The RKP-C220 series rackmount industrial PCs are powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core processor, feature a fanless design, and include I/O expansion options to meet the growing demand for AI at the edge.
AI-powered software is continuing to gain demand in the industrial space. AI is being used to analyze manufacturing data to make decisions on maintenance schedules and problem-solve for quality issues. While AI makes short work of these decisions, it does need some heavy hardware to run on.
Industrial IT equipment supplier Moxa has recently launched a rackmount IPC designed for edge AI.
The RKP-C220 series of AI-ready rackmount IPCs are powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core processor. Image used courtesy of Moxa
RKP-C220 AI-Ready Rackmount IPCs
An edge server is a computer that resides at the edge of manufacturing and often bridges the gap between IT and OT. Machine builders can store manufacturing data on these computers because they are removed from the production line and won’t slow down the equipment as the AI software chews through data.
Moxa’s new RKP-C220 series fanless rackmount IPCs are built with AI in mind, but still have all the inputs and outputs you would expect to see on industrial computers. At the core of the RKP-C220 is a 13th-generation Intel chipset with up to 24 cores and 32 threads, giving popular AI software plenty of horsepower. The IPC’s main board supports full-size GPU cards with up to 200 W on x16 PCIe slots. For data storage, the RKP is equipped with two lockable 2.5-inch SSD slots and three M.2 SSD expansion slots.
The RKP-C220 IPC is available with eight LAN ports, 10 serial ports, and two CAN ports. Image used courtesy of Moxa
Connectivity and Integration
Getting data to the RKP-C220 is just as important as the internals. The RKP-C220 has up to eight LAN ports, a maximum of ten serial ports, and two CAN ports. This level of communication ports enables the RKP-C220 to communicate with multiple production lines or directly to IIoT devices.
The RKP-C220 is designed to easily fit into any standard server rack, taking up two bays. To accommodate floor installation, the RKP-C220 is a fanless server for dusty environments.
While most servers do not come equipped with digital I/O, the RKP-C220 utilizes a spring-type euroblock terminal. The computer has four digital dry contact inputs and four sinking digital outputs capable of 200 mA per channel up to 24 VDC.
Data produced in industrial automation processes can be stored on a server for analysis and management. Image used courtesy of Canva
Advancing Edge AI Applications
With the ability to analyze data and predict failures before they happen, AI software is invaluable to a factory, but the hardware required to run the AI algorithms and store the data is not designed for the factory floor. Moxa, however, has built the RKP-C220 from the ground up with both AI and industrial automation in mind. The RKP-C220’s plethora of Ethernet ports allows for direct connection to multiple machine networks or direct connection to multiple IIoT devices, saving money on Ethernet switches.
Additionally, AI software is known for making use of graphics cards, so the RKP-C220 supports full-size cards on a x16 PCIe bus. This makes sourcing parts easier, so users don’t have to find a powerful compact graphics card.
With the launch of the RKP-C220, Moxa intends to give IT, OT, and machine builders the ability to build AI-driven edge devices that help shape the future of industrial automation.
