Industrial PC
An Industrial PC is an x86 PC-based computing platform for industrial applications. Compared with the RISC-based and microprocessor-based computing platform, the PC-based industrial computing platform offers advantages in development and system costs due to the use of PC-based hardware and software.
Industrial PCs offer features different from consumer PCs in terms of reliability, compatibility, expansion options and long-term supply.
Industrial PCs are typically characterized by being manufactured in lower volumes than home or office PC's. Construction is typically of thicker gage material, either cold rolled steel or aluminum, with added industrial features like high-performance fans, shock mounting on the drives, air filters, lockable doors. A common category of industrial PC is the 19" rackmount form factor. Industrial PCs typically cost considerably more than comparable Dell or IBM style computers with similar performance. Single-board computers and backplanes are used primarily in Industrial PC systems. However, the majority of industrial PCs are manufactured with COTS motherboards such as those from Super Micro, Intel, Tyan or Long Life, revision controlled, more industrial motherboards as offered by Quanmax,Eltech Solutions, Corvalent, Chassis Plans, Lanner Inc, Industrial Computers, Itox, Radisys, ARBOR and others.
Popular industrial PC form factors
- EBX: CPU board definition features compact board size as 5.25" drive at 203 x 146 mm. Defined by Ampro and Motorola.
- ETX: CPU board and expansion definition features the modular CPU core module and expansive carrier board with board-to-board connection. Defined by Jumptec.
- PC/104: CPU board and expansion definition features the compact board size at 3.6 x 3.8 inches and offers 8-/16-but ISA expansion on 104-pin PC/104 connector and 32-bit PCI expansion on 120-pin PC/104-plus connector. Defined by PC/104.
- PICMG CompactPCI: Board and expansion definition features the high reliability and hot-swappable for telecom application. Defined by PICMG.
- PICMG PCI-ISA: Board and expansion definition features the PCI and ISA extensibility's with fingered CPU card and backplane. Defined by PICMG.
- PICMG ePCI-X: Board and expansion definition features the 64-bit PCI-X extensibility rather than PCI-ISA. Defined by PICMG.
- PISA: Board and interface definition features the PCI and ISA extensibility with fingered CPU card and backplane with EISA connector. Defined by Jumptac.
- SOM-144: CPU board and expansion definition features the modular CPU board and expansive carrier board with existing 144-pin SO-DOMM board-to-board connection. Defined by Advantech.
- Tiny-Bus: Modular expansion solution features the compact size and multiple bus interface expansion including PCI-Express x16 graphics, PCI-Express x4/x1, AGP and PCI bus interface. Defined by Liantec.