What Is Industrial Automation?
Industrial automation is the use of control systems to run industrial processes with minimal human intervention. The control systems include PCs, PLCs and PACs, which manage machines and production processes. Other parts of an automated system include sensors, robots and software. Industrial automation is used in manufacturing plants, assembly lines and process industries to keep equipment running and reduce manual work.
Key Specifications for Automation Hardware
An industrial PC used for automation needs a processor with enough cores and clock speed to run control software and data tasks. The Thinvent range uses Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors from the 12th and 14th generations, with 6 to 12 cores and clock speeds up to 5.0 GHz. Memory options range from 8 GB to 64 GB of DDR4 RAM, and storage ranges from 128 GB to 1 TB SSD. The Thinvent IPC5 models include dual LAN ports for connecting to plant networks, and the IPC3 runs Ubuntu Linux.
Comparison of Thinvent Models for Automation
| Model | Processor | Cores | Max Frequency | RAM | Storage | Networking | OS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPC5 (i5-1240P) | Intel Core i5-1240P | 12 | 4.4 GHz | 16 GB | 512 GB SSD | No WiFi | Windows 11 IoT Value |
| IPC3 (i3-1215U) | Intel Core i3-1215U | 6 | 4.4 GHz | 8 GB | 256 GB SSD | No WiFi | Ubuntu Linux |
| IPC5 (i7-1255U) | Intel Core i7-1255U | 10 | 4.7 GHz | 16 GB | 512 GB SSD | Dual LAN, Dual Band WiFi | Windows 11 Pro |
| IPC5 (i7-1255U) | Intel Core i7-1255U | 10 | 4.7 GHz | 32 GB | 1 TB SSD | Dual LAN, No WiFi | Ubuntu Linux |
| IPC5 (i7-1255U) | Intel Core i7-1255U | 10 | 4.7 GHz | 64 GB | 1 TB SSD | Dual LAN, Dual Band WiFi | Ubuntu Linux |
Use Cases
Automation systems use industrial PCs to collect sensor data, run machine control software and send production data to plant systems. Thinvent industrial PCs can be installed as the control unit for machines and production lines. The 12V 7A adapter in the IPC models supplies power to the unit. The Thinvent range also includes the Micro 5R thin client, which uses an ARM Cortex A53 processor and runs Thinux embedded Linux, for simpler display and monitoring tasks.
Thinvent Products for Industrial Automation
Thinvent has industrial PCs for automation projects. The Thinvent Industrial PC IPC5 is available with Intel Core i5-1240P and Core i7-1255U processors, with up to 64 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD storage. The Thinvent Industrial PC IPC3 uses an Intel Core i3-1215U processor and runs Ubuntu Linux. The Thinvent Aero Mini PC and Treo Mini PC models are available for monitoring and light control tasks.
