The stable operation of industrial computers relies on a core accessory — industrial computer power supplies. The market offers a wide range of such power supplies to meet the needs of industrial android PC, 4U Rackmount PC without Touch Screen, MES Hardware terminals and other equipment in different scenarios. Classified by specifications, industrial computer power supplies are mainly divided into four types: AT power supplies, ATX power supplies, Micro ATX power supplies and redundant power supplies. Each type differs significantly in performance parameters, structural design and application scenarios, and their core characteristics and differences will be analyzed in detail below.
1. AT Power Supply: "Primary Power Solution" for Early Industrial Equipment
AT power supplies were the mainstream power supply type in the early development stage of industrial computers, mainly compatible with early-model industrial computer motherboards. Their core parameters and design features are as follows:
Power Range: Usually 150-200W (Note: The original text's "150-20W" is a typo, corrected based on the power demand of industrial equipment), which can only meet the basic power supply needs of early industrial motherboards;
Output and Signals: Provides two core voltage outputs (5V and 12V) and transmits a Power Good (PG) signal to the motherboard to ensure power supply stability;
Interface Design: Equipped with two 6-pin sockets (for powering the motherboard) and multiple 4-pin plugs (compatible with other hardware);
Current Status: With the performance upgrade and increased power demand of custom equipment from industrial panel ODM, AT power supplies have been completely phased out due to low power and lack of flexible control functions. They can only be seen occasionally in the maintenance of old industrial equipment.
2. ATX Power Supply: "Universal Power Solution" for Mainstream Industrial Terminals
ATX power supplies have undergone core structural optimizations based on AT power supplies and are currently the preferred power supply type for equipment such as Rugged Industrial 4U Rackmount Computer and monitor for laser cutting machines. Their core advantage lies in "non-power-off control" and wide compatibility:
Structural Innovation: It does not completely cut off power when shut down, but maintains a small standby current to provide a foundation for system control;
Operational Convenience: It supports "soft shutdown" through the industrial computer's operating system — that is, there is no need to physically disconnect the power supply during system operation, and the operating system can be exited only through system operations (all shutdown methods without power cutoff, including restart, are classified as soft shutdown), which greatly improves the operational flexibility of industrial equipment;
Application Scenarios: Compatible with most mainstream industrial motherboards, it can meet the power supply needs of medium and high-load equipment such as Laser machine touch screen and 19 inch Industrial Rugged LCD Monitors. Models like ASUS EBS-4U are compatible with standard ATX power supplies of 300W-1300W, making it the most widely used power supply type in the industrial field.
3. Micro ATX Power Supply: "Compact Solution" for Miniaturized Industrial Equipment
Micro ATX power supplies are improved power supplies developed to adapt to miniaturized equipment and reduce costs. With "small size and suitable power" as their core features, they perfectly match the needs of small size industrial Android tablet PC and compact terminals:
Design Optimization: Based on ATX power supply technology, its structure is simplified, its size is significantly smaller than traditional ATX power supplies, and its power is adjusted to meet the needs of small equipment. It can also meet the wide-voltage power supply needs (e.g., 9V-30V DC) of equipment such as 8 inch industrial panel pc and 10mm Front Bezel Industrial Android Tablet PC;
Application Scenarios: Specifically designed for mini chassis, it is compatible with compact equipment such as panel pc android and Android system industrial panel PC. It is commonly used in scenarios with strict space constraints (e.g., embedded industrial computers, VESA Mount Panel PC);
Core Value: It meets the "cost reduction + size reduction" customization needs of industrial panel odm. On the premise of ensuring stable basic power supply, it adapts to the miniaturization trend of industrial equipment, and is especially suitable for custom terminals such as 10mm Industrial Tablet PC.
4. Redundant Power Supply: "Dual Protection Solution" for High-Reliability Scenarios
Redundant power supplies are power supply solutions designed specifically for industrial scenarios with extremely high stability requirements. Their core function is to prevent system interruption caused by a single power supply failure, and they are essential configurations for key equipment such as 11.6 Inch Industrial All-in-one PC for Production Line MES Terminal:
Structural Composition: Composed of two identical power modules, it realizes "load balancing" through dedicated chip control — during normal operation, the two power supplies share the equipment load together to avoid overloading of a single power supply;
Fault Tolerance: When one of the power supplies fails, the other can take over the power supply instantly and seamlessly to ensure the uninterrupted operation of equipment such as All-in-One Android Panel PCs with NFC/Camera For MES System in Digital Factory 24/7 Use Factory; it also supports "hot-swap replacement", allowing the faulty power supply to be replaced without shutting down the machine, and after replacement, the two power supplies resume cooperative operation;
Power and Compatibility: Conventional 4U industrial computers are equipped with 300W redundant power supplies, and Rugged Industrial 4U Rackmount Computer such as Advantech IPC-610H also support higher-power models;
Application Scenarios: It is mainly compatible with equipment with extremely high "zero-interruption" requirements such as MES Hardware terminals and PC based MES terminal displays, and is also compatible with high-performance industrial computers equipped with panel mount touch screen. Its core is to improve system availability through "redundant backup".
So selecting an industrial computer power supply requires considering two core factors: First, the power supply needs of the industrial motherboard and terminal — for example, 13.3 inch Industrial Panel PC requires an ATX power supply with matching power, and MES Hardware terminals prioritize redundant power supplies; Second, installation and customization needs — for example, VESA Mount Panel PC is compatible with Micro ATX power supplies, and odm anti-static dust-free magnetic custom terminals of industrial panel odm can have customized power supply parameters. In addition, the operating environment of the equipment should also be considered — for example, Industrial Outdoor Monitor and 1000nits High Brightness Monitor require power supplies with wide temperature range and anti-interference characteristics. Only when the power supply is fully compatible with hardware such as AIO panel PC and industrial terminals can the long-term stable operation of the industrial control system be guaranteed.
