Siemens has unveiled an industrial nano-computer, the Simatic IPC227D Nanobox PC.
The nano-size enables downsizing of control cabinets and overall costs. Industrial PCs are deployed to process image data on production lines for quality assurance or to monitor display and operating panels. The device has won the iF product design award.
The company’s facility in Karlsruhe designs and produces all the components from the motherboard to the packaging. The computers are deployed for building control and transportation platforms. The devices garner and analyze measurement data from multiple sensors. Many devices are placed directly in equipment where they do not need control cabinets but need to function reliably in spite of vibrations, mechanical shocks, high temperatures, or stray electrical fields. In order to prepare them for these harsh environments, each device undergoes rigorous tests for 36 hours at 40°C.
The device utilizes an Intel Atom processor that is energy efficient and produces little heat, removing the need of a fan, and allowing its installation in any environment. It measures 19x10x6cm and does not need maintenance. It features CompactFlash cards instead of a hard disk that resists high temperatures with up to eight gigabytes capacity or solid-state drives (SSDs) of 50 gigabytes. This saves thebBIOS setup data magnetically, removing the need for batteries. The device can display and operate systems. It features 7, 9, or 12inch high-resolution energy efficient touch displays The displays are supported by LED backlighting and can be dimmed and they consume very less power.
Source: http://www.siemens.com