Embedded Panel PCs for HMI and Machine Control: Mexster MSC Case Study
System integrators sell solutions, not devices. Mexster MSC builds automation and control systems for industrial customers, and it needed a panel computer it could embed inside cabinets and equipment as the local human-machine interface.
The company selected the TERVEX P21R, a 21.5-inch embedded Windows panel PC, and integrated it into machines for on-machine operation.
Challenge: Paper Records and Delayed Process Feedback
Paper records are prone to errors and have low efficiency, and the transmission of process information is not timely.
In an integrator's project, the terminal also has to be embedded rather than mounted: it must fit inside cabinets and equipment, run continuously, and work across the customer's temperature range.
Solution: P21R Panels Embedded Into Cabinets and Equipment
The P21R is embedded into devices or cabinets to provide better human-machine interaction.
Operators manually input commands through the human-machine interface to generate various control information, in order to command the equipment to perform operations.
Communication control of the equipment is completed through various interfaces, and process control of the project is implemented through software.
The device supports operating temperatures from -20°C to 60°C, meeting the requirement of continuous 24/7 operation.
Because the panel is part of the machine, it has to survive the same duty cycle as the equipment around it: this deployment specifies operation from -20°C to 60°C and continuous 24/7 running, with a detachable 10000mAh battery and IP65 protection, so the HMI is not the component that stops the line.
Results: Local Command Input and 24/7 Continuous Operation
Operators input commands directly through the human-machine interface near the device, without remote operation or reliance on additional equipment, significantly improving operational convenience and work efficiency.
Communication control across interfaces, combined with software for fine management of project processes, improves the continuity and controllability of the overall production process.
Operating within a wide temperature range of -20°C to 60°C reduces downtime and production losses caused by equipment failure.
In an integrator project the panel also reduces the number of separate components on the machine: HMI, communication and data capture are handled by one embedded unit instead of several boxes inside the cabinet.
Rich I/O with optional aviation plugs, plus optional fingerprint, 1D/2D barcode and NFC modules, means the same panel platform can be adapted to different cabinets and machines without a redesign.
