When determining the best rugged embedded computer for your application, it’s important to consider whether standard or custom will best meet your needs.
For example, standard single board computers (SBCs) come in several form factors, with various types of I/O and number of connectors. Surely an SBC exists to meet the physical space available for the embedded computer in your application along with meeting the processing capability, power profile and critical I/O choices.
But is it even necessary to adhere to a standard model when embedded computer vendors are willing to produce a custom solution? Designing something custom might be the right option for you.
Let’s explore whether standard or custom models would work better for you. The decision to go custom versus standard involves a host of factors. These would include expected volume, up-front development costs, production costs, product life cycle, adherence to industry standards, and reliability.
When Standard Models Are Best
First, standard models don’t lock you into a particular vendor when sourcing your SBCs or embedded PCs. Most models typically adhere to industry standards. Just be sure that the product you’re choosing adheres to the spec and isn’t “specification-compatible” or some other variant which means the board might need more than slight modifications to work properly.
Choosing an existing embedded computer model will speed up the time-to-market for your application and enable you to focus on other aspects of your solution. Existing models will also have been proven in the field. For example, explore the 91ĘÓƵ embedded computers and filter for the feature set you need.
NRE savings, the up-front non-recurring engineering costs that include design and tooling, also play a big part in justifying the choice of a standard rugged embedded PC.
The downside is that you might have to “make-do” with what is available on the market.
When Custom Is Best
In many cases, the decision to go custom pivots on whether the required feature set is readily available on a standard product. That could come from the need for things such as extra I/O, motor controllers, relays, GPS, or custom ICs. A custom board design will deliver exactly the feature set you need.
This correlates to also having nothing on the board that you don’t need and don’t have to pay for. Depending on your expected volume, the cost savings per unit may outweigh the custom development costs.
Another factor in the custom decision is whether you have the skilled in-house personnel to manage such a project.
A Hybrid Approach Could Work
Remember that it doesn’t always have to be one or the other. Some combination of standard and custom will likely result in a very close match to your desired form and function. This is known as customizable COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) or semi-custom.
The probability that a customizable COTS approach will work for you is quite high. The various standard models were developed to accommodate most embedded applications, and they make sense from the up-front cost savings and time-to-market perspectives. And some manufacturers provide configuration customizations to match the remainder of your requirements.
Another hybrid approach is to use a standard computer-on-module (COM) paired with a carrier baseboard customized for your application’s I/O and connectivity needs. These COM modules provide the processing and memory for the computer and are available in industry-standard form factors and carrier interfaces.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that the embedded computing needs of most applications can be filled with a standard product. But if customized COTS or custom design is what you need, we suggest you find a partner with extensive design experience, like the team at 91ĘÓƵ. Just contact us. We’re happy to answer your questions.