Having posted several articles recently that feature various aspects of Advantech industrial monitors, it seems appropriate to share details of a specific installation, this one involving electric generator systems for which Advantech’s TPC-1571H Touch Panel Computer was chosen as the optimum solution. The key criteria for this installation included a guarantee of system stability and delivery of an open platform based upon x86 architecture. The TPC-1571H provides the low failure rate required of this mission-critical application, as well as the easy-to-use interface demanded by its system operators.
The subject application arose in connection with China’s ongoing infrastructure-development program. The touch-panel computer’s main functions were to be storage and transmission, so minimum storage capacity and multiple I/O options were among specification requirements under which the TPC-1571H competed. In addition, the system not only had to satisfy China Compulsory Certification (CCC) benchmarks, but was also required to comply with international certification standards.
The installation was overseen by one of China’s major system integrators, which put competing products through rigorous destructive testing. Advantech’s TPC-1571H industrial touchscreen computer was the only competitor to survive the full gamut of tests, including those measuring against CCC goals for surge protection and anti-interference.
The application called for embedding the TPC-1571H in a control cabinet where it receives a range of data, including phase, phase angles, voltage and current status, and then stores the data to Compact Flash media from which it is retrieved for analysis in the event of a system fault. The computer serves as a gateway via its two Ethernet ports, one of which is accessed by users connected to the system server and the other which serves the System Integrator for real-time monitoring of usage status, allowing immediate response to any abnormal conditions that are detected.
The TPC-1571H features Intel’s power-efficient Atom D525 1.8-GHz processor and a 15-inch XGA TFT LED-illuminated LCD display protected by a die-cast aluminum-alloy front bezel. Its fanless cooling system accommodates installation within a variety of environments and enclosures, and its IP65-rated front panel withstands the harsh environments associated with industrial applications. I/O includes two 10/100/1000Base-T LAN ports, two RS-232 ports (with isolation), a RS-422/485 port (also with isolation, plus auto data-flow control), two USB 2.0 ports, and one PS/2 port. The computer is rated for operation in temperatures ranging from 0 to 50°C (-4 to 140°F) and a humidity range of from 10 to 95%. Display luminance is rated at 350 cd/m2 with a viewing angle of 160° horizontal and 140° vertical. Back-light LED life is rated at 50,000 hours.
The TPC-1571H industrial touchscreen computer supports IEC-61131-3 Softlogic Control, as well as HMI/SCADA software, plus Advantech’s proprietary WebOP and WebAccess control and monitoring software.