What is the difference between an industrial computer and a normal computer?

[Apples]

So I want to make an industrial computer one day. The biggest issue that I will need to cover is that it will need to be dust proof.

What makes an industrial computer an industrial computer?
Maybe the enclosure that they are in is made of thicker grade sheet steel?
Maybe they are air tight or dust tight?


So if I need to make a dust proof computer case/ controller enclosure. How will I keep it cool?

I can't just make it an airtight box, casue the heat from all the drivers and power supplies will cook everything. So I would need to add probably two holes to the case. One for air flow in and one for aitflow out.

But

Will just a simple foam type sponge be good enough as an air cleaner? These will be for use in welding and fabrication shops where lots and lots of grinding and plasma dust will be.

My last plasma machine, there was dust everywhere. All over the monitor, all into the computer vents.....everywhere.

The computer didn't short out or anything, but I still need to make an enclosure as robust and clean as possible for all the electronics.

Any ideas?

Cheers,
Peter

[Al_The_Man]

Originally Posted by Apples What makes an industrial computer an industrial computer?

About $5,000.00

Of all the systems I have installed, I have never sprung for an industrial PC, I have never found them exceptionally different except being a bit more rugged.
I have found it much more practical to pick up a suitable electrical enclosure such as supplied by Hoffman or Hammond and build an off the shelf PC into it, I generally fit a fan with a filter with air directed in, at the opposite side a exit filter, this keeps the enclosure positive pressure.
The front or door can be fitted with switches or push buttons and panel mount LCD if desired.
Al.

[Apples]

Well, I think I can do more for $5000 rather than spending it on a computer.

The front or door can be fitted with switches or push buttons and panel mount LCD if desired.
Yeah this is what I was thinking.

What about mounting a monitor, either normal or touch screen. My flat screen lcd infront of me now has the moulded plastic "case" or frame around it.

I would want to some how;
a) be able to bolt it firmly to the front door off the enclosure. I might need to ge a specific model lcd for that. I have seen some on the net before that have like angle brackets on them or similar so that you can screw them on.

b)It must also be dust proof. How is this acheived? Do they come with rubber seals or something?

Peter

[blackbeard52]

I have seen all kinds of mods for the lcd mounts. if using a standard LCD just make brackets that will hold it tightly in place and line the edge with any type of closed cell foam gasket material found at the hardware store. All other surface mount LCD usually come with a mounting kit...... One word of caution, do not run screws into the LCD case unless you disassemble it first to see where they will come into contact......

[Apples]

A bit of foam, yep that was what I was hoping I could use.

Ahh, what I need to look for is a "surface" mount LCD. And good tip about the screws, lol.

Thanks,
Peter

[blackbeard52]

Peter there was no pun intended. If the hole is cut and finished then lined with this gasket it will look very professional and will work without fail. But to each his own.

Bob

[PTtec]

Yet about the computer and ventilation... you can use a mother board that don't need ventilation and so you can close everithing!!
for example:
http://www.avalue.com.tw/
they also seel only the boards and you can make your own box!!
this computers are not so fast like a desktop but normaly if you want use for an specific aplication must be good.
Bruno

[Al_The_Man]

What I have done is taken a P.O.S. (Point of Sale) terminal with touch screen and removed the LCD and duplicated the mounting on a square piece of 1/8th aluminum with a suitable window cutout, to make a panel mount.
The normal method is to use a double sided tape on either the touch screen edge to seal or use a product like Acrylite FF P-99 acrylic sheet to offer a non-glare front and protection to the LCD if a TS is not used.
Al.

[ImanCarrot]

You could liquid cool it? Then seal everything airtight.

Ask at any PC component store- it's quite comon for folk who overclock their machines.

[lovebugjunkie]

Like ImanCarrot says, water-cool it.

Get a motherboard with build in video and the water cool the cpu, chip set and the memory sticks.

Zalman has some water-cooling items you might be interested in.

www.zalman.com