Industrial GPU computers must be made with higher level of rugged designs than normal PCs to provide reliable and stable operations in their application environments that might contain extreme harsh conditions and require 24/7 ceaseless operations. IPCs usually have a wider operating temperature range, higher capabilities in resisting shocks, vibrations, humidity, dust, salt, acid, voltage, electro-magnetic interference, adverse weather, or any other kind of negative environmental factors depending on their application settings and scenarios.

Industrial GPU computers not only have to maintain compliance with the standards of their domain computers but also often have to observe the industrial standards or regulations in their vertical markets to fulfill application demands and interoperability with other system components.

For example, computers used for military or defense purposes usually follow the military standards issued by the U.S. Department of Defense (called "MIL-STD" or "MIL-SPEC") in providing interoperability, SWaP (size, weight and power) optimized and rugged platforms ready for quick deployment with off-the-shelf products.

Industrial GPU computers must have special I/O designs for connecting to different sensors and devices in their purposed application system. Different applications usually have their own I/O emphases. For example, computers used in factory automation usually require serial ports like RS232/422/485 for supporting Modbus/Fieldbus serial communication protocols, or LAN ports for supporting Ethernet, which are rarely seen in commercial computers. Besides, computers used for controlling digital signage would require greater variety in image input/output ports for displaying high quality images, and expansion slots for boosting graphic processing performance. Richer and more versatile I/O designs would usually increase flexibility and expandability for system deployment and deliver greater economic benefits to customers.

We would like to discuss the prerequisites into two directions, hardware specifications and environmental factors. Let's start with an industrial computer's specifications.

Hardware Specifications

• What is the main purpose of your application system and how much processing power you would need?
  Check the hardware requirements listed by your software provider for reference.
• Do you need AI processing power?
  With modern complex applications, the need for real-time reactions may require artificial intelligence (AI). Applications such as multiple image recognition, or the ability for a machine to sense, reason, act in response to, or adapt according to the application. The complexity of the application will determine the need for an inference accelerator or GPU.
• How much RAM do you need?
  Random Access Memory plays a critical role in deciding computing speed and the overall system performance. ECC (error-correcting code) memory is another type of RAM, which is often chosen for rugged systems or mission-critical applications but typically has a higher price.
• How much storage do you need?
  For industrial applications, solid state disk (SSD) is more rugged and reliable than the mechanical hard disk drive (HHD), and offers significantly higher throughput, but has a higher price tag per GB of storage. If your system will rely on edge computing rather than uploading most data to the cloud, you will need larger capacity for data storage, HDD will be a more economic choice. Of course, you may like to have both of them and obtain high speed and high capacity at the same time if your budget allows.
• Set out your I/O requirements for device communication
  Communication is vital in embedded computing and it brings connected systems into a harmonious sync to execute tasks. Therefore, it is important to make a list of all the devices and equipment the industrial computer will need to establish links and identify their I/O type. You don’t want to have a computer deployed to your floor which is not able to fetch data from all of your critical devices and have to install a second computer to compensate.
• Specify your SWaP restrictions and choose suitable form factors
  An embedded computer often has to fit in a space facing restrictions in size, weight and power (SWaP), which sometimes run into contradiction with performance demand. Understand your environmental restrictions and choose a computer with form factors that meet your needs.
• Flexibility and expandability
  Your system is expected to be used for years to generate returns on investment, but technologies are always advancing and your system could be left behind. To protect your investment and maximize economic benefits, choose an industrial computer with future-proofing designs, so you can upgrade your system and add new features without sacrificing your existing system.
• Budget
  Your budget constraint is always your biggest pain point in planning your project and choosing a perfect computer. All your dreams about computing performance and stunning features have to be measured against your budget ceiling.



Environmental Factors

When choosing an industrial computer for your application, the "environmental factors" are of utmost importance, because, if the computer cannot operate in the deployed environment, all other specifications are just irrelevant. So understanding the environment your industrial computer will be operating in 24/7 becomes crucial to a successful deployment.
• Temperature range
  Heat is the biggest enemy for electronic components in a computer. Without an efficient thermal dissipation design, it can cause a processor to thermal throttle (reduced operating frequency) resulting in performance degradation; and the effects of long term high temperature operation of electronic components may also significantly reduce their lifespan! Many computers are deployed out in the open and perhaps have to boot under minus zero coldness in the morning and operate under blazing sun in up to 50°C air temperature at noon. Computers deployed to manufacturing facilities often have to face constant extreme heat. So identifying the temperature range in your application setting and make sure that your IPC supplier is able to provide "real" wide temperature support to meet your application needs.
• Note characteristics of location
  Many computers are deployed to a confined space and will need a SWaP optimized design; others could be deployed in vehicles or mobile applications like autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and will face extreme shocks and vibrations during operation. Find a computer with reinforced capabilities that address the characteristics of your application location.
• Environmental criteria in the vertical industry
  Many vertical markets have their common environmental concerns that IPC applications have to address, such as shock and vibration, humidity, salinity, temperature, and many more, and certain industries have developed their own standards for electrical or electronic equipment. For example, defense applications often follow MIL-STD for ruggedness compliance; railway applications are often required to address the international standards in anti-electromagnetic interference and anti-shock and vibration capabilities; computers used in medical applications should observe water/dust proofing and aseptic standards. If you don’t have clear ideas about specific environmental requirements of your applications, look into industrial certifications for reference and assurance.

By eliminating the effects of environmental factors and power delivery, you can now decide how smart you want your industrial PC to be by installing a GPU card that meets your needs. In terms of AI, the integration of a GPU card enables AI learning and reasoning capabilities, while its TFLOPS (one trillion floating-point operations per second) is an indication of its processing power, it can range from single-digit TFLOPS to several hundred. Remember though, the more the processing power, the more the heat generated. Hence there are various performance grades of GPU cards available, with power consumptions ranging from 30W up to 250W, you can choose to install one, or two, depending on your needs.

When selecting an industrial computer for wide temperature applications, you need to consider factors such as temperature range specifications and cooling capabilities.

Here, you can explore the fascinating relationship between heat dissipation and stability and how Neousys cooling technique differs.

IP66 and IP69K ratings differ in how well they protect against water and dust. IP66 shields against strong water jets. IP69K, however, is the top rating for devices facing high-pressure and high-temperature water. It's perfect for rugged devices in tough environments.

IP rating is an indicator for rugged devices like edge AI computers in tough spots. They show how well a device can resist dust, water, and other harsh elements. Knowing the device’s IP rating helps make sure it can handle the environment it's meant for.

The IP69K rating is the highest protection against high-pressure and high-temperature water. Devices rated IP69K can take jets of water up to 80°C (176°F) and 100 bar (1,450 psi). This makes them great for tough application environments like in food processing or farm equipment.

These rugged, waterproof edge AI computers are perfect for extremely harsh application environments. They can be deployed for industrial, transportation, farming, mining, and outdoor surveillance. They can handle dust, water, extreme heat, and other tough conditions.

IP66 devices are protected against strong water jets, IP67 devices can survive short dips in water, and IP69K devices are resistant against extreme water pressure and heat. IP69K is best for tough wet environments, like in food processing or heavy machinery.