How to Choose an Industrial PC for Robotic Applications?
In robotic applications, industrial PCs can be used for purposes such as monitoring robots, image processing, task planning, data collection and communication between different automation systems.
The computer capacity required depends on the type of application. The hardware needs of a system that monitors a robot's status or records production data differ from those of a system that perceives its surroundings through cameras and runs complex algorithms.
When choosing a PC, first define the task the computer will take on in the robotic system. Will the PC only do high-level monitoring and coordination, or will it also take on image processing or computationally intensive tasks? This distinction determines processor, GPU and connectivity requirements.
The following criteria should be taken into account when choosing:
- Processor: The processing requirements of the robotic software and simultaneous tasks should be evaluated.
- GPU: May be required for image processing, perception or AI tasks.
- Connections: There should be connections compatible with the robot controller, cameras, sensors and industrial networks.
- Operating system: An operating system supported by the robotic software platform and drivers should be chosen.
- Timing requirements: If precise timing or real-time control is needed, the system architecture should be designed accordingly.
- Operating environment: Vibration, temperature, dust and mounting conditions should be evaluated.
An important distinction: In every robotic application, the PC does not need to control the robot's movements directly. In many systems, precise and safety-related motion control is performed by the robot controller, while the industrial PC takes on higher-level computation, coordination and analysis tasks.
Conclusion: The right PC for robotic applications should be chosen according to how the robot works, the software platform, the computational load, connectivity needs and timing requirements.