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An industrial computer is a computing box designed to run continuously in environments where a standard PC would fail – a factory floor with constant vibration, a vehicle exposed to temperature swings, or an outdoor kiosk. It runs normal operating systems (Linux, Android) and can run custom applications just like a PC.
Industrial computers use solid-state storage, wide-voltage DC power inputs, hardware watchdog timers that auto-restart on software hang, and ruggedised connectors.
- Hardware watchdog – automatically restarts the system if it stops responding, critical for unattended operation
- Wide voltage input – typically DC 9-48V, handles the fluctuations of vehicle and industrial power supplies
- DIN Rail mounting – designed for panel installation alongside PLCs and automation equipment
- Serial ports – RS232 and RS485 for direct connection to field instruments
- Storage – eMMC or SSD; no spinning hard drives that fail under vibration