To satisfy the wide range of applications in different markets, modern embedded systems must increasingly be modular and flexibly configurable. Even for small batch sizes, many customers require tailored computers at the same terms as for standard systems. High development costs, such as those for a full custom design, are not affordable in most cases.
Recent years have shown that even high-quality industrial computer systems based on innovative technologies are subject to increasing price pressure. This is coupled with faster innovation cycles that result in ever shorter development times. To guarantee business success, the end product must be brought to the market as fast as possible. Consequently, many customers require the embedded systems to be delivered quickly even without existing blanket orders.
All mentioned aspects must be considered for a new project. System integrators are faced with the challenge of choosing the appropriate solution for their application. Because robust industrial computers must operate reliably over many years without requiring service calls, no shortcuts can be taken with the associated technology.
Compact embedded systems are deployed in a wide range of applications. New processor architectures are prerequisite for the wide coverage of different markets. The power-saving Intel Atom E3800 processor family ("Bay Trail") is a milestone for the realization of price/performance-optimized computer systems. The CPU platform features an enhanced microarchitecture, an out-of-order execution, the integration of powerful graphics and an improved power management, known from the fourth Intel Core processors. A turbo boost mode enhances the peak performance of single cores and the graphics. The integrated Intel Gen 7 HD graphics offers an improved 2D and 3D functionality and hardware coding/ decoding of HD videos. Numerous power saving modes and the Intel SpeedStep technology are supported. The implemented Intel VTx virtualization technology and a built-in Security Engine ensure high data integrity and reliability for equipment in factory automation operating 24/7.
Energy-efficient embedded systems based on the current Intel Atom processor technology open the market for many new applications unconceivable just a few years ago. The flexible industrial PCs are deployed primarily as gateway for acquiring, buffering, processing and forwarding data. Typical examples can be found in industrial machine control, in power engineering for controlling wind and solar power plants, and for mobile data acquisition in test vehicles. Other possible fields of application are security systems and POS/POI systems.
A particular challenge is the development of embedded solutions for future markets, such as home automation and the Internet of Things. These interesting applications promise enormous unit volumes for the coming years. Even today, IoT links billions of different terminals, e.g. production machines and vehicles, in modern production systems. Gartner, a market research institute, has forecasted that 30 billion devices will be connected worldwide via the Internet by 2020.
Prerequisites for distributed installed, intelligent IoT gateways in addition to scalable low-power processor technologies are low maintenance systems, intelligent communications structures and simple networking capabilities. Open standards are a significant factor for the interaction of different hardware and software systems. The embedded hardware must be designed robustly for the industrial environment and run reliably in 24-hour operation.
As basis for the fast development of tailored embedded systems for customers at optimized cost, MSC Technologies under the DSM Computer label offers the new NanoServer family. The single models only differ in the integrated industrial Mini ITX mainboard, which is scalable in the processing performance. Products with a low-power Intel Atom processor are suitable for energy efficient applications. For demanding imaging applications, the high-end version integrates a fourth-generation (desktop series) Intel Core i3/ i5/ i7 processor. The Mini ITX boards are part of MSC Technologies´ predefined building blocks concept, consisting of standardized computer-on-modules (COMs), baseboards, standard mainboards, flexible industrial housings, sophisticated cooling solutions, modern memory modules, solid state disks (SSDs) and displays with or without touch technologies. The objective is the realization of embedded products for different applications that consist of the largest possible number of identical components. The modular product pallet allows all current board platforms to be made available.
To integrate different CPU boards easily and flexibly, the new NanoServer family is equipped with an IO Shield. This allows identical housings to be used for all computer models of the same installation height, irrespective of the plug connector variants of the individually installed Mini ITX boards. The larger number of units allows significant price reduction price of the industrial housing. Like the predecessor family, the NanoServer comes in the three variants NN, N1 and N2 that differ in the number of free slots. In addition to the N1-systems with a PCI Express slot and an installation height of 79 mm, the slim line 58 mm NanoServer NN without slots and N2 with two slots will be available soon.
The N1-A3 model is the second member of the NanoServer family with I/O Shield of the DSM Computer brand. The flexible industrial PC has a scalable performance that ranges from dual-core to quad-core CPU. Even in the high-performance variant with the Intel Atom E3845 processor with four processor cores (1.91 GHz), the embedded system can be operated at temperatures as high as 40 °C without requiring a housing fan. In addition to this standard configuration, an Intel Atom E2826 processor can be integrated in the system on request. The high-performance HD Graphics Gen. 7 is integrated in the CPU. The fast DDR3L 1600 / 1333 SDRAM memory can be expanded to a maximum of 8 GB. For different applications, the modular box IPC offers a number of popular industrial interfaces. The NanoServer N1-A3 fits into a 204 mm x 224 mm x 80 mm industrial housing. The operating temperature range is specified from 0 to 45 °C. The embedded system is supplied via a
12/24 VDC wide-range input or alternatively via an external 100-240 VAC power packs (60 W).
For demanding applications, MSC offers the high-end NanoServer N1-Q87 with fourth-generation (desktop series) Intel Core i3/ i5 /i7 processors and Intel Q87 Express desktop chipset. The powerful Intel HD Graphics (e.g. HD4600) is on-chip. In addition to numerous USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 interfaces, two GbE LAN interfaces, Serial ATA and HD Audio are present. The SSDs do not have any moving parts and avoid the need for extensive wiring. The modular NanoServer systems go through a functional test, compatibility verification and tests that simulate various harsh environments depending on the application. Approvals according to CE, FCC, etc. are done for nearly all customer projects.
Manufacturing of the complex systems takes place at the MSC site in Freiburg, Germany. The production site is specialized in flexible and timely manufacturing of small and large series in lot sizes of several hundred pieces per week. The factory is certified according to ISO 9001 and ISO 13485.
