Industrial Computers
Rugged computers built for harsh environments and long lifecycles. SCN offers panel PCs, box PCs, rack PCs, single board computers, industrial displays, keyboards, memory and storage. Our solutions are used in factory automation, vehicles, medical technology and defence, and can be configured to your exact requirements.
Industrial computers – rugged PCs for machines, vehicles and control cabinets
An industrial computer, or industrial PC, is built to run around the clock where an office PC would fail: in dust, vibration, heat and cold, on machines, in vehicles and in electrical cabinets. Typical features are fanless cooling, wide-range DC power, extended temperature ranges and long product availability. SCN supplies industrial computers from Axiomtek, IEI, Moxa, Winmate, AAEON, Aitech and Diamond Systems, together with components and peripherals from Innodisk, ATP, Newland, Indukey and others.
Computers: box PCs for cabinets and vehicles, panel PCs with touchscreen, rack PCs for 19-inch cabinets, single board computers and rugged tablets and PDAs. Displays and input: industrial displays, keyboards, keyboards for defence and aerospace and medical keyboards and mice. Components and data capture: RAM memory, industrial storage, barcode scanners and RFID.
How to choose: start with where the computer will sit and whether operators need a screen. Then size the processor for the workload (control, vision or AI), check the I/O and fieldbus interfaces, the power input and temperature range, and the approvals your application requires, such as EN 50155 for rail or E-mark for vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
Panel PC, box PC or rack PC – which industrial PC do I need?
Choose a panel PC when operators need a touchscreen at the machine, a box PC when the computer sits in a cabinet or vehicle and a separate screen is optional, and a rack PC when you need several expansion cards or drive bays in a 19-inch cabinet. A single board computer suits builders who integrate the computer into their own device.
What makes an industrial PC different from an ordinary PC?
An industrial PC is designed for continuous operation in harsh conditions and for a long life cycle. Compared with an office PC it typically has fanless cooling, 9–36 V or wider DC input, an operating range down to −20 or −40 °C, resistance to shock and vibration, interfaces such as COM, CAN and isolated I/O, and the same hardware available for many years.
Why are industrial PCs fanless?
Fanless industrial PCs dissipate heat through the aluminium housing and its cooling fins, so there is no fan to clog with dust or wear out. That makes them sealed against dirt, silent and more reliable in 24/7 operation. The trade-off is processing power: high-end CPUs and GPUs for AI or machine vision may still need active cooling, which some box and rack PCs provide.
How is an industrial PC mounted in a cabinet or machine?
Box PCs are usually mounted on a DIN rail or wall bracket inside the electrical cabinet, rack PCs in a standard 19-inch cabinet, and panel PCs in a cut-out in the cabinet door or machine front, typically with an IP65 or IP66 front sealed against dust and water jets. Leave space around fanless units and check the maximum temperature inside the cabinet.
Not sure which model you need?
Get help choosingRead more in our guides
Facts and advice that make the choice easier.
IP ratings explained – IP65, IP67, IP68 and IP69KIndustrial PC – choosing a box PC, panel PC or rack PCEdge computing and AI – how to choose an industrial computerAll guides