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electronica Nov 2014
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MBEDDED
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OMPUTING
their application data available in XML/SOAP
and specify message data. After a few simple
clicks, they can install a mature, cloud-based
asset and in-field management system. What’s
more, with mobile communication interfaces
it can also be installed in remote locations,
where maintenance employees are not always
on site.
The cloud application is now available and
cloud access has been set up on site. What do
users expect from a locally installed IPC sys-
tem connecting to the cloud? It should work
reliably and before anything fails, the OEM
should be ready and waiting. This means this
hardware should also be subject to preventa-
tive monitoring. For the IPC itself, uniform
remote management functions need to be pro-
vided, and in order to ensure the best possible
re-use and uniformity, OEMs should focus on
implementing standards. On the hardware
side there is the Intel Advanced Management
Technology (Intel AMT) for example, which
is part of the Intel VPro Technology. On the
software side it is worthwhile to utilize stan-
dardized application programming interfaces
(APIs), such as the Kontron EAPI (Kontron
Embedded API). This is the only way to ensure
system functions can be accessed remotely in
a uniform manner. For example, to monitor
system parameters or for the active control of
specific embedded features. If OEMs use such
a uniform infrastructure, which supports
multiple processors and operating systems,
they will be able to implement a standardized
remote access and management solution for a
wide range of platforms.
What’s the point of all of these functions if
they are installed on systems that are relatively
vulnerable? This means the symptoms were
focussed on and not the causes. During the
development of its cloud-capable solutions,
Kontron also developed the feature set of its
own systems and designed them for mainte-
nance-free operation. As a result, the systems
have components with long service lives in
order to offer a high MTBF that exceeds the
lifetime of the application, shock- and vibra-
tion-proof flash memory instead of rotating
media, energy-efficient components in order
to enable system designs that do not require
fans, wear-free dual-layer capacitors instead
of batteries, and extended power supply func-
tions in order to avoid a system reset in the
event of a short power failure. These points
show that a lot needs consideration when
determining the hardware, if you want to
implement systems with zero onsite mainte-
nance. Many of these design characteristics
are not, however, listed in the data sheet. Sys-
tems that require no on-site maintenance are
not always immediately identifiable as such.
Developers need to obtain precise informa-
tion about the system specs.
The first maintenance-free products that Kon-
tron prepared for such maintenance solu-
tions from OEMs and automation providers
include the book-sized box PCs KBox A-101
and KBox C-101 as well as the panel PC
Micro Client 3/3W. The boxes are fanless and
equipped with flash memory and gold caps.
With an MTBF of between 40,000 and 70,000
hours, (dependent on the system and configu-
ration), they also offer a high level of reliability.
During these operating periods no mainte-
nance activities are required from a techni-
cal perspective. What’s more, they stand out
thanks to their industrial design and can be
obtained from Kontron for at least five years
from the initial launch date. This means cus-
tomers will still be able to purchase systems
with identical configurations years later.
The KBox A-101 has been designed for
cost-intensive automation and industrial
computing tasks and shows that cost efficien-
cy and zero on-site maintenance are possible
in one device.
The Kontron Micro Client 3/3W family has
been designed for monitoring and controlling
individual product lines. The HMIs are
available with seamless, edge-free 16:9 glass
touchscreens with PCAP or the traditional
4:3 format with resistive touchscreen.
