A Guide to Industrial Computing - Protecting the Processor

The industrial computer, industrial PC, panel PC or(often with a high pressure hose/jet wash).
rugged PC are all names for computers designedExtreme temperatures - some industrial PCs have
to work in conditions not really suitable forto operate in freezers or chillers where they are
sensitive electronics such as factories,expected to function at minus 30 centigrade.
warehouses and production plants. All industrialWhilst some computers are tasked to operate
computer systems have to be tough to resistnear furnaces or other processes where
many of the hostile elements that persist in suchtemperatures can rise extremely high.
environments.Heavy impacts/vibrations - industrial areas can be
Industrial PC's have to operate in extremephysically hazardous too with fork-lifts zipping
conditions and has to be resilient to them all whichabout and heavy machinery moving around. Any
could include:computer operating in these needs to cope with
Dust - will block filters and drives of aheavy impacts or the vibrations caused by
conventional computer, over-insulate which causesindustrial processes.
over-heating and even short circuit conventionalConventional computers are now frequently being
equipment. In some areas dust can formused in industrial areas thanks mainly to the
potentially explosive clouds meaning any electricalprotection offered by industrial computer
device not only has to be protected from theenclosures. These computer cabinets offer all the
dust but the dust has to be protected from anyprotection of an industrial PC, defending against
potential sparks from the device.dust, water, temperatures and heavy impacts etc
Water - used in many industrial processes,but with the added flexibility of a standard PC
particularly in food production, where all equipmentallowing the device to be upgraded/repaired at will.
has to be able to cope with being washed down