Hello everyone! I'm looking for suggestions on how to better handle small form factor PCs in harsh manufacturing environments. We often deal with corrosive chemicals like salt, which leads to the ports and internal components getting corroded, forcing us to replace them yearly. I've experimented with covers, but they don't seem to solve the problem entirely. Has anyone else faced similar challenges and found effective solutions? Thanks in advance!
5 Answers
There are also purpose-built fanless PCs that withstand harsh conditions. While they can be a bit on the expensive side, they often have a longer lifespan. Have you looked into products from companies like OnLogic?
Is there a need for users to interact directly with the SFF PCs? If not, consider isolating the units in protective enclosures with grommets for cable management. This setup could provide better protection from contamination.
I'm not directly interacting with them. Do you have any specific enclosures in mind? I've been looking for wall-mounted options.
In my experience working at a gas plant, we ran KVM cables to outdoor control stations, which allowed us to keep the actual PCs in a cleaner environment. It helped extend their lifespan considerably.
Have you thought of using thin clients or Raspberry Pis? They can be housed in sealed enclosures designed for industrial settings, which might give you more protection than standard PCs.
Make sure you have positive pressure inside the enclosure, ideally with a filtered fan setup to keep contaminants out. Companies often use similar setups in network racks but adapting them for PCs could really help.
You might want to consider Panasonic Toughbooks or Dell's rugged line; they are designed for tough environments and often hold up better than regular PCs.
I've looked into those options, but they can be pricey. However, when you consider the costs of frequent replacements, it might actually balance out.
We previously used Advantech ARK units. While they were a bit underwhelming in specs for the price, they performed decently.