WINDBOX II NX for edge connectivity in automated production

Modern HMI and edge computing solution for production environments

In modern manufacturing environments, real-time data, stable process visualization and reliable networking between machine level and IT infrastructure are decisive factors for efficient production processes. A medium-sized mechanical engineering company therefore planned to modernize its existing Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) on several production lines.

The company was looking for a compact industrial PC that could both visualize machine and process data and serve as an edge computing platform for pre-processing and forwarding operating data.

The challenge: limited space and demanding surroundings

The technical requirements for the hardware were diverse:

• Limited installation space: The control computers had to be integrated directly behind monitors or in narrow control cabinets.
• Ambient conditions: Due to the dust pollution in the production hall, only a fanless system was an option in order to minimize failures caused by mechanical wear parts.
• Performance: A modern and energy-efficient platform was required to display machine statuses, process data and visualizations on several displays.
• Connectivity: The system should also be able to pre-process operating and sensor data locally and transfer it reliably to higher-level IT and ERP systems.

The solution: WINDBOX II NX as a compact industrial PC

The choice fell on the WINDBOX II NX from spo-comm, an ultra-flat industrial PC specially designed for such scenarios. The following specifications were decisive for the decision:

1. Compact design: With a housing height of just 19 millimeters, the system can be easily mounted directly behind the operating panels of the machines using a VESA bracket.
2. Powerful hardware: The built-in Intel® N150 (4x 0.10 GHz, max. 3.60 GHz) processor offers sufficient reserves for process visualization and parallel edge computing tasks.
3. Passive cooling: The robust metal housing acts as a heat sink. As the system does not require a fan, it is low-maintenance and protected against the ingress of dust.
4. Interface diversity: The HDMI 2.0 port and 2x DisplayPort 1.4 connections allow several high-resolution displays to be operated simultaneously. Two 2.5 Gbps LAN ports also enable reliable connection to production networks and higher-level IT systems.

The implementation

The WINDBOX II NX was installed as the central control computer at the individual production stations. Peripheral devices such as barcode scanners and touch displays were connected via the USB interfaces.

In addition to the classic HMI function, the system also handles the local pre-processing of sensor data and the forwarding of relevant operating data to central ERP and monitoring systems. This has enabled data flows to be made more efficient and reaction times within the production processes to be improved.

Conclusion and outlook for HMI and edge applications

With the WINDBOX II NX, a compact and reliable platform for modern process visualization and industrial edge connectivity has been created. The combination of ultra-flat design, fanless cooling and modern network and display connectivity is ideal for use in demanding industrial environments.

Thanks to the standardized hardware platform, future HMI and edge computing projects can be scaled efficiently and transferred to other production sites.