October 2014
35
B
OARDS
& M
ODULES
This same uncompromising attitude was pur-
sued for the line of industrial processors. The
COM boards are equipped with the Atom-E
processor by Intel. They are designed exclu-
sively for demanding industrial applications.
Producing very little waste heat, because of
low power consumption, it will have a posi-
tive effect on MTBF values and ultimately on
the lifecycle of the entire Rugged Computer.
In addition, all the COM board components,
as well as the rest of the Rugged Computer
components are designed for an extended
temperature range of -40 to +85 °C (-40 to
+185 Fahrenheit). Syslogic does not depend
on just the screening method for determin-
ing the temperature range, as is the industry
standard, but defines which loads the com-
ponents will have to withstand already in the
development stages.
Another characteristic of the robust electron-
ics is the galvanic isolation of their interfaces.
This protects electronic components from
damage, even in case of massive potential
differences, caused by long cables for exam-
ple. Another must-mention feature is the SSD
(Solid State Drive) memory, which has been
incorporated into the Rugged Computer’s
design as well. In contrast to conventional
hard disks, the SSD operates in a static state.
This design is substantially longer lived than
conventional hard disks that fail under vibra-
tion and shock conditions at a much earlier
stage, because of their mechanical recording
heads. In the selection of this memory Sys-
logic is able to benefit from the know-how of
its sister company Systronics, which special-
izes in the distribution of industrial flash play-
ers. The Embedded Computer uses the SSD
memory designed by Cactus Technologies,
a specialist in the industry. Thanks to their
SLC (single level cell) flash components and
intelligent controllers, this memory is able to
guarantee a 24/7 lifetime operation for up to
25 years.
RPC Compact 71 has proven its virtual
indestructibility not just on paper, but with
numerous continuous real-life operations for
railway, automotive, construction and wind
energy applications. Some of the endurance
tests passed include vibration testing for fre-
quency ranges of 5 to 2000 Hz (EN 60068-
2-64) or shock testing (EN 60068-2-27). The
Embedded Computer devices comply with
EMC regulations. Additional testing has
shown that the devices even meet Russian
GOST standards. That means a cold start is
expected to be possible at temperatures of –50
°Celsius (-57° Fahrenheit). The rugged hous-
ing with its clever Goretex module makes the
Embedded Computer also suitable for poten-
tially explosive environments.
The kind of protection offered by the Embedded Computer is usually only available in military
equipment.
