Aug. 19, 2024
Embedded computers come in various form factors. Most commercial and industrial applications pair these PCs with touch displays to make them more intuitive to use. But the manner in which the display is integrated is important as well.
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You can go for a Panel PC, which combines the computer with a touch screen display in a single device, like a touch tablet. Alternatively, you can stick to a standard box embedded PC, simply interfacing it with a separate touch-capable display.
This begs the obvious question &#; Which approach is better?
Should you choose a panel PC, or stick to a two-piece setup? What are the pros and cons of both approaches? When is it a good idea to pick a panel PC, and when is it better to keep the display separated?
Let&#;s find out.
First of all, it should be noted that there is nothing inherently wrong with any of the approaches. Whether you install a panel PC or a discrete rugged computer with an attached display, it will get the job done.
That being said, there are scenarios in which a particular setup is more suitable. For example, Panel PCs are great in situations where installation space is limited, and external cabling is not preferred.
On the other hand, a box PC with a touchscreen display is great for applications requiring a small screen. This way, the embedded computer itself can be built and installed separately, while keeping the display size limited.
With a Panel PC, you get a fully functional computer complete with a touchscreen display. There are no external cables, no separate installation &#; it is ready to use out of the box.
This makes panel PCs the perfect choice for high-mobility applications. Such a computer can be carried around the premises while staying connected to the main server through wireless connections.
Panel PCs are also ideal for low-space installations. Smart Kiosks and other user-friendly computing installations often take advantage of the smaller footprint of a panel PC. This also makes them excellent for most industrial automation setups, where the installation space is rather limited.
Then there are the aesthetics. Compact panel PCs look better, can be installed easily, and are very user-friendly. This makes them great for most consumer-facing commercial setups, where a sleek panel computer can be mounted on a wall or a recessed counter. IP66-rated waterproof panels are also used in high-hygiene environments, such as healthcare or food industries, being easier to clean and remove if required.
While panel PCs are incredibly versatile, performance is what defines a rugged box computer. Thanks to their larger size and better fanless cooling, box computers can support more power-hungry processors and GPUs. This makes box computers a must for demanding applications.
A two-piece setup also decouples the display from the computer, making it easier to troubleshoot a fault. Displays get damaged frequently in harsh industrial environments, which would mean replacing the whole computer if it was a panel PC. But with a box computer, you can just replace the screen, which is always cheaper.
Box computers are also utilized when non-standard screen sizes are required. Whether you need a smaller display without sacrificing processing power or a larger screen than offered by panel PCs, a two-piece installation works best.
When it comes to embedded computers, a one size fits all approach rarely works. Different PCs are suited for different types of applications, and it is the same with Panel PCs and box computers.
For most use cases, a panel system works best. The integrated touchscreen makes installation a breeze and requires very little space as well. If you choose a waterproof version, the sealed unit can also resist spills, allowing it to be used in proximity to liquids and cleaning agents.
That being said, there are still a few scenarios in which a separate display works better. Even though panel PCs have come far, they still cannot match the performance of a powerful box computer, owing to size and energy constraints. Going with an embedded box computer also gives you the freedom to choose a custom display size, apart from making the display easier to replace.
Most people are familiar with PCs (Personal Computers), but far fewer understand the difference between a retail PC and a panel PC. Whereas PCs are typically found in offices, panel PCs are specialized units designed to be used on or near machines in industrial environments like plant floors or remote sites. Panel PCs are built specifically to run HMI/SCADA software that allows operators to monitor and control processes in virtually every industry, including food & beverage, oil & gas, automotive, water & wastewater, and many more.
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Panel PCs are integrated all-in-one computers encompassing display and computing systems. The displays take the form of touchscreens that can be both capacitive, or multi-touch and resistive, meaning they can be used while wearing gloves. On the latter point, some panel PCs also give the option between projective capacitive (PCAP) and resistive screens. PCAP screens work by maintaining a standing electrical charge across a sensor that extends through a contact surface &#; in this case a touchscreen &#; where changes in the electrical charge can be detected by the proximity of a stylus, a finger, or other capacitive bodies. As far as performance is concerned, PCAP offers much higher viewability, brightness, and reliability. Resistive, in contrast, is more valuable in environments that require operators to wear standard non-specialized gloves, such as remote sites with harsh weather conditions.
Panel PCs are typically more ruggedized than their office-based counterparts and therefore more ideal for long-term use in production environments. Operating at a wide range of temperatures, panel PCs are also measured for IP (Ingress Protection), meaning the enclosure&#;s effectiveness at blocking dust, moisture, and liquids. Panel PCs have multi-screen capabilities in both portrait and landscape, allowing them to adapt to a variety of industry, plant, and field settings. On top of that, many panel PCs include integrated camera, microphone, and proximity sensor options to consolidate the accessories you might need to purchase, all while ensuring compatibility.
For similar reasons, panel PCs regulate temperature differently than commercial or retail PCs. Office PCs typically use fans to cool down their internal systems. However, fans, as well as any other internal moving parts, are not ideal for industrial environments where dust, wide temperature fluctuations, shocks, and random vibrations are common. To stay cool in these situations, panel PCs utilize fanless heatsink technology. A heatsink is a passive heat exchanger that dissipates heat to regulate overall panel PC temperature.
By now, most people associate touchscreens with battery-powered mobile devices like phones and tablets. While you may not be able to fit it in your pocket like a , a panel PC runs on hardwired power to avoid downtime while charging. Panel PCs also offer greater mounting and placement flexibility over commercial PCs because they can be mounted where they&#;re needed without running wiring to a separate PC.
Space is valuable on the plant floor. Panel PCs are designed to be compact while delivering convenient and easy control. By utilizing a touchscreen instead of a keyboard and mouse, panel PCs eliminate excess wires, the need for clunky tables or rigging, and reduce the overall size of the system.
Panel PCs offer several connectivity options including LAN, I/O (Input and Output), CAN, and cellular, in addition to WiFi. To stay apace with many organizations&#; Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 initiatives, most modern panel PCs include IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) functionality.
Panel PCs are designed with an emphasis on reliability, high performance, and an overall reduction of system malfunction, and are therefore most often considered a long-term investment, saving money on maintenance and software updates, especially if paired with a software platform like Ignition.
While compatibility testing is often still required for panel PCs, usually it is performed by the manufacturer in advance, so you don&#;t have to worry about whether the display and the computer will work together.
Operators use panel PCs to interact with HMI/SCADA systems, but the amount of control they have over the processes they are monitoring is proportional to how well their chosen hardware and software complement each other. Ignition is the perfect choice for rapidly developing high-performance HMIs designed to optimize operator efficiency. Installed in minutes on virtually any device, Ignition makes working with HMIs easy, and updating an existing HMI becomes fast and painless.
For a lightweight application designed for remote sites, the combination of a panel PC with Ignition Edge is ideal for capturing, processing, and visualizing critical data at the edge of the network, especially when paired with a low-bandwidth protocol like MQTT.
OnLogic builds panel PCs, along with a whole host of other industrial equipment that combine advanced computing power with a range of hardened displays as well as modular solutions to enable easy customization and simplify upgrading while reducing maintenance costs. OnLogic products pair spectacularly with Ignition and Ignition Edge.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of industrial touchscreen pc. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
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