What is the difference between industrial pc and personal pc? Are you looking for a new computer and don’t know what to choose?
Do you still think a personal pc can offer you roughly the same functionality as an industrial pc?
What to know about personal computers, between everyday life and customization
Unlike industrial-type PCs, ordinary consumer PCs are born to be intended for a home or office environment, for purely personal and daily use, almost always managed by a single user. For this reason, the interface is designed in such a way as to facilitate user-friendly use and has easily programmable features such as word processing software, calculations, web browsers, video games, e-mail and other almost endless application possibilities, leaving ample room for user customization in both business and private settings. Whether it is the office desk or the bedroom, we use our personal pc at a temperature that is always controlled, warm in the winter and cool in the summer: in fact, unlike any industrial-type pc, the PCs that are normally found on the market should not work above 35 °C. The usage time of a personal pc is also limited compared to an industrial pc, even when using it throughout the day for office work. With regard to life cycle, consumer PCs are subject to the relentless technological progress imposed by a market that knows no crisis and is constantly offering operating system updates and new programs. It is estimated that the average life cycle of a personal computer is around six months before it is supplanted by a more updated model.
Difference between industrial pc and personal pc: when to choose an industrial type pc?
The industrial pc plays a completely different role than a personal computer. Intended for strictly professional use, this device is responsible for supervising and directing the machinery and facilities of a company, hence the need to choose a complete and high-performance tool. These computers are one part of a much larger and more complex operating system and can easily adapt to any production sector. A professional operating system offers features that consumer systems do not, such as the ability to virtualize, place the pc in the corporate domain, or connect in remote desktop. All industrial-grade PCs are designed to work in extreme conditions such as those found in manufacturing environments: thermal shock, debris, vibration, shock, the presence of water or other liquids, electromagnetic interference, electrostatic shock, and more. As an example, an industrial PC can withstand operating temperatures on a scale of -40 °C to +85 °C and work in the presence of very high levels of Humidity. All in all, these instruments are capable of working autonomously and uninterruptedly seven days a week for 24 hours a day and ensuring maximum reliability to avert the risk of losing valuable information or having to stop production. The industrial environment’s need for continuity is answered by a much longer life cycle than that of ordinary PCs. Regarding power supply, manufacturing environments are often subject to power sags, transient phenomena and electrical noise on power supplies, factors that do not interfere with the performance of an industrial pc.
So, industrial pc or personal pc?
As it turns out, two seemingly similar tools actually have very different characteristics. Not only does the scope of use, private or professional, change, but the functionalities of an industrial-type pc differ markedly from those offered by a commercial pc, which is totally inadequate when placed in an industrial environment. Computers reserved for industrial use are available exclusively from specialized channels such as Elmak, a major player in the industrial IT sector. If you’re still wondering what the difference is between an industrial pc and a personal pc, here’s a brief summary of an industrial choice below:
Intended for professional use;
Advanced Operating System;
Adaptation to extreme working environments;
Independent work time: 24/7;
Life cycle extension; Adaptation to any industry;
Maximum reliability and minimum margin of error; Memory expandability;
Quick and easy access to technical support.