The choice of PC for machine control

Published: 13 December 2007  12:00 AM
Industry Channel: None
Source: The Engineer Online
Company: Lenze Ltd

If you need a PC to control the automation on your machine, there are suppliers offering powerful and flexible industrial PCs.  The alternative to the Industrial PC is an Office PC which is likely to be lower in cost by a factor of 2 or 3.  Both are capable of machine control and comparable in speed of processing, memory capacity and software. The Industrial PC costs significantly more mainly because the production quantities are much lower.  So why would you use an Industrial PC over an office PC?  This article suggests a number of reasons.

For the machine manufacturer, using an office PC can be rather like putting a time bomb into his machine.  Years into the future, the Office PC manufacturer will not be able to compete with the long term availability assured by the maker of the Industrial PC.  The IPC manufacturer will be careful to make infrequent component changes and to hold full historical information on those changes.  In case of any such changes he will strive to achieve compatibility.  This is very different to the situation with Office PCs where component and design change is frequent.  Should problems occur in future years, the choice of an IPC means that solutions can be easily found, data is available and parts are compatible.

Designers of Industrial PCs are careful to consider EMC requirements.  This is a two way situation: the IPC should not interfere with electrical controls elsewhere on the machine, but equally it should be immune to any radiated interference from the other electrical controls. Typical design standards for EMC are EN50081 and EN55022.  Furthermore integrity of the installation can be improved with an UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply), an optional feature but increasingly one that is built in as standard on some models.

A manufacturer of the IPC can customise to suit application requirements.  In the case of the hardware, generally low production batches mean that operator screens can be customised, for example with logos and colours.  Keyboards can be customised too, for example to suit the alpha/numeric standards in other countries or to add switches as for emergency stop. Also software can be customised if required, and the IPC can be delivered with software already loaded, ready to run.  The IPC manufacturer will have knowledge of your specification and their service and support personnel will be contactable and able to offer skilled advice.

Another significant area where the IPC differs from the office PC is in the robustness which in turns means long term reliability of the computer.  For IPCs mounted to the outside of the machine, IP65 enclosure is possible and this can also be extended to keyboards.  The machine may have to run in hot and cold conditions with the PC in a panel that is itself warm.  IPCs are designed to suit a wide range of conditions, for example Lenze offer ambient temperatures from 0 to 50°C, humidity up to 90% and suitable for use up to 3,000m above sea level.  Vibration resistance is improved and there are more cable ties and thicker circuit tracks.  Often the modern IPC will run at very low powers and therefore cooling fans can be avoided.  However if they are needed dust filters will be fitted. 

Choosing an industrial PC above an office PC is all about future proofing your machine.  Most machinery is going to need service sometime in the future.  Having a PC of known specification, where repairs and replacement can be made, leads to an enhanced reputation for the machine manufacturer and the retention of customers.

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