What is an industrial Panel PC: features, uses and benefits

Unlike conventional computers, an industrial Panel PC combines a touchscreen and a computer in a single, compact and durable chassis. The Panel PC is designed to operate in industrial environments where dust, humidity, shocks, vibrations or extreme temperatures can damage a conventional PC with a screen. These machines are optimised for HMI/SCADA software and allow industrial processes to be controlled and monitored directly from their touch screen.

💡 Discover our complete range of industrial Panel PCs.

Touchscreens suitable for all uses

Industrial Panel PCs feature touchscreen sizes ranging from 7‘ to 27’ (up to 32" depending on requirements, environment and power), and offer two possible touch technologies:

• Capacitive (P-CAP): This type of screen is covered with a conductive layer that maintains a constant electric field. Simply put, when the operator's finger touches the screen, it disrupts this field and the screen controller detects this variation and precisely locates the point of contact. Capacitive screens are known as ‘multi-touch’, meaning they detect multiple points of contact simultaneously (pinch, zoom, scroll, etc.). Capacitive screens are ideal for managing multiple tasks simultaneously and are widely used in industry today.
• Resistive: Resistive screens detect contact through physical pressure (rather than electrical charge). When you press the screen with your finger, a stylus or a glove, the different layers touch each other, creating an electrical contact that the screen controller interprets as a command point. Only one contact point is detected at a time. Resistive screens are ideal for working with gloves or in wet or dirty environments.

To meet the different requirements of our customers (depending on the environment, use and application), our industrial Panel PCs are very often offered with both touch technologies (capacitive or resistive). Our sales and technical teams are available to help you define your needs or advise you on the choice of touch technology.

The brightness of Panel PC touchscreens also plays an important role. Luminance is expressed in candelas per square metre (cd/m²), also known as nits. Standard models start at around 200 to 350 nits, which is sufficient for use in workshops or control rooms. For brighter environments — areas near windows, workstations exposed to powerful industrial lighting or outdoor workshops, or completely outdoors — so-called ‘high brightness’ screens are preferred, generally between 800 and 1000 nits.

Robustness & durability

To meet the different needs of various industries (medical, pharmaceutical, agri-food, energy, transport, etc.), Panel PCs are designed to be robust and withstand harsh factory environments:

• Compliant with IP65/IP67/IP69K standards, they are completely resistant to dust and water splashes.
• SUS304/SUS316 stainless steel or aluminium chassis.
• Withstand extreme operating temperatures: from intense cold to industrial heat.
• MIL-STD-810G/H certification: tested against shocks, vibrations and extreme temperatures.
• CE, FCC Class A, EN60601-10 certifications, etc.

To prevent failures caused by dust or vibrations, Intronix Panel PCs are fanless, i.e. equipped with passive heat sinks. This fanless design ensures stable, long-lasting operation and reduces maintenance.

Performance & efficiency

The performance of the Panel PC can be decisive depending on the application. From simple applications (simple PLC interface, single-function application, information terminal, etc.) to more demanding requirements (AI, vision, edge computing, advanced SCADA, multi-screen supervision, etc.), the Panel PC can integrate the following performance features:

• Intel Celeron (J6412), Core i3/i5/i7, ARM Rockchip processors
• Windows, Android or Linux operating system
• 4/8/16/32 GB RAM... and 64 MB to 1 TB SSD/NVMe storage...

Connectivity & modularity

Industrial Panel PCs are equipped with numerous I/O ports, including:

• Ethernet LAN, USB, COM, CAN2.0 ports, etc.
• HDMI, VGA, DVI, DisplayPort (DP) display ports.
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 4G cellular connectivity.
• Compatible with Modbus, OPC UA and MQTT for IIoT and Industry 4.0.
• Modular options: camera, microphone, proximity sensors, etc.
• Multiple mounting options: ARM, recessed, wall-mounted, VESA, etc.

Intronix Systems Panel PCs are available with a wide range of connectivity and I/O options. For any Panel PC customisation requirements, please do not hesitate to contact our teams.

For industrial process control

These industrial Panel PCs allow machines to be managed and monitored directly from their touchscreen interface. Operators can adjust settings, stop or start equipment, and receive immediate feedback.

For data visualisation and analysis

• Real-time display of performance indicators on customised dashboards.
• Data archiving for quality monitoring, process optimisation and traceability.

As a Human-Machine Interface (HMI)

• Intuitive control without a keyboard or mouse, convenient in confined spaces.
• Alert and alarm management for rapid response in the event of a problem.

For remote monitoring and control

• Multi-site supervision thanks to network connectivity.
• Programmable alerts for rapid response to critical incidents.

Areas of use

Below is a non-exhaustive list of sectors in which industrial Panel PCs can be used:

• Industry: production, automation, robotics.
• Medical, pharmaceutical: process monitoring, quality control, interfaces for medical equipment.
• Chemical, petrochemical: facility supervision, process safety, reactor control.
• Cosmetics: production line control, batch traceability.
• Logistics and supply chain: inventory tracking, traceability and flow optimisation.
• Retail and services: interactive terminals, automatic checkouts and digital signage.
• Energy and utilities: network monitoring and remote facility control.

We don't just help you with selection; you also benefit from comprehensive expertise, customised solutions and technical support to ensure that your industrial installations operate optimally from day one.

Support throughout the entire lifecycle

Whether for an OEM/ODM project, customised production or migration to an existing industrial system, we advise you on the choice of your Panel PCs and guide you to maximise reliability, performance and operational efficiency in the long term.

Customisation according to your requirements

We help you choose and configure CPU, RAM, storage and I/O ports (CAN, RS-485, PoE) according to your operational constraints. Mechanical retrofit and ruggedisation options (IP sealing, compliant coating) are available to ensure your Panel PCs can withstand the most demanding environments.

Turnkey software integration

Our experts take care of the pre-installation and configuration of Windows, Linux or Android, as well as the installation of your industrial applications. For IoT projects, we configure OPC UA and MQTT so that your industrial Panel PCs communicate seamlessly with your sensors, PLCs and cloud systems.

Proactive support and maintenance

Thanks to our teams based in France (Lyon) and China (Shenzhen), we provide rapid maintenance service, spare parts availability for end-of-life products, and on-site technical support if necessary, ensuring the continuity of your operations (and avoiding production stoppages!).