Industrial New generation of modular box PC systems
Fanless embedded box PCs are already well established in Industry 4.0 environments. The main characteristics of these industrial PCs are their robustness and compactness. But how can different industrial interfaces for a range of different applications be extended or substituted – quickly, reliably and, first and foremost, cost-effectively? Advantech’s ARK Box PC systems provide a simple solution. Peter Jost, product sales manager, Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH, explains
Peter Jost, product sales manager, Rutronik. D
epending on how industrial customers wish to use or implement fanless embedded box
PCs, they are often faced with difficult decisions. Most embedded system suppliers only offer a restricted range of products. These products fulfill certain minimum standards, but for specific solutions they are often inadequate. Any conversions or own developments that may then be necessary require programming effort and certification, making them risky, expensive and time- consuming. Advantech’s new generation of ARK Box PC systems get round this problem by providing the option of putting a device together in whatever way exactly meets requirements.
More than 100 different I/O combinations are possible The main feature of the ARK-2230L, ARK-2250L, ARK-3520P and ARK-3520L embedded box PCs is to be seen in the
36 September 2017
availability of various ARK expansion modules. The ARK Plus extended modules are of special interest, as they have an additional iDoor interface, e.g. for GbE, CANBus, RS232/422/485, USB and other industrial I/Os. In addition to this, the ARK-3520P also provides extra interfaces, such as an iDoor and 2x Add- on card. All components can be interchanged very quickly to suit the application, and are then immediately available for use. The user can carry out the replacement without much effort. The modules are connected with the Master Embedded Board on a modular basis, and a single interface covers the entire connection. This means that the ARK system can provide over one hundred different I/O combinations, putting it right at the cutting edge of the embedded system segment. The power supply is controlled via 12 V and 9-36 V input voltage, which makes for an extremely broad implementation range. For instance, various peripheral devices, such as printers or displays, can be supplied with power via the PC without an extra power connection. In addition, multi-display interfaces allow for simultaneous operation of several displays.
Computing power to meet all requirements
At the heart of the ARK-2230 there is an Intel Celeron Quad Core J1900Soc processor, supplying excellent performance on the basis of a cycle time of 2.0 GHz. This can be increased to 2.42 GHz by means of Turbo Boost. Then comes the capacity of the ARK-2230’s Integrated Graphics Processor (IGP), which easily manages a resolution of 2048 x 1152 at 60 Hz. And the other benefits include cost-effectiveness and a low noise level. Should higher computing capacities be
required, the ARK-2250L, ARK-3520L or ARK-3520P systems (including the iDoor and 2x Add-on card slot expansions) are available. These three models are based on Intel Core i processors, and they set new standards in terms of performance, energy
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efficiency and scalability. Customers can choose between Intel Core i3-6100E / i5- 6440EQ / i7-6820EQ processors. Thanks to the future-oriented 14 nanometer manufacturing process, the power consumption is especially low, so the i7- 6820EQ always stays below the TDP limit of 45 W at CPU load only, for instance. In contrast to many Haswell spinoffs, the specified Turbo Boost then stays permanently stable even at maximum performance. The current generation provides four cores with hyperthreading. This is the CPU class required by users of programs that need unusually high processing power.
At home in industry
Industrial specifications such as anti-shock construction and tolerance of high temperature fluctuations are also fulfilled. The systems are designed for use in a temperature range of -20°C to 60°C. The housing is aluminium. The ribbed design effectively conducts heat away from the interior and protects it from overheating. This means that none of the systems requires a fan. Therefore these embedded box PCs are very well suited for use wherever degrees of soiling threaten to cause disruptions and failure. But it is not just the hardware that fulfills Industry 4.0 specifications. In addition to the intelligently harmonised base software, there are many additional software service packages available such as autodiagnosis, remote management,
backup and recovery and anti-virus solutions. This means not just more security for industrial applications, but it also makes administering and maintaining the systems easier.
The ARK systems feature high- performance hardware, best standards of workmanship and comprehensive software and hardware options. What makes Advantech fanless embedded box PCs stand out from the crowd is their modular interface versatility. So for industrial applications there is the maximum range of choice in terms of variability and security. For users who need a lot of flexibility, especially regarding interfaces, the new modular ARK generation is the right choice.
www.rutronik.com
www.cieonline.co.uk
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