Embedded edge computing in Industrial PC.

Physical AI continuously integrates and analyses multiple inputs to enable real-time process and energy optimisation, safety monitoring, computer vision, asset performance, anomaly detection for quality inspection and predictive maintenance directly on the factory floor and at remote sites.

A collaboration with SiMa.ai a leader in Physical AI, delivers advanced AI capabilities for real-time data analysis on Emerson's industrial PCs in the harshest industrial field environments, on the factory floor and at remote sites.

The global industrial AI market reached $43.6 billion (€37.49b) (in 2024, and according to IOT Analytics, is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 23% through 2030 to reach $153.9 billion (€132.34b)*. A key part of this growth will be AI technology at the industrial edge, empowering companies to analyse data and physically intervene instantly – detecting problems, optimising quality, taking corrective action and engineering autonomous operations – all without relying on cloud connectivity. Workloads that previously required offline engineering studies, dedicated analytics servers or roundtrips to the cloud now run alongside core processes, turning the IPC into an always-on industrial intelligence platform.

“As operations teams leverage Physical AI at the edge, they move beyond simple monitoring to closed-loop autonomy where they can adjust processes in real time – minimising product defects early in the production phase, reducing waste and increasing production efficiency,” said Krishna Rangasayee, SiMa.ai. chief executive officer.

SiMa.ai's MLSoC™ (Machine Learning System on Chip) provides the high-performance compute and industry-leading power efficiency necessary for Emerson's industrial PCs to support Physical AI workloads in real time. By maximising throughput while maintaining a low thermal footprint, the technology allows for faster decision-making and robust security, keeping sensitive proprietary data secure and on-premise across vital operations.

Benefits include:

• Autonomous safety: Detect gas and liquid leaks, fire and smoke, unauthorised access and equipment anomalies in real time and in harsh environments where high-speed vision inspection has not been possible.
• Increased productivity: Enjoy higher overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) by continuously improving uptime, performance and quality.
• Enhanced reliability: Ensure operational continuity in mission-critical systems in remote locations (like upstream oil and gas or mines) with limited connectivity.
• Improved product quality: Detect defects during inline product quality inspections during production and adjust parameters instantly to prevent waste.
• Reduced CapEx: Identify equipment degradation before failures occur, minimising costly downtime and capital expenditures for new equipment.
• Optimised resources: Continuously improve energy use, compressed air systems and material efficiency to reduce the need for human supervision in unsafe environments.
• Air-gapped installations: Provide autonomous AI capabilities in critical air-gapped infrastructures using highly secure industrial control systems in industries like nuclear, power, water and other mission-critical installations.

“As organisations accelerate their journey toward autonomous operations, the ability to deploy intelligent capabilities at the edge with industrial-grade reliability and security is essential,” said Ram Krishnan, chief operating officer of Emerson. “Our partnership with SiMa.ai brings specialised AI computing technology to our industrial PCs that – combined with our integrated sensor technology, edge software and enterprise analytics – delivers the complete AI solution industrial organisations need not just to compete today, but also to thrive well into the future.”

Emerson is unique in offering an integrated, end-to-end technology stack for industrial AI across the enterprise – including smart sensors delivering performance data for AI analysis and on-device edge computing; an IIoT-ready SCADA/HMI platform and software that routes intelligence for quick interventions; and enterprise analytics for optimising operations.

Emerson’s industrial PCs with SiMa.ai technology deliver high performance and AI-accelerated computing power in a compact, ruggedised platform that can withstand high vibration and shock and temperatures ranging from -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees to 70 degrees Celsius). They also enable practical AI applications across both discrete and process industries, including compressed air and energy usage optimisation, waste management, packaging, automotive machine efficiency, semiconductor manufacturing and oil and gas applications such as wellhead management and flare monitoring.

---

* 10 insights on how AI is transforming manufacturing (IOT Analytics)

@SiMa_Inc  @EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation  @AnalyticsIoT @HHC_Lewis #PAuto 

Uninterruptible IPC for industrial automation.

DIN rail bundle with AC/DC Power Supply, DC UPS and Embedded Industrial PC.

A robust and fail-safe DIN rail bundle designed for control and automation tasks in industrial environments has been introduced by Bicker Elektronik. The flexible DIN rail solution combines three perfectly matched components: the Delta DRL-24V120W1EN AC/DC power supply, the Bicker UPSI-2406DP1 DC UPS with integrated Li-ion battery pack, and the GIGAIPC QBiX-DR-EHLA6412H-A1 DIN rail industrial PC. Together, these components ensure a reliable and uninterrupted 24V DC power supply as well as high computing performance for continuous operation in harsh industrial conditions.

Compact 24V power supply for control cabinets.
The space-saving DRL-24V120W1EN DIN rail power supply from Delta Electronics delivers 120 W nominal output (24V / 5A) with an efficiency of up to 91%. With a compact width of just 30 mm, it saves valuable space on the DIN rail and simplifies integration into control cabinets. The wide input range of 90–264 VAC enables global use, while the operating temperature range of –40°C to +70°C ensures high reliability. Comprehensive protection features against short circuit, overvoltage and overtemperature guarantee safe operation. The power supply is certified according to IEC/EN/UL 62368-1 and IEC/EN/UL 61010-1. Electromagnetic compatibility meets the industrial standards EN 61000-6-4 Class B (emission) and EN 61000-6-2 (immunity).

Intelligent DC UPS with integrated Li-Ion battery pack.
The Bicker UPSI-2406DP1 protects critical systems against power failures, voltage dips and transients. Delivering 24V / 4A (96W), the UPS automatically switches to battery operation in the event of a mains failure. Certified to IEC/UL/CSA 61010-1 / -2-201, the compact DC UPS is designed for operation from 0°C to +50°C. The intelligent power-sharing function dynamically distributes input power between load and battery charging, while the battery management system with Smart Battery Lock prevents unwanted discharge and enhances operational safety. With the freely available cross-platform UPS management software „UPScom“, all parameters can be configured, system status monitored, and controlled system shutdowns or automatic reboots of connected IPCs initiated during power outages.

Compact DIN rail Industrial PC.
The GIGAIPC QBiX-DR-EHLA6412H-A1 is a powerful DIN rail industrial PC for 24/7 continuous operation in demanding industrial environments. Based on the Intel® Celeron® J6412 processor (4 cores, up to 2.6 GHz, 10 W TDP), it supports up to 32 GB DDR4 RAM. The system provides 2× Intel® Gigabit LAN, 4× USB, 4× COM, HDMI 2.0 and VGA, GPIO (8 bit) and three M.2 slots as well as a SIM slot for 4G/5G. With fanless passive cooling, 9–36 V DC wide-range input, DIN rail mounting and a rugged aluminum chassis, the IPC ensures reliable, maintenance-free operation from 0°C to +50°C. The QBiX-DR-EHLA6412H-A1 is ideal for control, monitoring and edge-computing tasks in modern Industry 4.0 applications. Bicker Elektronik also offers matching DDR4 SO-DIMM modules and M.2 SSDs with extended temperature ranges.

Integrated complete solution with system advantage.
The Bicker DIN rail IPC bundle combines power supply, UPS protection, and an industrial PC into a single integrated solution. It ensures safe AC/DC power supply, protects critical systems from power outages, and simultaneously provides high-performance computing capacity:

• Reliable 24V DC power supply with UPS buffering
• High reliability during voltage fluctuations and blackouts
• Powerful IPC computing performance for DIN-rail mounting
• Fanless and energy-efficient operation
• Compact designs for space-saving control cabinet layouts
• Compliance with industrial standards

The bundle offers a practical, ready-to-use complete solution for modern production and process automation.

---

@bicker_de  @PresseBox #Pauto #Systems

Next-Generation Industrial PCs.

The PACSystems™ IPC 6010, IPC 7010, and IPC 8010 industrial computing platforms have just been announced. This new line expands Emerson’s family ofhigh-performance industrial personal computer (IPC) models for demanding applications, including artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced analytics. PACSystems IPCs feature the first CPU in the latest generation of processors designed specifically to support AI-enabled capabilities such as predictive maintenance, process optimisation, quality inspection, decision support, supply chain management and more.

“These innovative next generation IPCs are a key part of the critical hardware backbone supporting Emerson’s Boundless Automation vision,” explained Harish Shinde, vice president and general manager for controls and software, with Emerson’s discrete automation business. “PACSystems IPCs are an ideal platform for developers seeking to future-proof industrial systems and achieve continuous uptime even in extreme environments as they create IoT, AI, and other advanced applications.”

Critical digital transformation applications require reliable and ruggedised computing platforms, with the high level of performance needed to support data collection, protocol conversion, historisation, and analytics for real-time optimisation and visualisation capabilities. The new PACSystems line features significant performance updates and more options to develop solutions for challenging industrial applications, with a range of functionality and price points to support scalable operations and lower cost-of-ownership.

The new line of IPCs use the latest generation of soldered industrial-rated 13th Generation Intel® Core™ Processors with up to 64 GB soldered ECC memory, for maximum resistance against shock and vibration. Their compact form factor employs fan-less cooling for an extended operating temperature range up to 70 degrees Celsius, with thermal monitoring and an optional fan available for high-temperature environments. PACSystems IPCs benefit from Emerson’s patented vibration and thermal technologies to boost reliability and extend deployment life.

With solid-state drive (SSD) storage options ranging up to 4 terabytes, multiple gigabit Ethernet interfaces, up to four PCIe® slots, and other interfaces, PACSystems IPCs can be tailored to deliver high-performance computing required for vision systems, advanced analytics, data processing, historisation/visualisation, and other similarly rigorous functions for process optimisation and improved operational insight.

Available pre-installed, pre-licensed operating systems with edge and visualisation software help to simplify deployment of common configurations while also allowing users to fully customise their systems. Operating system options include Windows IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021, PACEdge, and Linux. Software options include PACEdge, Movicon Connext™, and Movicon WebHMI. Alternatively, users can load their own OS or software. Built-in Trusted Platform Module (TPM) crypto-processors and Secure Boot® software ensure that data and operations are kept secure.

---

@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation #PAuto #AI

Panel PC has integrated controller.

Inelco Hunter has announced the availability of a new 10.1-inch Panel PC, which features an integrated controller board, making it particularly suitable for applications requiring speed combined with a powerful processing capability. A 12-inch Panel PC version is also available.

The controller board utilises a Rockchip RK3568B2 processor with a Quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor, enabling the rapid processing and visualisation of real-time data from multiple sensors, for example.

The industrial panel PC comes with FCC and CE certifications, thus ensuring the level of electromagnetic interference emitted from the device is compliant with the limits set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and also meeting the health, safety, and environmental protection standards for Conformité Européenne (EC).

The integrated approach of display plus dedicated controller board results in reduced development times, and simpler product design combined with a flexible and scalable solution. The Panel PC is aimed at home automation, intelligent manufacturing, automation, smart city, medical and AI applications. Other applications will include EV chargers, autonomous devices, data routers, security, transport, and aviation, to name a variety of markets.

The Panel PC features a VESA mount, a family of standards defined by the Video Electronics Standards Association for mounting flat panel monitors, televisions, and other displays to stands or wall mounts.

---

@InelcoHunter #PAuto 

Rugged PC connects industrial floor to cloud.

Delivers high-performance computing for industrial edge data visualization applications

The new PACSystems™ IPC 2010 Compact Industrial PC (IPC) has been announced by Emerson. This is a rugged industrial computer designed to handle a wide range of machine and discrete part manufacturing automation applications. The new solution is designed to serve manufacturing sites and OEM machine builders who need a ruggedized, compact, durable IPC to cost-effectively support their Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and other digital transformation initiatives.

The IPC 2010 addresses this by pre-loading the PACEdge™ industrial edge platform and elements of Movicon.NExT™ SCADA software, helping users run applications quickly using browser-based configuration. Provisions are included for keeping the software platform current and passively maintained, minimizing user effort, while maximizing reliability.

Running an industrial version of Linux, and including serial and Ethernet connectivity, the IPC 2010 can be used as a communications gateway in a variety of topologies, and simultaneously or separately as an edge computing device. Users can implement the IPC 2010 as a flexible protocol converter—and for many other computing functions—in many IIoT, edge, OT/IT convergence, HMI visualization, SCADA connectivity, and digital transformation roles.

Both the hardware and software are designed to be adaptable, universal, and scalable, providing a standardized and unified user experience that is easy-to-use, powerful, and supported by Emerson’s lifecycle services. The compact form factor IPC 2010 features the widest operating temperature range of any passively cooled IPC, with a low power consumption of just four watts, and tough packaging so it can be installed virtually anywhere.

The IPC 2010 offers an advantageous price/performance ratio, with no ongoing annual licensing costs, or charges for general and cybersecurity updates. Additional features, such as Movicon Connext© or WebHMI, can be activated or added at any time.

“Many customers undergoing a digital transformation want to start small and earn trust as they seek out value from edge-enabled applications,” said William Paczkowski, product manager for the IPC 2010 for Emerson’s discrete automation business. “The IPC 2010 is specifically designed as a pre-packaged and economical solution so they can get running quickly and cost effectively.”

Emerson is already building the IPC 2010 into a range of larger offerings for leak detection, compressed air monitoring, batching systems, cloud enablement services, and other packaged solutions. This flexible industrial technology will enable customers of all types to benefit from their advanced capabilities.

---

The EMEA Emerson User Group meeting is scheduled for next week (February 27-29 2024) in Duesseldorf (D).

@EMR_Automation @EmersonExchange @mepaxIntPR #Pauto 

Embedded industrial PC.

A new Aaeon fanless embedded mini-PC has been introduced by Review Display Systems (RDS). The high-performance, standalone BOXER-6642-CML is powered by 10th Generation Intel Core i3, i5, i7, i9 and Intel Celeron processors up to 35W TDP (Thermal Design Power) and features an extensive peripheral and I/O capability.

Employing a socket-type desktop chipset, the new BOXER mini-PC system offers scalable performance, customisation, and ease of upgrade to allow its performance to be matched to the exact requirements of a wide range of target applications.

The BOXER-6642-CML is equipped with two SODIMM sockets supporting up to 64 GB of DDR4-2933 system memory and offers system expansion options including an M.2 2280 (M-Key) slot driven by PCIe 3.0 [x4] with support for fast NVMe SSDs. It also has an M.2 2230 (E-Key) slot to support Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity. The BOXER-6642-CML also features an easily configurable, built-in, full-sized Mini Card slot which supports PCIe and mSATA.

The mini-PC also offers a broad range of I/O features including eight digital I/O lines, four serial COM ports, four USB3.2 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, two Gigabit RJ-45 Ethernet ports, an audio line-out socket and one HDMI video output for high-resolution displays. Communication flexibility is also enhanced with an onboard SIM card slot allowing easy connection to mobile networks.

The fanless design reduces the possibility of dust and other foreign bodies entering the system which aids and assists reliable, long-term operation in industrial environments. The Boxer-6642 also features a wide input voltage range of 10 to 35V and provides consistent operation without loss of performance in temperatures of 0°C to 45°C.

The robust construction and compact mechanical outline dimensions of 292.4mm (W) x 152mm (D) x 53.5mm (H) allow the mini-PC to be used in confined operating environments.

Operating system support for Windows and Linux Ubuntu ensures the PC is suitable for a wide range of factory control applications and process automation tasks.

@ReviewDisplays @AAEON #PAuto 

Leading the IPC global market.

Twenty-five years since its inception, Advantech has become a leader in the global IPC (Industrial PC) market. During this period, the company has created a solid base to remain the key player within this sector, holding a 30% market share of the global industrial PC market.

The company offers a comprehensive IPC product range that delivers reliability and stability for extreme environments, providing its customers with a one-stop shopping experience implementing Industry 4.0 and fulfilling their Industrial IoT needs. Industrial PC’s of Advantech enabling Industry 4.0 by integrating the latest Automation and Cloud Technologies into smart factory solutions in the six dimensions of machine automation, machine monitoring and predictive maintenance, MES integration and production traceability, factory energy management, factory environment monitoring, and equipment monitoring and optimization.

Proof of this role as key-player in the IPC market came from the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA). In cooperation with BusinessNext and Interbrand they issue the annual Top Taiwan Global Brands Survey, rewarding Advantech with a 10th place in the just-released 2008 Top Taiwan Global Brands survey, with a brand value of US$299 million. The company was also recognized for its six straight years of steady brand value growth, evidence of increasing global image stature, and stronger brand competitiveness. The jury praised Advantech also for its shifting directions from a “product-oriented” approach to a “service-oriented” business development strategy. Recognition was also given to its global footprint: the company is present in 18 countries and 39 cities to facilitate the speediest time-to-market services and support to its clients around the world.

Advantech has become renowned for its innovative design and the adoption of future-proof technology. In keeping up with the recent trends of miniaturization and modularization, the company has departed from conventional concepts to develop revolutionary IPC designs that offer flexible installation and high expandability.

It offers customized configuration for every platform. Organization’s configure-to-order services (CTOS) include web-based purchasing, standardized manufacturing, integrated professional testing, and global delivery services allow system integrators and end-device customers to customize product in response to changing market trends.

Global leaderships need to be supported by global service. Advantech has established branch offices and service centers in major regional markets throughout the world in order to provide just-in-time services locally. Thus, requests for device maintenance and component delivery can be easily satisfied worldwide.

To meet the demands of a fast-growing knowledge economy, Advantech is introducing an Open Business Model to determine its future organizational and operational direction, and will continue to drive its core business growth engine to further advance its established leadership in the IPC and Industrial IoT markets.

@AdvantechIA #PAuto

Panel PCs for hazardous areas

POLARIS Touch Panel PCs with LED technology from Bartec are an innovative enhancement of the existing POLARIS Panel PCs. Available in the sizes 5.7", 10.4" and 12.1", these devices have been designed for the comfortable handling of simple machines such as mixers, dryers or filling stations and for the control and supervision of complex machines such as reactors, centrifuges or ball mills. All POLARIS devices have been designed for use in zone 1 + 2 as well as in zone 21 + 22. This guarantees the habitual PC comfort also in hazardous areas. The Panel PCs are especially suitable for use in the chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industry.

Advantages
- LED technology
- higher screen resolution
- control via touch-screen
- processor up to 1.6 GHz
- user management
- remote desktop solution
- display of HTML pages
- direct coupling in hazardous areas

The high-resolution displays with LED background illumination and touch-screen allow an intuitive and comfortable handling. Even with large viewing angles or under unfavorable light conditions, the new LED display technology guarantees an optimal contrast. The well-proven LX800 processor offers sufficient processing power to display HTML pages or to serve as a remote client. This allows high-performance visualization and handling of processes on site. For a higher processing power, a high-performance Intel® Atom with 1.6 GHz together with Windows® 7 Embedded is optionally available.

The latest visualization software for the POLARIS series BMS Graf pro Runtime 7 enables the user to work under Windows® XP Embedded, e.g. to transmit projects via Ethernet, to use graphic lists or to handle an integrated user management.

An intrinsically safe USB interface for USB Ex i-memory sticks is also included. In addition to that, an intrinsically safe mouse, a trackball and a touchpad can be connected.

POLARIS devices are available in standard versions or in customized versions. They can also be delivered in a stainless steel casing.

1st Industrial PC with MS Windows XP Pro operating system

Schneider Electric has  announced the Magelis™ Smart+ iPC, the first industrial PC with Microsoft® Windows XP® Pro that does not require maintenance or contain any rotating parts (no hard disk or fan). It also offers all of the openness associated with Windows XP® Pro. The Type 4X (IP65) touch screen shares the same 15" dimensions as the rest of the Magelis range. With its Intel® Celeron® M 1 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, and two Ethernet ports, Magelis Smart+ iPC offers great performance, and features a solid state drive (SSD) with Windows XP Pro.

The industrially rugged Magelis Smart+ iPC has been certified to the most demanding standards (UL 508 for industrial control equipment, UL and ATEX for hazardous locations, marine). It supports Vijeo Designer™ HMI applications (demonstration version can be expanded to unlimited version), as well as Vijeo™ Citect™ SCADA supervisor applications.

With a sealed touch screen, keyboard and pointer options, compact dimensions, and choice of DC or AC power supply, users are able to easily integrate the product into a wide variety of control systems. To further simplify user experience, Schneider Electric has created the open design that utilizes the Windows operating system for software applications support, and dual Ethernet ports, including high-speed ports for exceptional connectivity. All of this provides worry-free operation, greater longevity, and less risk of capability issues when implementing future systems.

“Schneider Electric is proud to be a complete automation solutions provider that enables seamless integration of its iPCs and HMIs not only into our own control systems but also into other brand systems,” commented Jacob Kimball, HMI product marketing manager. “The Magelis Smart+ iPC, as well as the rest of the Magelis HMI and iPC products, matches up single development software with our panel cut-outs allowing customers to avoid major re-design issues when selecting different HMI or iPC products.”

New venture to improve CNC manufacturing productivity

Combining a shared vision and drawing on their extensive experience and knowledge, sefaré controls co-founders and managing partners Bob Tain and Gayle Vollmer have launched a new venture in PC control and networking technology to significantly impact CNC manufacturing productivity and the customer’s bottom line.

With nearly 40 years of industrial controls conception, design, and implementation experience, Bob Tain has been instrumental in driving productivity enhancing architectures into real world environments. Combining networking technology with off-the-shelf hardware and software, sefaré controls provides a robust industrial PC that can be added to virtually any machine tool regardless of CNC manufacturer, including earlier generation machines.

“sefaré finally achieves the vision of a true fluid platform that grows with PC and network technology to improve productivity with a meaningful return on investment for any size anufacturing business,” said Tain. “We are reaching forward into the undiscovered country, building a bridge between computer technology and the machine floor.”

Sharing in the vision, Gayle Vollmer has been working with CNC machines and controls since 1975 and is widely recognized as a leader in the development and implementation of demanding applications for CNC machine tools. Vollmer’s experience has given him a unique insight into the limitations and strengths of the modern machine tool.

“We want to use the software and technology that is available to make the controls of the machine more user-friendly and to get rid of the useless and redundant features of most CNC controls,” said Vollmer. “Using a powerful, self-contained, extendable PC, integrated with the machines current controls, customers can now bridge next generation technology with CNC machine tools of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.”

The name sefaré is pronounced like “safari” and is an acronym for smart extensible fluid adaptable retrofitable engine.

Using a powerful, self-contained, extensible PC, integrated with the machines current controls, customers can now bridge next generation technology with virtually any CNC machine tool of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

sefaré controls can build any size PC with customized hardware and software solutions to maintain any budget. Running Microsoft Windows 7 Pro or XP Pro, the all-in-one base PC includes a 15-inch LCD touch screen and integrated wireless.

Available on the base machine is production enhancing software including adaptive controls, conversational programming, and 3D simulation with crash detection. Standard input/output devices are RS232, USB 2.0, and Ethernet. Also available are software data collection packages that provide gauging information, SPC, and auto-tool off-set function, automated part inspection and statistics with automated tool offsets.

The company is exhibiting at IMTS 2010 - 13-18 September 2010