control's PEC series PLC and TAC6000 temperature control modules to control an industrial computer, displaying the operating interface, temperature profile, and temperature settings on a monitor. Industrial PCs are also used in building intelligence, security control, fire protection and alarm systems, highways, and other fields.
Industrial PCs are primarily used in specific professional fields, such as common monitoring machines. Their configurations prioritize simplicity and stability. Many industrial PCs also utilize dedicated chips and motherboards, such as microcontrollers. In contrast, regular computers are primarily used for general applications, and their configurations emphasize expandability and multi-functionality.
