In designing a computing system, there are a number of main building components that influence the look, feel, performance, reliability, repeatability and robustness of the end product. These include the storage drives (HDD, Solid State, CompactFlash, CD drives and FDD), Memory, Central Processing Unit (CPU), processor cooler, Power Supply Unit (PSU) or redundant PSU, Motherboard or Single Board Computer (SBC) and Backplane combination, total chassis cooling mechanism and finally the Chassis.
A standard 4U chassis is highly scalable and its versatility lends itself to many end applications and environments. Hence, in building a computing system, the industry and application in question have to be taken into consideration. Different applications may also require different IP ratings and certifications.
For the most extreme conditions and out-of-the-office applications, rugged mobile computer systems provide the ultimate in notebook and tablet computing. Rugged mobile computers feature protection against dust, debris and water by using the latest materials and sealing techniques. The rugged mobile computers offered are largely based on Intel's 855GME chipset. This highly efficient chipset and associate component subsets, including processor and memory offer the performance to allow efficient fully sealed fanless rugged computers to be produced. Furthermore, flexible design techniques allow their rugged mobile computers to support plug-in PCI or ISA expansion cards. In this design, mobile application processors and associate fanless coolers are used; and for space conservation, a 2.5” HDD is used. This greatly improves the device shock and vibration tolerance.
For automotive applications, the computing system will be exposed to a lot of vibration and dust; hence it needs to be more robust in its total design. Any computing device made for use in the automotive industry needs e mark certification. The recommended design would be an embedded, fanless solution. Using a fully enclosed device, where the chassis acts as a cooling mechanism for the device
For medical, pharmaceutical and food applications the high tech modular industrial PC design is recommended. This can be easily configured to meet customer needs by including a touch screen and expansion slots for plug-in boards to further expand the system and provide additional features. The system can be operated using a touchscreen or via a rugged IP54/65 rated keyboard. The completely sealed stainless steel housing makes the system meet the IP specified protection norms and requirements for these industries.
Generally when designing an industrial computing system, a single board computer (SBC) solution will offer greater repeatability (typically 5 years). These products have a more versatile range of options and are revision controlled with a longer life cycle than motherboards. For projects requiring repeatability in excess of 5 years, spares requirements are calculated to support the product over its desired life cycle.
The PSU unit selection is dependant on the sum of the individual component power requirements, as well as the required availability of the device. It is also important to allow for any future increase in power demands, due to expansion of the original system. Industrial computing devices are designed for 24/7 use and in some cases a redundant PSU is required. These comprise of a minimum of two independent PSU modules housed in a single cage. The device needs to be capable of running effectively with just one of the modules operating. During normal mode there will be load sharing between both modules. When a module becomes defective an audible and visual alarm will indicate which module requires replacement.