Integrate data acquisition.

The Nuvo-2822, a new, compact expansion box PC from Neousys is now available from Impulse Embedded. This offers five times the performance over their previous model using the impressive and power-efficient Intel® Alder Lake N97 CPU that can efficiently process vast amounts of data in real time. That, combined with its four PCIe/PCI expansion slots and affordable price, make it a powerful and versatile PC all in one.

The Nuvo-2822 is designed for real-world applications that need reliability, such as on a factory floor, as part of an IoT system, or in machine automation setups. It features a 4-channel isolated DI, a 4-channel isolated DO, and four COM ports to communicate with and control various industrial sensors, indicators, motors, and actuators.

Key features of the Nuvo-2822 include:

• Intel Alder Lake N97 quad core 2.0Ghz processor Max. TDP 12W
• CE, FCC Class A, ROHS certified
• -10°C to +60°C operating temperature (-10°C to +70°C with fan)
• 12V to 24V DC (Terminal block)
• 1x PCIe in x4 size (supports x4), 1x PCIe in x4 size (supports x1), 2x PCI (33MHz/32bit 5V)

Measuring only 164.6mm (W) x 214.6mm (D) x 135.6mm (H), the Nuvo-2822 is perfect for systems with space constraints. It can easily be fitted into a compact control cabinet, mounted within machinery, or tucked away in a tight industrial workspace without affecting accessibility. This small footprint allows it to be integrated into environments where rack computers simply wouldn’t fit.

Aside from its size, this box PC is also made to be durable. The rugged build is designed to handle extreme conditions, with an operating temperature range of -10°C to 60°C or, with the addition of a fan, as high as 70°C. Its Intel® Alder Lake N CPU can process large amounts of data in real time. The Alder Lake N family of CPUs are low-power, cost-effective processors designed primarily for embedded systems, IoT, and edge computing using Intel's 12th-generation Alder Lake architecture. Unlike mainstream Alder Lake chips, the N series focuses solely on efficiency cores (E-cores) rather than performance cores (P-cores).

Its wide-range DC input (12V to 24V) further enhances its ability to adapt to different industrial power setups. This flexibility is particularly valuable in industrial automation, transportation, and remote monitoring applications, where power sources can vary.

Despite its small form factor, the device has dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, four USB 3.0 ports, and two COM ports, offering plenty of options for integrating with existing systems. Support for PCIe and PCI expansion cards makes it flexible enough to handle specialised tasks in industrial control or automation, and storage options are versatile, too, with an M.2 SATA SSD slot and a 2.5” drive bay for added capacity.

The Nuvo-2822 introduces a new feature for improved power efficiency: its “Super Power Saving Mode” dramatically reduces energy consumption when the system is in standby (S4/S5) mode. This makes it practical for anyone aiming to optimise energy and improve the sustainability of their operations, not to mention cost savings, without sacrificing functionality.

Thanks to its compatibility with Neousys’ 100 TOPS Intelligent Frame Grabber Card, powered by the NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX, the system can also be easily upgraded to handle AI inference tasks. This means existing x86-based setups can be transformed into high-performance AI platforms without needing an entirely new infrastructure. By integrating the Intelligent Frame Grabber Card, the Nuvo-2822 can efficiently handle object detection, anomaly detection, and predictive maintenance—all at the edge, reducing latency and reliance on cloud computing.

The Nuvo-2822 offers a high degree of flexibility. It balances performance, efficiency, and adaptability, meaning it can fit naturally into a range of industrial scenarios. Its compact design means it can run easily in tight spaces and contribute to energy-conscious operations, and its practicality makes it an all-arounder for industrial systems with modern challenges.

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@ImpulseEmbedded @neousys @proactivefleet #Automation #PAuto

Industrial panel PC.

A new range of fanless multi-touch Panel PCs from Axiomtek have been announced by Impulse Embedded. These industrial quality devices feature the Intel Elkhart Lake Celeron J6412 processor, a 10W quad core 2.0GHz processor with 2.6GHz boost and full HD 1080 resolutions. These Panel PCs are perfect for digital signage, self-service, POS systems and light factory automation applications.

The Axiomtek industrial wide-screen touch panel PCs are available in three sizes: 15.6, 18.5 and 21.5 inch and support Full HD 1080 resolutions with a projected capacitive (PCAP) touchscreen with a 3H anti scratch touch surface.

Other key features of the GOT Series of panel PCs include:
• 1x superfast 2.5G Ethernet port
• 1x Gigabit Ethernet port
• 4x 10Gbps superspeed+ USB3.2 Gen 2 ports
• 1x RS-232/422/485 port for control purposes
A flexible I/O port can also be fitted with more application specific I/O options to further tailor the system to customer’s specific needs.

This new range of panel PCs all feature the Intel Elkhart Lake Celeron J6412 which offers many advanced features, such as:
• CPU: Intel Elkhart Lake Celeron J6412 2.00GHz quad-core processor
• System Memory: 1x 260-pin DDR4 3200 SO-DIMM, up to 32GB
• Resolution: 1920x1080 (FHD)
• Brightness: 350cd/m
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9

@ImpulseEmbedded @Axiomtek @proactivefleet #PAuto

Rugged computer platform.

The BOXER-8251AI box PC from AAEON has been introduced by Review Display Systems (RDS). Designed and developed to offer a low power, highly flexible computing solution for a wide range of applications and reliable operation in harsh, remote environments.

The BOXER-8251AI is based on the Jetson Xavier NX six-core, 64-bit ARM processor with a Volta GPU, and features 384 CUDA cores and 48 Tensor cores delivering accelerated processing power of up to 21 TOPS (Tera operations per second). This level of computing performance enables multiple neural networks to run in parallel.

Five different performance modes are available to scale processing needs as required. Users can select custom configurations for application specific control over core usage and speed, helping to improve system efficiency by reducing power consumption and improving thermal performance.

Peter Marchant, embedded division manager, RDS said, “With NVIDIA’s Jetson Xavier NX architecture, in an AAEON designed, thermally efficient housing, we have an easy-to-use and compact Edge computing system with class leading AI capabilities. NVIDIA have been able to leverage their AI software technology from multiple industries - the data centre to its Jetson AI edge solutions - making this platform a powerful accelerator for embedded computing and robotics applications.”

The efficient, dust-proof fanless chassis design features power input protection, and a compact mechanical design with outline dimensions of 88mm (w) x 75mm (l) x 39mm (h) which enables flexibility for use in a wide range of industrial applications. Anti-vibration construction and a wide operating temperature range of -40°C to +70°C allow the BOXER-8251AI to operate reliably, with minimal maintenance, in rugged, harsh operating environments.

The box PC system also features 8GB of LPDDR4 memory and 16GB of onboard eMMC memory. This can be expanded using the integrated Micro-SD card slot. Two COM ports and four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, as well as Gigabit Ethernet port provide unique I/O configurations.

The AAEON BOXER-8251A is ideally suited for performance-driven artificial intelligence and edge computing applications such as smart surveillance, traffic monitoring, autonomous robotics and defect inspection systems.

@ReviewDisplays @AAEON @ReVis_Solutions #Automation #Transport

Chip shortage mitigated!

Impulse Embedded continues to be able supply their market leading VELA range of Rack PCs despite a global audio chip shortage.

The global IC shortage currently in effect is showing little sign of easing up. Countless factory workers furloughed due to COVID-19, US sanctions levied on China by the Trump administration, political unrest between Taiwan and China, a ship stuck in the Suez Canal, even a drought in mainland Taiwan — this has been a perfect storm of issues that could not have been designed more efficiently to disrupt the manufacturing and supply chain of chips and computing components across the globe.

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world saw issues in the supply chain manifest in ways that could never have been expected — a shortage of plaster, hiking up prices per bag to crazy prices being just one of them — and the global IC shortage is rearing its head in similar ways in the world of both consumer and industrial computing components. The obvious go-to is the shortage of GPUs, with prices for graphics cards in Q2 skyrocketing due to the 'immovable object’ that is the IC shortage vs the ‘unstoppable force’ that is unparalleled demand through the rather controversial Bitcoin mining.

GPUs were perhaps always destined for this shortage, but one area now being seen are the unprecedented shortages in the world of audio. As innocuous as it may sound (no pun intended) the shortage of audio chips has caused damaging delays across the industrial and embedded computing supply chain globally. Difficult to anticipate, this issue has left some manufacturers with little to no supply option, but some major manufacturers such as Advantech have reacted quickly to the event and side-stepped this 'immovable object'. The moment news broke of this audio chip shortage Advantech worked on developing a non-audio version of their most popular motherboards to help mitigate the supply issues and help customers meet their IPC deadlines.

The Impulse VELA range of Industrial Rack PCs is powered by the latest market-leading Advantech components, and with up to 9th Gen. boards in stock and more on the way, the Impulse VELA Racks can cater for low to high end IPC projects needing immediate or short-term build and despatch. Even as lead times stretch and stock levels of the audio version diminish, due to the fast response of Advantech’s development team in bringing a non-audio version of their most popular motherboards to market, Impulse Embedded VELA Racks can continue to support industrial computing projects despite these ongoing global shortages.

And for customers with a requirement for audio, Impulse is able to install and configure audio expansion cards as part of the build process, meaning supply of Industrial Rack PCs can remain uninterrupted, despite this shortage.

@ImpulseEmbedded @AdvantechIA @proactivefleet #PAuto #TandM

DIN-Rail Fanless Embedded Box PC.

The latest addition to its ARK-1000 series: the ARK-1220, a compact DIN-Rail fanless embedded box PC for industrial and/or outdoor environments has been announced by Advantech. The ARK-1220 adopts Intel Atom® E3940 QC processors with front accessible I/O ports on single bezel—targeting applications such as machine automation, intelligent factories, in-cabinet equipment integration, and IoT gateways.

To enable effective device management, the ARK-1220 comes pre-loaded with Advantech’s new IoT device management App: WISE-PaaS/DeviceOn. This App includes hardware security certification and parameter settings required by the relevant application domain to help simplify the initial deployment phase and subsequent management.

Intelligent Management and Security Support for Industrial Environments
WISE-PaaS/DeviceOn was the first to adopt the zero–touch technology connection for software and hardware integration, allowing users to monitor real-time health status and send software and firmware updates over-the-air (OTA) on-site. For system security, the ARK-1220 utilizes the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 function by request and supports BitLocker under Windows 10 IoT. Moreover, McAfee and Acronis are integrated into WISE-PaaS/DeviceOn for anti-virus protection and invaluable data recovery and backup. Our hardware and software solutions help users simplify equipment management via an easy, efficient, and secure systematic method that fits different industrial and/or outdoor environments.

Ruggedized and Compact DIN-Rail Fanless Design
The ARK-1220 is powered by Intel Atom® E3940 Quad Core SoC, with up to 1.8 GHz with turbo burst on. The dual channel memory sockets support a maximum of up to 8GB DDR3L 1866 MHz SO-DIMM. Designed for rugged environments, the ARK-1220 supports a -30 ~70°C operating temperature range with 0.7 m/s air flow that is ideal for working outdoors. Its wide ranging power input of 12V - 28V DC-in is suitable for use in environments with fluctuating or unstable power supply. The ARK-1220 supports an array of functional I/O ports, including 4x USB 3.0, 2x LAN, and 2x COM ports placed on front panel. Its compact dimensions are appropriate for applications installed in limited space but requiring I/O flexibility and enhanced performance.

Dual 4K Display with Immersive Graphics and Media Performance
ARK-1220 offers dual 4K ultra HD independent displays with a resolution of up to 3840 x 2160 pixels at 30 Hz. The Gen9 graphics engine runs on low power while enhancing media processing capability with video encoding and playback performance that offers a 40% improvement compared to the previous generation. The ARK-1220 empowers manufacturers to access clearer analysis and management via panel displays or interactive displays in intelligent factories and machine automation processes.

 @Advantech_eIoT #PAuto @Advantech_USA

Versatile power supply.

The new industrial PC PSU BEA-750H from Bicker Elektronik, offers in addition to the regular ATX outputs for current mainboards a strong 24VDC output, which can be loaded with up to 7 amps and thus provides enough power to ensure the reliable supply of displays, receipt printers, card readers, coin counters, actuators, sensors and many other possible 24VDC peripherals.

In this combination "ATX plus additional 24VDC output", the IPC power supply BEA-750H is unique on the market. For applications with additional 24VDC peripherals, Bicker Elektronik offers an optimal solution for supplying all components with just one power supply. The saving of another AC/DC power supply for 24VDC not only reduces costs and allows space-saving system design, but also facilitates the optimization of EMC properties and leakage currents of the application. Possible fields of application are industrial applications, gaming systems, POS / POI applications, self-service terminals, etc.

The energy-saving power supply design of the BEA-750H achieves high efficiency of up to 91% with 80PLUS® Gold specification. All ATX outputs (-5V, +3.3V, +5V, +12V, +12V, -12V and +5Vsb) and the +24VDC output need no base load. This ensures the compatibility with latest generation mainboards (Intel® Skylake, Kaby Lake and Coffee Lake) and their special power saving and deep sleep modes.

With a power of 500 watts, the BEA-750H supplies high-performance computer systems and dedicated graphics cards with high energy requirements. The very robust IPC power supply with an extended working temperature range of -10°C to +70°C is ideally suited for 24/7 continuous operation in industrial environments. The high quality is based on the consistent use of industrial grade components and the continuous enhancement of the converter technology with regard to energy efficiency and resistance. For example, Japanese brand capacitors of +105°C rating significantly increase the life of the power supply - even at high operating temperatures. Mechanically, the FR4 board material used has a significantly higher dimensional stability. The through-hole plating of the printed circuit board ensures long-lasting and stable solder connections under shock and vibration (IEC60068-2-64). A safety bracket secures the AC power cord plug into the PSU input jack, preventing it from being pulled out accidentally. The matching 3-pin AC power cable X1-132 with IEC connector is available as an optional accessory.

On the input side, the BEA-750H switching power supply has a wide-range input 90 to 264 VAC (47 - 63 Hz) with active power factor correction (PFC) and is certified to IEC/EN/UL60950-1 and CCC. Due to the very good electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) the BEA-750H fulfills the stricter class B of EN55032. Optimized thermal airflow management ensures the efficient and safe operation of the PS/2 ATX power supply. The double-ball bearing brand fan is particularly quiet and additionally equipped with a tacho signal monitoring, which ensures the correct operation of the fan at any time. At the precisely regulated outputs, the standard integrated short-circuit, overcurrent and overvoltage protection functions assure additional operational safety.

The company Bicker Elektronik grants a three-year warranty on the BEA-750H, as well as a long-term availability of at least 5 years. In addition, Bicker Elektronik offers comprehensive value added services, especially for system developers. These include personal on-site consulting during the design-in process by experienced sales engineers and subsequent project support by the sales, development and service team of Bicker Elektronik. As part of the Power+Board program, Bicker Elektronik customers receive tested and perfectly matched bundles of industrial-quality power supplies, mainboards and accessories. On request, the specialists from Bicker Elektronik realize customer-specific special solutions and also offer extensive laboratory and measuring services for complete customer systems.

@bicker_de #PAuto #PSU

Rugged tablet PC.

The E+H Field Xpert SMT70 works with virtually every modern field instrument with “One Click Connectivity.”

The Field Xpert SMT70 is a rugged tablet PC for commissioning and maintenance staff to manage field instruments and document the work progress just introduced by Endress+Hauser. The tablet comes preinstalled with DeviceCare device configuration software and device library —so it is ready to go, right out of the box.

The Field Xpert SMT70 supports HART, PROFIBUS DP/PA, FOUNDATION Fieldbus, Modbus, CDI and Endress+Hauser service interfaces. It can connect to field instrumentation devices directly via a USB or Bluetooth wireless modem, or via a gateway, remote I/O or multiplexer to a bus system.

The Field Xpert device library has more than 2,700 pre-installed device and communication drivers, allowing it to work with many different instruments from a wide variety of vendors. The drivers can be used to communicate with virtually all HART and FOUNDATION Fieldbus devices, and additional device drivers (DTMs) can be easily installed if required. Generic HART DTM and PROFIBUS profile DTMs also enable communication with field devices using these protocols.

The Field Xpert SMT70, therefore, works with virtually every modern field instrument with “One Click Connectivity.“ To connect the Field Xpert SMT70 to a HART flowmeter, for example, the operator simply clicks on the app, which then prompts the user to select Automatic Cconnection and the app connects to the instrument, and the tablet is ready to perform diagnostics, configurations or commissioning with the built-in device configuration software. The tablet also supports Endress+Hauser Heartbeat Technology and FieldCare instrument diagnostic and monitoring functions.

The tablet PC has Windows 10 Pro software installed. It comes with an 11.6 inch Multitouch HD display, a 5MP auto focus camera, a 2MP front facing camera, and up to 256 GB storage. Communication ports and supported networks include USB, Ethernet, HDMI, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth—with 4G LTE and GPS available as an option. The battery runtime is 14 hours. The tablet comes in a general purpose configuration as well hazardous area configuration for Class 1, Division 2 Groups A,B,C,D, T4 and Class 1, Zone 2, Groups IIC, T4.

@Endress_Hauser  #PAuto 

Second generation industrial PC.

Phoenix Contact has introduced the 2nd generation of its successful Basicline industrial PC product line.

The new, affordably priced BL2 family includes box PC’s and resistive touch panel PC in several display sizes, all powered by the latest 7th generation Intel Core processors. All models are available with Windows 10 IoT and choice of several M.2 SSD sizes. A choice of 2 different performance models provides the ability to address a wide variety of automation, process visualization and control applications.

The various models in the BL2 family of industrial PC’s are designed, built and tested with the same stringent standards as other Phoenix Contact industrial PC products. The robust set of I/O, including RS-232/422/485 ports, USB ports, LAN ports and WLAN options make the BL2 models a solid platform for many IIOT (Industry 4.0) applications. All BL2 models are also passively cooled without the need for a fan. DisplayPort connections are also available for connectivity to external displays.

Phoenix Contact’s streamlined manufacturing process allows for fast delivery times of custom configurations to satisfy the customer specific application requirements. The rugged design and flexible configuration makes 2nd generation Basicline products suitable for a variety of applications. Phoenix Contact industrial PC’s, together with the wide array of other Phoenix Contact automation products, creates a complete, competitively priced automation solution.

@phoenixcontact  #PAuto 

Box PC for IoT inside industrial automation.

The BE10A, from Men Mikro Elektronik, is a space- and power-saving box PC with low power consumption that can be operated in a light, space-saving housing without fans, allowing for maintenance-free operation. Its versatile I/O possibilities make it especially suited for IoT gateway applications in industrial automation.

Diversity with Low-PowerThe mini box PC is equipped with a Sitara™ AM57x processor from Texas Instruments, which is based on the ARM® Cortex®-A15 core. The box easily manages demanding processing and communication tasks despite its low power consumption of a maximum of 15 Watt at an operating temperature of up to 60°C. The BE10A offers flexible and task specific configuration options for PC-based process automation or robotics control. Also in more complex applications, like energy substations, the box PC can handle the communication between sensors and server or cloud. Deployed as a gateway device it can exchange data with the control center. In HMI applications, such as industrial control units, the BE10A is interfacing between the screen and the peripheral devices.

One slot each for mSATA, microSD, PCI Express Mini Card und microSIM offer flexible expansion options for wireless functionality or storage.

Thanks to the PRU, the Programmable-Realtime Unit, which is integrated in the TI Sitara™ processors, the BE10A supports several industrial protocols like EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, POWERLINK, PROFINET or SERCOS. They can be enabled by a simple firmware update, while traditionally additional hardware like FPGAs were needed. The firmware and update tools are available from Texas Instruments.

“It is exciting that MEN selected TI’s Sitara™ processor platform to provide their customers greater performance and more scalability,” said Adrian Valenzuela, marketing manager, Processors, TI. “The AM572x dual-core ARM® Cortex® - A15 with dual C66x DSPs is forty percent better when comparing Coremark scores against competing quad-core ARM® Cortex® – A9s. This kind of efficiency allows developers to have a dramatically simpler design experience and speed their time to market.”

With its compact and fanless housing, the BE10A fits in any existing system environment as wall-mount, DIN rail or inside 19”-systems and can – due to its flexible configuration options – manage various tasks in industrial environments.

@MEN_Germany #PAuto

Flat panels and panel PCs.

19-inch widescreen Flat Panels and Panel PCs with all-round IP65 protection are the latest addition to the Siemens glass-front portfolio. Fitted with a rugged aluminum enclosure, the new devices are designed especially for use at the machine level in harsh industrial environments and can be mounted either from the top or the bottom on a stand or supporting arm system.

Simatic IFP1900 PRO Flat Panels and Simatic IPC477D PRO Panel PCs have crystal-clear, scratchproof, 100% glass fronts that are highly resistant to chemicals. Highlights include a special industrial anti-glare surface, excellent legibility even at large viewing angles thanks to the high image resolution and brightness, and the automatic detection of inadvertent touching or operation, for example, caused by catching the screen with the ball of the hand or the build-up of dirt on the panel surface. Projected-capacitive touch technology (PCT) enables single and multi-touch or gesture-based operation, even when wearing thin protective gloves, and images can be panned, zoomed, or hidden components shown both intuitively and quickly.

Gesture and multi-touch operation of machines and plants!

Siemens has new flat-panel monitors and panel PCs with industrial standard 19 and 22-inch widescreen displays for gesture and multi-touch operation. The Simatic IFP1900 and IFP2200 flat-panel monitors and the Simatic IPC477D and IPC677D panel PCs feature projected capacitive touch (PCT) screens that are specially designed for industrial applications. They respond to light contact, enabling intuitive and efficient single-touch, multi-touch, gesture, and two-hand operation of machinery and plant. They even respond when the operator is wearing protective gloves.

Outstanding features of the new flat-panel monitors and panel PCs include industrial standard anti-glare, ensuring easy legibility from wide viewing angles, high touch resolution for precise operation, and automatic detection of spurious touching and operation, for example, caused by catching the screen with the ball of the hand or soiling. The continuous glass front is scratch-proof and resistant to chemicals; a metal surround protects the glass front from mechanical damage. The devices in aluminum housings are designed for 24-hour continuous use, meet exacting temperature, vibration, shock, and EMC requirements, and can be used for single-touch applications, too.

New Profibus system connections!

The Siemens's range of Profibus system connections for PCs and PGs (programming devices) has been incresed to include two new PCI cards. The new communication processors CP 5613 A3 and CP 5614 A3 come with their own microprocessor to take some of the strain from the host system. Unlike predecessor products, the new CPs additionally feature a run time meter and temperature sensor, which operate independently of the operating system and application of the PC/PG. Communication processor statuses can be evaluated via an interface, providing the basis for actions such as preventive maintenance.

Using CP 5613 A3, a PC or Simatic PG/PC is connected to a standard Profibus with up to 12 Megabits per second. Direct link-up to the CP’s dual port RAM means that process data can be rapidly accessed. CP 5614 A3 is also fitted with a second Profibus port, which allows the processor to act simultaneously both as DP master and DP slave.

In this way, a single PCI card can be used to connect two Profibus networks to a PC and exchange data within a hierarchical structure.

By pre-processing communication, the new communication processors reduce the workload for the host CPU of the PC or PG, supporting control tasks such as PC-based, numeric or robot control. Data exchange with real-time capability in equidistant mode makes the CPs additionally suitable for motion control applications. An optional developer package for driver porting is available for applications in non-Windows operating system environments. «

Industrial rack PC with performance boost!

The Siemens Industry Automation Division has equipped its new 19-inch industrial rack PC, Simatic IPC547E, with powerful fourth generation Intel Core processors and the latest PC technology. Core i7 four-core processor, HD onboard graphics and fast work memory reduce the power loss by one third as compared to the previous version and offer 30% higher computing performance and almost three times better graphics performance. Raid hard disk configuration with additional hot spare hard disk and automatic restore in the event of a fault guarantee high system availability and data security.

Up to five monitors/displays can be connected for control centers and multi-monitoring applications. The new industrial PC is particularly suitable for use as a compact workstation or server for the fast acquisition and processing of large data volumes, for example in industrial image processing and process visualisation.

The new rack PC Simatic IPC547E is compatible with its predecessor model in terms of installation, interfacing and software. The minimal housing depth of 446 millimeters allows for space-saving installation in 19-inch control cabinets with depths from 500 millimeters. A version with a housing depth of 356 millimeters will be available soon for control cabinets from 400 millimeters. Thanks to the many integrated interfaces, such as DisplayPort V1.2, PCIe 3.0 or USB 3.0, the industrial PC is particularly flexible. For efficient diagnostics, the device features status LEDs on the front for fan, temperature and hard disks in the raid network, as well as diagnostics software included in the scope of supply. The user can utilize the Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT 9.0) already integrated in the processors for password-protected remote access, to facilitate remote diagnostics or maintenance, for example.

On request, the rack PC can be supplied with the pre-installed and activated Windows 7 Ultimate (32 and 64-bit) operating system or Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit). Versions with Windows 8 (64-bit) are currently in development. Supplementary software packages for control and visualisation solutions with server and SCADA functionality are available

Extended industrial PC range

The Siemens Industry Automation Division is extending its range of embedded industrial computers to include a new product line, Simatic IPC, of particularly compact and energy-saving PCs in the nano-format. The product line starts with two basic designs and a number of different versions: compact Nanobox PCs with versatile installation options and Nanopanel PCs with integral touchscreens of 7" or larger. At the core of the Simatic IPC227D Nanobox PCs and the Simatic HMI IPC277D Nanopanel PCs are the latest generation of Intel Atom processors. The Nano IPCs are designed for maintenance-free, 24-hour service even when subjected to high temperatures, vibration, shocks and electromagnetic interference. The units are suitable for simple control, visualization and communication tasks and can also be used as data loggers in areas such as machine building, traffic control, building automation systems or energy transmission. Ready-to-run packages comprising both computers and software allow the units to be put into service immediately. In recognition of its innovative product design, the Simatic IPC227D Nanobox PC has received the famous iF product design award.

A particularly compact design and the Atom processors of the power-optimized E6xx series from Intel are the key features of the new Simatic IPC227D Nanobox PCs and the Simatic HMI IPC277D Nanopanel PCs from the Siemens Industry Automation Division. The devices belong to a new product line of particularly compact and energy-saving industrial PCs in the nano-format.

The Atom processors of the power-optimized E6xx series from Intel form the basis for the new Simatic IPC227D Nanobox PC and Simatic HMI IPC277D Nanopanel PC embedded industrial PCs from the Siemens Industry Automation Division. The power-optimized Atom processors offer high-speed data processing and communication with low heat dissipation and a power consumption starting at just eight Watts. The devices boast high resistance to vibration and shock and have an integral 24 Volt industrial power supply unit. For maintenance-free use – for example in machine building, marine applications or in building or traffic control systems – the units can be operated without fans at ambient temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius. Compact-Flash cards with up to eight GB capacity or solid-state drives (SSD) of up to 50 GB can be used as robust bulk storage devices. As an option, Siemens offers a 250 GB hard disk for the Nanobox PC. Likewise, a retentive memory of up to 512 KB can be integrated if required and also used for applications without batteries. Within the buffering period, 128 KB of data can be written, for example to back up important machine data in the event of a power outage.

The Simatic IPC227D Nanobox PC with its compact dimensions of 191x100x60 mm (WxHxD) fits not only inside small control cabinets but also directly into a machine or the machine base. It can be installed very flexibly in the four standard versions of DIN rail, wall, portrait or landscape mounting. All interfaces are located on one side to simplify the connection of cables to the device. The unit can be operated without a fan at ambient temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius in almost any installation position. In the basic configuration, the Nanobox PC is completely maintenance-free, thanks to its dustproof enclosure and the absence of battery, fan or hard disk. For expansion purposes, the IPC227D has the option of one PCIe slot, three additional serial interfaces or four digital inputs and outputs (24V DC). For fast device diagnosis, the Nanobox PC has four status LEDs, three of which are fully programmable. Diagnostic software is pre-installed to provide comprehensive analysis.

The Simatic HMI IPC277D Nanopanel PC is available with 7", 9" and 12" high-resolution industrial touch displays in widescreen format, with a wide viewing angle. Devices with larger display sizes are currently being developed. Thanks to LED backlighting that is dimmable up to 100%, the power consumption of the Nanopanel PCs can be significantly reduced.

In all its versions, the IPC227D is equipped with four USB-2.0 ports, while the HMI IPC277D has at least three. Both devices have two Gigabit-Ethernet ports with teaming capability, of which one can optionally be used as a Profinet interface with real-time functionality. An RS232 interface is available as a serial port. Versions of the Nanobox PC with an RS485 or CAN interface are also available as options. By means of the Wake-on-LAN function, the devices can be remotely switched over from the active state to the standby mode, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the computer.

The Industrial PCs can be configured online and can be supplied on request with a pre-installed and activated operating system – Microsoft Windows XP Professional or Windows Embedded Standard 2009 – and have assured long-term availability. Versions with Windows 7 and Windows Embedded Standard 7 are currently under development. Ready-to-run packages including SIMATIC WinCC V11 visualization software or WinAC RTX (F) 2010 control software, which is also available in a fail-safe version for use where the most stringent safety requirements apply, are also being developed.