Industrial PCs

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Industrial PCs

by James G. Barr

Docid: 00018017

Publication Date: 2203

Publication Type: TUTORIAL

Preview

A ubiquitous presence in today’s information age, personal computers can be found in virtually every office and home, providing access to
e-mail, the Internet, and a myriad of applications for business,
entertainment, and beyond. While consumer PCs of the type manufactured by
Dell, HP, and others appear in plain sight, a less obvious – but no less
important – type of PC, the industrial PC, or IPC, is deployed in
vehicles, factories, warehouses, building management systems, and even
medical devices. Any environment in which operational data is collected
and processed to improve business performance, enhance
reliability, lower risks, and cut costs is a potential landing spot for
industrial PCs.

Executive Summary

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A ubiquitous presence in today’s information age, personal computers can be found in virtually every office and home, providing access to
e-mail, the Internet, and a myriad of applications from business to
entertainment and beyond. While consumer PCs of the type manufactured by
Dell, HP, and others appear in plain sight, a less obvious – but no less
important – type of PC, the industrial PC, or IPC, is deployed in
vehicles, factories, warehouses, building management systems, and even
medical devices. Any environment in which operational data is collected
and processed in order to improve business performance, enhance
reliability, lower risks, and cut costs is a potential landing spot for
industrial PCs.

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The principal difference between consumer (home and office) and
industrial PCs is that industrial PCs (see Figure 1) frequently function
autonomously (not in the service of a particular human operator) and are
capable of working in harsh conditions, withstanding extremes in temperature,
pollution, and vibrational forces.

Figure 1. Beckhoff Automation Industrial PC

Source: commons.wikimedia.org

Industrial PC Market

The market for industrial PCs is flourishing. According to
MarketsandMarkets, the global IPC market is expected to grow from $4.6
billion in 2021 to $6.1 billion by 2026, a compound annual growth rate
(CAGR) of 5.8 percent over the forecast period.¹

Spurring the market growth are two principal factors:

First, industrial firms, particularly manufacturing companies, are
exerting greater control over their operations by embracing the
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), which renders every device and
virtually every component into a micro data repository – data which is
ideally processed locally by an industrial PC.
Second, industrial firms are increasingly investing in renewable
energy. “The growing energy demand can only be met by [effective]
electricity production, which [requires] improved efficiency,
flexibility in production facilities, and close monitoring by operators.
In this regard, industrial PCs help acquire data generated in power
plants, allowing the operators to analyze the data to control
manufacturing operations. As a result, several companies are deploying
industrial PCs to cater to the growing demand for smart manufacturing
solutions.”²

In a larger context, industrial PCs lie at the intersection of several
major IT trends and objectives, namely:

Remote operations, furthered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Industrial Internet of Things, the physical/digital fabric that
enables advancements like autonomous vehicles and factory equipment
self-repair schemes.
Edge computing, which holds that data should be processed while fresh,
i.e., locally, and then transferred to the cloud for follow-on analysis.

Industrial PCs are well-positioned and well-provisioned to satisfy these
modern IT requirements.

What Is an Industrial PC?

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As the term implies, industrial PCs, or IPCs, are most commonly deployed
in factories, warehouses, and other industrial environments. They are also
deployed in various outdoor settings which, unlike homes and offices, are
not climate-controlled. Indeed, one of the major defining characteristics
of IPCs is their ability to function in harsh conditions, surviving:

Extreme temperatures
Dirt, dust, and other airborne pollutants
Ground shaking or other vibrational forces

The Meaning of Rugged

Owing to their physical durability, industrial PCs are often called
“rugged” or “ruggetized” PCs. The term can be deceptive, however, since
some manufacturers reserve the “rugged” designation for their most robust
models, thus establishing a distinction between their normally-robust IPCs
and their extra-robust computers.

This distinction is useful, however, since manufacturers can offer less
expensive systems (capable of handling, say, 0 degree weather) while also
offering heartier, but pricier, systems capable of absorbing a -40
degree climate.

Types of IPCs

Just as consumer PCs come in a variety of sizes and shapes, such as desktop,
laptop, and tablet models, industrial PCs may be embedded, touch panel, or
factory automation (FA).

According to Contec, a global electronics manufacturer and systems
integrator, Embedded IPCs (see Figure 2) are designed to be
incorporated into production equipment, inspection equipment, vehicles,
IIoT devices, etc., performing specific functions such as equipment
control or data transfer. Embedded IPCs are normally thin and compact,
enabling insertion in tight spaces. For this reason, the CPU, memory, and
other sensitive components may be engineered to tolerate a wider than
normal (even for an IPC) temperature range.³

Figure 2. Embedded Industrial PC

Source: OnLogic

Touch Panel IPCs (see Figure 3) provide a LCD panel to input user
commands. Without a separate body or keyboard to take up precious space,
touch panel IPCs are like consumer tablets; in this case, providing a
operation panel for machine tools and other gear, as well as a production
line command terminal.⁴

Figure 3. Touch Panel PC

Source: OnLogic

Factory Automation IPCs resemble conventional desktops and are
tailored to the specific needs of the factory, hospital, or other
production facility they serve.⁵

Advantages of IPCs

According to Contec, industrial PCs offer four distinct advantages over
consumer PCs:

Compactness – “An industrial PC can save space where a consumer PC
cannot. In [fact], compactness is an essential requirement for embedded
PCs.”

Economy – “Although industrial PCs are more expensive than
consumer PCs, because the supply period is long, they can be expected to
provide large cost savings when considered from a long-term perspective of
5 or 10 years.”

Reliability – “Because industrial PCs prioritize long years of
service …, they have excellent environmental resistance and durability,
and can provide stable operation over long periods.”

Continuity of Operation – “Industrial PCs are frequently required
to operate continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For this reason,
industrial PCs utilize components that can operate in broad temperature
ranges, and are specially designed to deliver continuous and stable
operation in adverse environments.”⁶

Protecting an Industrial PC

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While industrial PCs may enjoy a certain physical robustness or
ruggedness, they share a common vulnerability with their consumer
counterparts: the potential for cyber attacks. In developing an IPC Cyber
Protection Plan, enterprise officials should concentrate on the following:

Cyber Governance

Begin by adopting the International Society for Automation (ISA) security
standard: Establishing an Industrial Automation and Control Systems
Security Program.

“Formerly designated ANSI/ISA-99.02.01-2009, this standard … addresses
the issue of security for industrial automation and control systems. This
standard describes the elements contained in a cyber security management
system for use in the industrial automation and control systems
environment, and provides guidance on how to meet the requirements
described for each element.”⁷

Patch Management

As analyst Jeff Winter observes, “Patching as a whole is a small piece of
the overall [cybersecurity] challenge, but it is an incredibly
important piece for industrial PCs and servers. As a general matter,
IPC updates, especially security updates, should be applied as they become
available.”⁸

Cyber Insurance

As a form of financial immunization against threats targeting industrial
or consumer PCs, enterprise officials should secure cyber insurance,
including a business interruption policy.⁹ As a condition of
acquiring coverage, at least low-cost coverage, these officials may have
to demonstrate a “rugged” business resilience posture, providing insurers
with proof of a comprehensive – and well-exercised – cyber version of
their:

Incident Response Plan
Disaster Recovery Plan
Business Continuity Plan

TPM 2.0 Security

Premio, a global IT solutions provider, recommends that rugged industrial
PCs be armed with TPM 2.0 security.¹⁰ TPM refers to a Trusted Platform Module, a tamper-resistant integrated
circuit that performs cryptographic operations (including key generation)
and protects small amounts of sensitive information, such as passwords and
cryptographic keys.¹¹ As analyst Alaina Yee explains, “A TPM
stores information related to encryption or authentication. To keep it
safe, it monitors your hardware configuration – if it notices a change,
it’ll lock you out until you provide a recovery key or use an alternative
method for login.”¹²

Selecting an Industrial PC

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Just like any IT investment, choosing an industrial PC requires careful
consideration, especially since there is no shortage of IPC providers and
models. As a start, according to MarketsandMarkets, as of 2020, there are
ten major players in the global IPC space:

Advantech (Taiwan)
Beckhoff Automation (Germany)
Siemens (Germany)
IEI Integration Corporation (Taiwan)
Kontron S&T (Germany)
Nexcom International (Taiwan)
B&R Automation (Austria)
Avalue Technology (Taiwan)
DFI (Taiwan)
American Portwell Technology (US)¹³

For those experienced in buying consumer PCs, the IPC selection process
offers some similarities:

How much processing power is needed?
How much RAM?
How much storage?
What are the I/O requirements?

Now come the questions that are pertinent to why you’re buying an
industrial PC.

First up, what is the temperature range in which the IPC will
operate? For example, in describing his company’s IPC lines, Pete
Pikulski of OnLogic reports that “our systems are all rated to operate
within a specific temperature range:

“Most of our industrial line: 0 degree C to 50 degree C
“Most of our rugged line: -40 degree C to 70 degree C
“Panel PCs: -20 degree C to 70 degree C.”

Matching the IPC to the temperature range in which it will operate is
essential to ensuring durability.¹⁴

Another factor to consider is the presence of airborne contaminants, like
dust and dirt. Depending on atmospheric conditions, selecting a fanless,
or even ventless, IPC may be indicated.¹⁵

Finally, will the IPC be subject to shaking or vibration. If so,
selecting an all-solid state or rugged IPC would be prudent.¹⁶
As we previously discussed, be aware that some vendors differentiate
between “industrial PCs” and “rugged industrial PCs.” If you want rugged,
say rugged.

Regulatory Requirements

In addition to technical matters, Pikulski warns that the selection of an
industrial PC may be influenced by compliance issues. For example:

If embedding an IPC into a UL-certified product that you intend to
sell to customers, it may be the case that the IPC itself must be
UL-certified.
If planning to ship an IPC internationally, be sure it conforms to the
safety standards of the destination nation.
If embedding an IPC into a medical device, be sure it adheres to
medical safety standards.¹⁷

Final Word

The process of evaluating and selecting industrial PCs will assume
increasing significance, especially as the Industrial Internet of Things
continues to expand and encompass more physical assets, from the factory
to the individual component level. IPCs will play a critical role in
managing and monitoring this physical/digital infrastructure, so choosing
the right partner and the right products will be paramount.

Web Links

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http://www.advantech.com/

http://www.portwell.com/

http://www.avalue.com.tw/

http://www.beckhoff.com/

http://www.br-automation.com/

http://www.dfi.com/

http://www.ieiworld.com/

http://www.kontron.com/

http://www.nexcom.com/

http://www.siemens.com/

References

¹ “Industrial PC Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis by Type
(Panel, Rack Mount, Box, Embedded, and DIN Rail), Specification, Sales
Channel (Direct, Indirect), Industry (Process, Discrete), and Region –
Global Forecast to 2026.” MarketsandMarkets. November
2021.

² Ibid.

³ "What Are Industrial PCs? Differences from Consumer PCs,
Applications, and Advantages." Contec Group. November 25, 2021.

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ Ibid.

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ International Society for Automation.

⁸ Jeff Winter. “Upgrading Industrial PC Cybersecurity in
Manufacturing.” Control Engineering. August 5, 2021.

⁹ Ibid.

¹⁰ “What Makes Up a Rugged Industrial PC? (Behind The
Design).” Premio Inc. February 23, 2021.

¹¹ US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

¹² Alaina Yee. “Windows 11 Doesn’t Automatically Protect You
from All Threats. Here’s How to Stay Safe.” PCWorld | IDG Communications. November 4, 2021.

¹³ “Industrial PC Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis by Type
(Panel, Rack Mount, Box, Embedded, and DIN Rail), Specification, Sales
Channel (Direct, Indirect), Industry (Process, Discrete), and Region –
Global Forecast to 2026.” MarketsandMarkets. November
2021.

¹⁴ Pete Pikulski. “How to Choose the Best Industrial
Computer.” OnLogic. January 14, 2022.

¹⁵ Ibid.

¹⁶ Ibid.

¹⁷ Ibid.

About the Author

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James G. Barr is a leading business continuity analyst
and business writer with more than 40 years’ IT experience. A member of
“Who’s Who in Finance and Industry,” Mr. Barr has designed, developed, and
deployed business continuity plans for a number of Fortune 500 firms. He
is the author of several books, including How to Succeed in Business
BY Really Trying, a member of Faulkner’s Advisory Panel, and a
senior editor for Faulkner’s Security Management Practices.
Mr. Barr can be reached via e-mail at jgbarr@faulkner.com.

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