How to Select Ruggedized Computers
Ruggedized desktop. Fanless box PC. Mobile computing terminal
Image Credit: Advantech Corporation | RF Industries
Ruggedized 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...
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Q & A on Ruggedized Computers
We asked our users for their input on Ruggedized Computers. Here are the results of 51 users familiar with Ruggedized Computers.
Who Took Our Poll? | Design Trends | Applications and Use | Features | Buying Advice |Design TrendsTop
What new technologies are influencing industrial computer design?
9 answers
Atom, upcoming nano processors, multi thread.
~Anil A, Technical Support, Karwar, India
Technologies of connectivity using Ethernet.
~Andre T, Engineer, Limeira -SP, Brazil
Low-Power CPUs
Increasing chip density
~Paul B, Marketing/Sales, Indianapolis, IN
Flash memory, USB, static switching
~Engineer, Perth, Australia
Smaller and faster circuits
~Enrique Fontaine, Maintenance, México City, México
USB, wireless
~Technical Support, Beaumont, TX
Touch screen
~Antonio B, Technical Support, Sao Paulo, Brasil
Android
~Marketing/Sales, Osaka, Japan
Cad,sap
~M.T.Balasubramanian Manian, Engineer, Chennai, India
From your perspective, which companies are creating the most innovative industrial computers?
10 answers
Don't know, the current philosophy is that a PC cost is inexpensive and hence easier to buy one and replace before failure after a nominated time period.
~Engineer, Perth, Australia
NIXSYS, is the only one I know by now
~Enrique Fontaine, Maintenance, México City, México
Advantech, Vartech, LS
~Andre T, Engineer, Limeira -SP, Brazil
IEI
Axiomtek
Arbor
~Paul B, Marketing/Sales, Indianapolis, IN
Whitebox vendors
~Technical Support, Beaumont, TX
Dell, Compaq
~M.T.Balasubramanian Manian, Engineer, Chennai, India
CONTEC
~Marketing/Sales, Osaka, Japan
Dell
~Antonio B, Technical Support, Sao Paulo, Brasil
Ibm
~Engineering, Other, Mumbai, India
MSI
~Frederik E, Engineer, Odense S, Denmark
Applications and UseTop
What are some of the applications you have used industrial computers for?
16 answers
I developed the supervisory systems like: Elipse Scada, Elipse E3, WinCC Siemens, iFix GE and Factory Talk AllenBradley. I also developed applications with Visual Studio.NET .
~Andre T, Engineer, Limeira -SP, Brazil
Networking, food service, process control, access control, security.
~Technical Support, Beaumont, TX
Special keyboards for Banks and Industries, and some java software.
~Antonio B, Technical Support, Sao Paulo, Brasil
Human Machine Interface (HMI), SCADA and control systems.
~Engineer, Perth, Australia
Asp.net,vb .net,sql server, ms server, ms xp, wind 7
~Anil A, Technical Support, Karwar, India
Film processors and printers basically.
~Enrique Fontaine, Maintenance, México City, México
Various applications among customers
~Paul B, Marketing/Sales, Indianapolis, IN
Sheet metal design and fabrication
~Purchasing, Hackensack, NJ
For maintaining temperature
~General Corporate Mgmt, New Delhi, India
Exel,word, drawing graph,
~M.T.Balasubramanian Manian, Engineer, Chennai, India
Optiko-electronic systems
~Engineering, Design, Minsk, Belarus
F@b and reservations
~Engineering, Consulting, Beograd, Serbia-Montenegro
Industrial robotics
~Frederik E, Engineer, Odense S, Denmark
Translations
~Marketing/Sales, Talcahuano, Chile
SCADA
~Marketing/Sales, Osaka, Japan
SCADA
~Engineering, Design, Reykjavik, Iceland
Please share with us any “non-standard” applications that industrial computers have been used for.
3 answers
Define non-standard; i.e., using an out-of-the-box computer without 'configuring' it is rare. Therefore, they are all 'non-standard'.
~Technical Support, Beaumont, TX
High speed control for light electronic valves, lamps and motors.
~Enrique Fontaine, Maintenance, México City, México
Buoys in a sea.
~Marketing/Sales, Osaka, Japan
Do you know of any disastrous mistakes that occurred due to the incorrect usage of industrial computers?
1 answers
Yes, a network computer was provided without anti-virus protection & the vendor actually recommended using it that way (it was eventually infected).
~Technical Support, Beaumont, TX
FeaturesTop
What would your design or feature "wish list" be for this product?
4 answers
One which we can connect the older ISA cards (as an example).
~Enrique Fontaine, Maintenance, México City, México
Has to be cost effective against a standard PC.
~Engineer, Perth, Australia
Hardware & software configuration flexibility.
~Technical Support, Beaumont, TX
Long term vendor's support.
~Marketing/Sales, Osaka, Japan
Buying AdviceTop
Do you have any advice for people relative to buying or using industrial computers?
4 answers
Select reputable, experienced supplier that strives to understand the application.
~Paul B, Marketing/Sales, Indianapolis, IN
Long term servicing capability and replacement parts existence in the near future.
~Enrique Fontaine, Maintenance, México City, México
Make sure the salesman takes you seriously.
~Technical Support, Beaumont, TX
Must get cost effective.
~Engineer, Perth, Australia
Is there any advice you want to share with users to help them avoid common errors in selection or usage of industrial computers?
4 answers
Yes, it is very important to analyze the environment in which the computer is to stay and take care of the incidence of sunlight in the environment, which can disrupt the viewing screen.
~Andre T, Engineer, Limeira -SP, Brazil
Avoid selecting the lowest-cost solution-- this almost always results in dissatisfaction.
~Paul B, Marketing/Sales, Indianapolis, IN
Make a wants list, it helps against forgetfulness.
~Technical Support, Beaumont, TX
Hardware failures
~M.T.Balasubramanian Manian, Engineer, Chennai, India
