I7 Industrial PCs & Computers (Embedded Systems)

What Is An I7 Industrial PC? 

An i7 industrial PC is a hardened industrial-grade computer that’s equipped with an Intel Core i7 Processor, offering blazing fast performance for complex enterprise workloads. I7 embedded computers are hardened for deployment in challenging environments that experience shock, vibration, dust, and extreme temperatures. These systems are also compact, allowing deployment in space-constrained environments without sacrificing performance.
 

You get a lot of performance from a compact and hardened PC that’s designed to be deployed in the harshest conditions while operating reliably and optimally. Industrial PCs with i7 processors can be deployed in environments where regular PCs cannot survive deployment. They can withstand challenging deployment because they are made from industrial-grade components that have been tested and validated to operate reliably regardless of the deployment environment.

So, if you need a high-performance industrial PC that can operate optimally and reliably even in extremely cold, extremely hot, or dust filled environments, you should deploy a rugged industrial PC. They can even handle continuous and frequent exposure to shock and vibration while performing mission-critical tasks while providing plenty of powerful performance for demanding workloads.  
 

That said, if you have an entry-level workload that you want your industrial PC to perform, you may not necessarily have to deploy an i7 industrial PC, as you may be able to get away with using a lower-powered option. Although most people do not like to hear the term low-powered industrial PC, you should explore your options. If you can get away with using a low-powered industrial computer, you should deploy them because they will save you a significant amount of money over deploying a more powerful option.  
 

Having said that, if you have demanding and complex workloads, such as running multiple complex applications or performing machine learning inference, you will benefit greatly by deploying a power intel i7 industrial computing solution as such tasks require powerful processing power to run smoothly and responsively. 

Intel Embedded Roadmap

At C&T, we only equip our industrial computing solutions with embedded processors that are on Intel’s embedded roadmap. Intel’s embedded roadmap functions as a guarantee from Intel that it will continue to produce and support a processor that’s on the roadmap for a longer period of time than consumer-grade processors. Usually, Intel promises to keep processors on the embedded roadmap for 10 or more years. For this reason, we only equip our system with CPUs that are on this roadmap so that we are able to provide our customers with support for existing systems and guarantee that they can purchase the same system from us for several years down the road. 

I7 Industrial PC In Socket Or SoC Design 

C&T offers both Socket and SoC intel i7 industrial PCs. SoC designs tend to combine the CPU, GPU, chipset, and I/Os onto a single silicon substrate. On the other hand, with socket PCs, the main components are typically removable and replaceable, providing users with more flexibility in terms of which components they add to a system. Also, socket i7 PCs tend to have more cores and higher clock speeds because they have a higher TDP.
 

SoC designs tend to be low-powered and have a lower TDP than socket-based i7 industrial computing solutions. SoCs are typically better suited for entry-level workloads that do not require tremendous processing power, and socket PCs are better suited for demanding workloads that require more processing power. That said, i7 industrial computers are suitable for demanding workloads that require powerful processing power because they are equipped with multiple cores, making them more than capable of running demanding applications. 
 

What Tasks Are I7 Industrial PCs Good For? 

Embedded I7 industrial computers are equipped with powerful 7th, 8th, 9th and now 10th generation Intel Core i7 processors, offering blazing fast performance for complex industrial workloads. The benefit of embedded longevity is the support and availability of previous processor generations. For example, this allows sensitive industrial applications to stay with configurations and hardware that are functional with their applications. These powerful computers are an excellent option for performing workloads such as machine vision, recording autonomous vehicle data, machine learning, deep learning, and many other workloads that require significant compute power. 

What Are The Features Of Intel I7 Industrial ComputEr? 

Here are some of the defining features of i7 computing solutions:

1. Wide Operating Temperature Range

Industrial PCs have a wide operating temperature range, ranging from -40⁰C to 85⁰C. This allows systems to be deployed in environments that experience extreme cold or extreme heat. These systems are able to operate reliably because they are configured with powerful yet low TDP processors that can be passively cooled via heatsinks. Additionally, systems are configured with wide operating temperature range components that can withstand extreme heat and cold exposure.  
 

2. Dust Resistance 

Industrial computing solutions are resistant to dust and small particles. They are resistant to dust and debris because they are passively cooled, which allowed engineers to create totally closed systems with no vents or openings through which dust can enter the system and wreak havoc on sensitive internal components. This makes these solutions great for deployment in dusty and debris-filled environments, such as factory floors, outdoors, kiosk machines, and other environments where they’re exposed to a significant amount of dust and debris. On the other hand, a regular desktop computer deployed in such environments may fail very quickly because most desktops use fans to cool down the internal components, which introduces dust and other small particles into the system, damaging internal components. 
 

3. Small Footprint 

Even though our industrial computers are equipped with powerful i7 processors, they are extremely compact and therefore have a very small footprint. Their small footprint allows them to be deployed in space-constrained environments that are too small for regular desktop computers. The compact size of systems was made possible by fanlessly cooling the devices, removing the need for bulky fans to be installed to cool down systems. Small, high-performance industrial PCs can be deployed in cabinets, mounted underneath tables, walls, ceiling, and other tight spaces. For example, the RCO-6000 can be configured with Intel’s 7th Generation Core i7 processors, offering plenty of high-performance computing power in a small solution that’s deployable in space-limited environments. 
 

4. Industrial Grade Components 

I7 industrial embedded computers are made using industrial-grade components that are tested and validated to endure challenging deployments. Such devices are more rugged than regular desktop computers because they are hardened to endure deployment in challenging environments that are not suitable for regular desktop computers. Also, another benefit of industrial-grade computers is that they’re configured using CPUs that are part of Intel’s embedded roadmap where intel vouches to support and make CPUs available for a 15-year cycle, which is a huge benefit for industrial computing solutions that require long life and a locked bill of materials.  
 

5. Shock And Vibration Resistance

Furthermore, i7 industrial computing solutions have another advantage over regular desktop computers, and that’s the ability to operate reliably and optimally even in situations where the device is exposed to frequent shock and vibration because of the shock and vibration resistance built into such systems. In fact, industrial computing solutions offer 50Gs of shock and 5GRM of vibration resistance in compliance withMIL-STD-810G. Shock and vibration resistance is made possible via the use of a cable-less design and reinforced mechanical designs. The elimination of cables from the system eliminates the possibility of a cable coming loose from its connection rendering the system inoperable.  
 

6. Rich Connectivity

I7 industrial PCs are equipped with rich connectivity options that include dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, allowing users to connect the system directly to a network via wired connection or connect Ethernet peripherals to the device. Additionally, devices are equipped with the latest Wi-Fi 6 cards, allowing users to deploy systems in places where wired Ethernet connectivity is not available. Wi-Fi provides great range, data transfer speeds, and low latency. In the event that wired and Wi-Fi connectivity is not available, industrial embedded computing solutions can still connect to the internet via cellular connectivity. That is, systems are equipped with dual SIM sockets, allowing users to add to two cellular carriers for redundancy. If one carrier is not available or has a weak signal, systems can be configured to connect to a secondary carrier, keeping your PC connected to the internet for remote monitoring and control. Cellular connectivity is great, especially for remote deployments where reliable wired and Wi-Fi connectivity are often not available. 

7. Silent Operation 

Another benefit that i7 industrial computing solutions have to offer is that they can operate silently. They can operate silently because all noise-causing fans have been eliminated from the systems, resulting in a completely silent fanless computing solution. Silent computers are great for deployment in environments where silent operation is required. For example, if you’re deploying an embedded PC into a kiosk machine that’s going into a library or a medical imaging machine that’s going to be deployed in an operating room, you will benefit greatly by utilizing a silent industrial computing solution. This is so because such environments require silence, which is what these systems are capable of providing. 
 

Where Can You Buy Intel I7 Industrial Computers And PCs?

C&T offers a wide variety of industrial PCs that range from Intel Celeron industrial PCs to Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 industrial PCs that provide powerful performance. If you need assistance choosing an industrial computing solution, please contact us, and one of our industrial computing professionals will assist you with selecting a solution that meets your specific requirements.