Industrial automation has long been the backbone of modern manufacturing, enabling significant gains in productivity, consistency, and operational safety. As automation continues to evolve, its effectiveness increasingly depends on three core pillars: seamless equipment connectivity, reliable edge-level control and intelligence, and actionable operational data.
In real-world industrial environments, however, these pillars are often undermined by legacy infrastructure, fragmented systems, and a wide mix of communication protocols. Addressing these challenges might be complex and costly. A purpose-built edge platform that offers rich connectivity, stable local processing, and industrial-grade reliability can be a cost-effective solution. Acting as a bridge between the physical shop floor and higher-level systems, an industrial PC at the edge enables these three pillars to be realized consistently across diverse automation scenarios.
Enhancing Connectivity: Edge-Based Equipment Integration Gateway
One of the key foundations of industrial automation is the ability to integrate heterogeneous equipment into a unified operational framework. However, modern production environments often involve mixed generations of machines, proprietary interfaces, and diverse industrial protocols, making integration complex and prone to instability. To overcome these challenges, an edge-level integration gateway must offer rich I/O connectivity, broad protocol compatibility, and flexible expansion capabilities, while maintaining industrial-grade reliability to serve as a stable integration hub at the edge.
Maximizing Uptime: Cost-Effective Preventive Maintenance
Preventive maintenance plays a critical role in reducing unplanned downtime and extending equipment lifespan. By monitoring operational data and system status at the edge, operators can identify early warning signs and schedule maintenance more efficiently. The main challenge is achieving this without deploying complex or high-cost infrastructure, especially in environments with limited IT resources. A suitable IPC should offer reliable data acquisition, stable long-term operation, and sufficient processing performance to handle rule-based monitoring and analytics locally.
The Mobile Revolution: The Core of Next-Gen AMR/AGV Controllers
AMR and AGV systems are increasingly adopted to improve material handling efficiency and workplace safety in factories and warehouses. These autonomous systems require real-time control, reliable connectivity, and precise coordination with sensors, motors, and safety mechanisms. An ideal IPC for AMR/AGV control should feature compact form factors, low power consumption, multiple communication interfaces, and robust environmental tolerance, ensuring stable and responsive operation directly at the edge.
AIM101: A Cost-Effective Industrial Edge Gateway Powering Connectivity and Edge Intelligence
Rich Connectivity & Flexible Expansion for Seamless Integration
Designed as a true integration hub at the edge, the AIM101 offers rich native I/O and flexible expansion to bridge diverse devices. With 2 x 2.5GbE LAN, 4 x USB ports, optional COM (RS-232/422/485), 8-channel TTL DIO, CAN bus 2.0A/B interfaces, and support for Wi-Fi 6E and LTE wireless connectivity, it enables seamless integration across legacy machines, sensors, and modern control systems. This broad interface coverage allows manufacturers to consolidate fragmented equipment into a unified edge platform without costly system redesigns or protocol workarounds. With a PCIe Gen 3 x4 M.2 slot, the system can be upgraded to support Edge AI capabilities via an optional AI accelerator module, enabling scalability to meet evolving application requirements without hardware reinvestment.
Rugged Edge Design for Reliable 24/7 Preventive Maintenance Operation
AIM101 delivers stable, always-on edge processing that supports preventive maintenance. Powered by the quad-core Intel® Processor N150 and LPDDR5 memory, it provides sufficient performance for continuous data acquisition, rule-based monitoring, and local analytics at the equipment level. Its fanless, industrial-grade design and wide operating temperature range of -40°C to +70°C ensure reliable long-term operation, allowing maintenance insights to be generated directly at the edge while minimizing infrastructure cost and reducing reliance on cloud connectivity.
Compact and Power-Efficient Design Supporting ESG-oriented AMR/AGV Control
The AIM101 combines a compact design with low power consumption and a wide-range 9–36 VDC input featuring Smart Ignition control, making it ideal for battery-powered AMR and AGV platforms. Support for CAN bus and optional GPS/LTE expansion enables seamless integration with vehicle controllers and fleet management systems. Its rugged mechanical design, validated to MIL-STD-810H shock and vibration standards, ensures stable operation in mobile and vibration-prone industrial environments.
