Adlink Introduces Panel PC With GPU Expansion for Edge AI Applications

In today's equipment, it is not uncommon to find a small industrial panel PC. This PC can be used as a gateway between the company network and the machine network, or it can be used for a data collection server or a DAQ system. By having a PC installed within the control cabinet, integrators and machine builders can easily transfer data between the machine and the corporate network or even a cloud system.

Recently, Adlink Technology released a new series of open-frame panel PCs designed for edge AI applications.

An exploded view of Adlink’s new SP2-MTL open-frame panel PC built for edge AI applications. Image used courtesy of Adlink

SP2-MTL Series Panel PC

AI has many uses within automation equipment, from vision inspections to predictive maintenance, but these functions require heavy computing power. Adlink's new SP2-MTL series panel PCs are designed and built specifically for this purpose. They utilize the latest Intel Core Ultra H series processor, a processor designed with AI in mind that features fast computing speeds and enhanced security.

The SP2-MTL series is a fanless, open-frame panel PC that comes in 10.1-inch, 15.6-inch, and 21.5-inch capacitive touch screen models. The PC is attached to the back of the panel but is not enclosed by a case. The PC is designed to be configurable so that integrators or manufacturers can add or remove modules as needed, thanks to the board-to-board connector. This module design allows the system to grow and change over time. To save time, Adlink has included an optional Power over Ethernet (PoE) feature, which reduces wiring by eliminating the need to wire power along with Ethernet connections. 

The SP2-MTL series features an open frame that simplifies customizable configuration. Image used courtesy of Adlink

GPU Expansion via Nvidia

Panel PCs are often used to display vision inspections or HMI applications. The software used for these applications typically requires demanding graphical support. The SP2-MTL series features an optional expansion with an embedded Nvidia MXM GPU module. This GPU module is designed for vision inspection applications and AI algorithms in edge PCs. With this optional upgrade, programmers and designers can inspect complex parts for defect detection with the help of AI algorithms. All these features and the GPU come in a small form factor, measuring only 70 mm x 82 mm.

Users can expand the SP2-MTL panel PC’s graphic processing with the embedded NVIDIA MXM GPU module. Image used courtesy of Adlink

Panel PCs in Industrial Automation

A panel PC is similar to an all-in-one PC that you might purchase for home use. The panel PC will often have a PC bolted to the back of a touch screen monitor. This monitor is then panel-mounted in a control cabinet. A common use for these types of PCs on industrial assembly equipment is to monitor the vision system.

With AI applications, operators or technicians need to teach the algorithm what a good or bad defect is. A common topology is to have a separate high-end PC do all the calculations and user interface, while a simple touch screen monitor can be mounted instead of a panel PC. This topology is often used because panel PCs do not commonly have much horsepower. Adlink hopes to eliminate this topology by building the SP2-MTL panel PC with components that are designed to handle AI and graphically intensive applications.