Rockwell Automation Releases New Panel and Box Industrial PCs

A panel PC is a compact computer mounted directly on the back of a monitor. The PC and monitor arrive as a single unit and can be mounted directly into an electrical cabinet or they are shipped ready to mount on a VESA monitor arm.

In the past, an HMI used to be an integrated device that could only run the HMI application. Today, we typically use a panel PC with a Windows operating system, and we run the HMI application just like a standard piece of PC software.

Rockwell Automation has recently added a line of industrial panel PCs and box PCs that will integrate with the FactoryTalk Optix portfolio.

 

The New AESM panel PC from Rockwell. Image courtesy of Rockwell Automation

 

ASEM 6300 Industrial PC

Built using the seventh-generation core i3, i5, and i7 Intel processors, the ASEM 6300 is designed to tackle complex industrial automation applications. The panel PC version comes in high-definition display sizes between 12 and 24 in, with low profile or standard bezels. The integrated Ethernet ports offer extended functions like “Wake on LAN” and “Jumbo Frame” for transmitting large packets over the network.

The construction of the PC makes use of passive cooling technology, and additional PCI expansion slots are provided. The operating temperature is 0 to 50 °C for the i3 processor and 0 to 45 °C for the i7 processor. An IP69K stainless steel bezel food-grade version is available with specific gasket material.

All of the models operate on 24 VDC. The memory size comes in variations of 8, 16, or 32 GB with hard drive sizes of 128 GB, 256 GB, or 1 TB and optional matching additional storage available. A standard single-touch resistive screen type can be chosen or a multi-touch PCAP screen is an option. The PCAP screen is for more wet environments where operators are required to wear thick protective gloves.

The I/O ports are quite extensive for a panel PC. 4x Ethernet ports are provided, 3x with the stainless steel bezel, 6x USB ports, 1x serial port, 1x DVI port, and 1x PCIe expansion slot. Each model comes pre-installed with Microsoft Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2019 64-bit and is ThinManager compatible. The ASEM 6300 comes without any Rockwell Automation software pre-installed.

 

Many communication and peripheral ports are provided on the ASEM panel PC. Image used courtesy of Rockwell Automation

 

FactoryTalk Optix

The FactoryTalk Optix portfolio is Rockwell Automation’s newest HMI solution. The portfolio includes cloud-based applications that allow designers and technicians to build intuitive and creative HMI solutions for equipment from a remote location. The portfolio also includes integrated hardware such as the ASEM 6300 or the OptixPanel, which comes pre-installed with the Optix HMI software to help reduce integration time. The Optix portfolio also provides remote connection software and edge computing hardware that is integrated into the ControlLogix platform.

The Optix software uses wizard-based workflows to speed up the development process and makes use of object-oriented designs to allow designers to build applications that are flexible and responsive. Optix HMI applications can be deployed on standard Windows or Linux PCs, they can also be deployed on the ASEM 6300 panel PC.

 

FactoryTalk Optix is a large-scale HMI visualization platform. Image used courtesy of Rockwell Automation

 

Rockwell Automation ThinManager

The ASEM 6300B is a box PC that is designed with cybersecurity in mind by taking advantage of Rockwell Automation’s ThinManager. Thin clients are stripped-down computers with no OS and no applications, they get all their information from a server. The 6300B is designed to handle multiple thin clients with the use of ThinManager. The ThinManager is a BIOS operating system that manages devices, users, and visualization for multiple clients. The ASEM 6300B comes with a BIOS ready for the ThinManager installation, thus allowing applications to be run from a centralized secure location.