How to choose an Industrial PC - Accessories

In previous articles, we discussed many aspects to consider when selecting a new industrial PC. We have looked at performance, application, operating system, environment, space, mounting, power and connectivity. Now let’s look at accessories for industrial computers and why it is important to factor them into your pre-purchase decision when buying a PC.

Accessories play an important role in your industrial computer system setup and serve to extend the capabilities of a PC as well as make everyday operation faster and easier. Considering the purchase of accessories and peripherals prior to setting up your computer system can help to alleviate any issues before hand. For example, some accessories require special software that needs a certain operating system and hardware requirements. If it doesn’t match your project, it can mean replacing parts of your computer’s hardware, reinstalling operating systems or even changing the entire PC which can prove costly. To avoid this, accessories and peripherals need to be considered beforehand along with application, environment and connectivity for a new industrial PC.

Accessories can be divided into a couple of groups. Firstly, would be peripherals such as printers, scanners, barcode scanners, trade scales, keyboards, digital cameras, microphones, external hard drives or CNC machines etc. This group of accessories for industrial PCs is connected to a computer via cables or using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth interfaces. They rely on connectivity ports, hardware and software installed to a device. If you are going to use a Wi-Fi printer, you need to make sure that your new computer has a Wi-Fi module installed.

Other accessories for industrial computers are mounting accessories. We covered mounting options and interfaces in one of the previous articles, so in this post, we will look at types of mounting accessories available on the market.

Most industrial computers will have their own range of accessories suitable for applications and environments they are going to be operated in. Rugged computers for harsh environments offer wall mount brackets available as mounting accessories, constructed in strong and durable stainless steel, these brackets are manufactured with an adjustable M10 mounting system with and without VESA interface. These accessories are made for reliable mounting in almost every environment and space available. Panel PCs have a wider range of mounting accessories made possible by their more slimline dimensions and lighter weight. They can be installed on a floor stand, tabletop stand, bench mount arm, heavy duty wall mount bracket, adjustable mount kit or U-Bolt mount. Vehicle computers have a different selection of mounting accessories, the most common type being RAM balls and sockets of varying sizes.

Other accessories are available for industrial computers including power bricks, USB sticks, antennas, replaceable sacrificial membranes for additional touch screen protection, on-board barcode scanners and more. To discover all the options and understand if they are suitable for your project, contact a hardware provider or industrial PC manufacturer such as STX Technology.

We hope this article will help you to make the right decision when choosing and an industrial computer for your business. Make sure to check out other blog posts from this series about performance, application, operating system, environment, space, mounting, power, connectivity and other considerations.