What Is an FA Computer?
An FA computer is a computer built for factory automation (FA). Factory automation controls production equipment, such as robots, PLCs and sensors, to automate production lines. An FA computer runs the control, data collection and monitoring software on the factory floor. The Japanese term FAコンピュータ refers to this class of industrial computer.
How FA Computers Are Used
FA computers are installed near machines on production lines. They receive signals from sensors, send commands to robots and PLCs, and log production data. The main goals are higher productivity, stable quality and safer operation. Factory automation combines the computer hardware, the control software and the communication links between machines.
Key Specifications to Compare
The processor, memory, storage and power input set the performance and reliability of an FA computer. The table below lists the processors used in the Thinvent range on this page.
| Processor | Generation | Cores | Max Frequency | Cache |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core i3-1215U | 12th | 6 | 4.4 GHz | 10 MB |
| Intel Core i5-1240P | 12th | 12 | 4.4 GHz | 12 MB |
| Intel Core i7-1255U | 12th | 10 | 4.7 GHz | 12 MB |
| Intel Core 5 120U | 14th | 10 | 5.0 GHz | 12 MB |
| Intel Celeron N5095A | 11th | 4 | 2.9 GHz | 4 MB |
| AMD Ryzen 5 7430U | 7000 Series | 6 | 4.3 GHz | 16 MB |
| ARM Cortex-A53 | N/A | 4 | 2.0 GHz | N/A |
Thinvent Products for FA and Industrial Use
Thinvent makes industrial PCs, mini PCs, thin clients and all-in-one PCs for factory and office use. The Thinvent® Industrial PC IPC5 is available with Intel Core i5-1240P, Core i7-1255U and Core i5 processors, up to 32GB DDR4 RAM and up to 1TB SSD. The IPC5 with the Core i7-1255U has Dual LAN. The Thinvent® Industrial PC IPC3 uses the Intel Core i3-1215U with 8GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB SSD, and runs Ubuntu Linux. The Thinvent® Aero Mini PC uses the Intel Core i3-1215U or Core 5 120U. The Thinvent® Treo Mini PC uses the Intel Celeron N5095A or AMD Ryzen 5 7430U. The Thinvent® Micro 5R Thin Client uses an ARM Cortex-A53 processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB eMMC storage, and includes WiFi 6 and Bluetooth.
