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How to Build Industrial Computers That Resist Vibration and Shock

Industrial computer manufacturers need to deliver a product that is rugged, hardened, and reliable to a degree beyond the consumer standard. These requirements exist because industrial computers are often deployed in severe conditions and harsh environments, sometimes even on moving vehicles. One key industrial requirement is vibration and shock resistance, which allows industrial computers to operate in truly extreme conditions.

There are some industrial applications, such as rolling stock, where vibration and shock are the most significant factor affecting the stability and reliability of system operations. Computers in rolling stock applications are deployed on moving objects that rattle and shake, so anti-vibration and anti-shock technology is a central requirement. Certain rolling stock applications, such as Network Video Recording (NVR) systems, specifically need high storage capacity to record and store surveillance video images. Hard disks would be the most reasonable and cost-effective way to store all of this data, but deploying hard disks in a high-vibration high-shock environment, such as on a bus, train, or truck, is a significant challenge.

This white paper first explains some background about the physics behind vibration and shock, and then explores the specific mechanisms and technology used to build an industrial computer with high resilience against vibration and shock.

Download this white paper to learn more.