Industrial PC Platforms
Industrial PC platforms may range from compact fanless systems to expandable rack configurations. Memory and storage selection is therefore determined by board architecture, operating conditions, mechanical constraints and expected platform lifecycle.
Platform Requirements
Industrial PC qualification is primarily determined by continuous-duty requirements, operating conditions, platform compatibility and lifecycle considerations rather than peak component performance.
Continuous Operation
- Platforms may operate for extended periods without scheduled shutdown
- Enclosure and cabinet conditions may differ materially from laboratory test environments
- Field failures may result in higher service and operational costs than failures identified during qualification
Platform Lifecycle
- Industrial PC platforms may remain in production or service for multiple years
- Component changes may require compatibility review or requalification
- Configuration-control procedures are used to manage qualified BOM changes over the programme lifecycle
Applicable Memory & Storage
Applicable memory and storage forms are selected according to platform configuration and programme requirements. Final configuration is confirmed against the target board layout, interface requirements, operating conditions and programme lifecycle.
Memory
- DDR3 / DDR4 / DDR5 U-DIMM
- DDR3 / DDR4 / DDR5 SO-DIMM
- Qualification is based on the approved operating configuration for the target platform; profile-based operation is evaluated only where explicitly defined within the project configuration
Storage
- 2.5″ SATA III
- M.2 PCIe 3.0 (2280)
Qualification Process
Qualification scope is defined according to platform configuration, operating conditions and programme requirements. The stages below describe a typical qualification sequence. Scope and sequence may vary according to project requirements.
Requirements Definition
Platform configuration, operating conditions, lifecycle requirements and applicable interfaces are identified.
Configuration Selection
Memory and storage forms are selected against the target board architecture and programme requirements.
Sample Verification
Initial samples are evaluated before configuration approval.
Platform Validation
Compatibility, stability and applicable performance characteristics are verified against the target platform.
Qualification
The applicable configuration is approved according to the defined programme requirements.
Production Control
Production proceeds under established quality-control procedures. Where configuration control is included in the approved programme scope, production follows the defined configuration and change-review requirements.
Post-Deployment Engineering Support
Failure analysis is applied to returned products or reported field issues where root-cause investigation is required. It is not a sequential stage of the qualification process above.
IPC Qualification Priorities
Qualification priorities are defined per programme. On continuously operating industrial PC platforms, the following areas are normally addressed.
Platform Configuration Review
Provide the target board specification, memory architecture, storage interface, operating conditions and expected programme lifecycle. SIMORCHIP engineering will review the applicable memory and storage configuration and define the recommended qualification scope.