PoE Panel PCs: The Space-Saving, Cost-Cutting Upgrade for Industrial Facilities
What You'll Learn:
- How panel PCs reduce hardware footprint in factories
- Benefits of Power over Ethernet (PoE) for streamlined power and data
- Ways to lower installation and cabling costs
- Key panel PC design features for industrial durability
- Flexible mounting options for space-limited areas
As industrial manufacturing facilities expand by retrofitting existing spaces, they often face a new challenge: overcrowding. Traditional computing setups with bulky hardware, excessive cabling, and external power requirements pose significant logistical and compliance challenges in space-constrained environments.
With limited room for critical computing platforms and KPI visualization displays, essential control systems can be squeezed out, putting quality standards and productivity at risk.
What Are Panel PCs?
To address these concerns, industrial manufacturers are turning to panel PCs, integrated computing solutions built for demanding production environments. With touchscreen interfaces and onboard processing, they eliminate the need for separate peripherals, reducing clutter and contamination risks. Their compact design allows for flexible mounting on walls, control panels, or equipment, optimizing space while creating easy operation.
Beyond their space-saving benefits, panel PCs are built for control room and production environments, featuring fanless, sealed enclosures that resist dust and withstand frequent cleaning. With industrial-grade durability, customizable hardware, and IP-rated enclosures, these devices provide a dependable, compliant solution.
"For manufacturers, panel PCs deliver an optimal balance of efficiency, cleanliness, and reliability—helping companies optimize space while meeting the highest quality and regulatory standards," says Paul Shu of ARISTA Corporation, a provider of computing platforms and visualization display products for manufacturing environments.
Power Over Ethernet (PoE): One Cable, Big Gains
Integrating single-cable Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology further enhances the space-saving capabilities of panel PCs. By delivering both power and data through a single Ethernet cable, PoE eliminates the need for external power sources or bulky batteries and reduces excess wiring, directly contributing to cleaner, more organized workspaces.
With the newest improved standards in high-power PoE, 802.3bt Type 3/4 PoE can now provide sufficient wattage, up to 70 watts, to powered devices such as panel PCs as well as flat screens, thin clients, and workstations commonly installed in control rooms and production lines.
As an example, Arista's Powered by PoE (Power over Ethernet) panel PC streamlines the deployment of KPI displays across the plant floor by simplifying installation, reducing cabling complexity, and enhancing flexibility in device placement.
With power and data transmitted through a single Ethernet cable, installation is more efficient, reducing time and labor costs. Manufacturers can deploy a PoE-enabled device like a panel PC within 330 feet of the network switch using a single Ethernet cable. This eliminates the cost and inconvenience of having an electrical contractor run wiring. These devices are particularly suitable for applications where it may be costly or difficult to run extra wiring.
Centralized power management also enhances operational efficiency, as power can be monitored and controlled remotely through the network switch. Some PoE switches even allow individual ports to be turned on or off as needed, improving control over energy consumption. The cost-effectiveness of PoE technology is another advantage, as using a single cable for both power and data reduces infrastructure expenses. Additionally, scalability is significantly improved, making it easier to integrate new panel PCs into the network without requiring additional power sources.
Another key benefit is reliability, since PoE technology often includes power redundancy features that ensure uninterrupted operation, even during power fluctuations. By leveraging PoE-powered panel PCs, manufacturers can achieve a more efficient, flexible, and cost-effective computing infrastructure across their production environments.
Panel PC Mounting Options That Maximize Floor Space
The space-saving potential of panel PCs can be amplified by pairing PoE technology with smart mounting solutions designed specifically for compact environments. Wall-mounted, swing-arm, or flush-mounted panel PCs minimize intrusion into valuable work areas, freeing up floor and counter space for essential equipment and processes.
These combined approaches allow manufacturers to install and operate essential computing equipment in even the most space-constrained locations, without compromising functionality or accessibility.
By reducing cable, eliminating separate power sources, and offering flexible mounting options, PoE-enabled panel PCs become an ideal choice for manufacturers looking to maximize both their available space and operational efficiency.
"Manufacturers are increasingly adopting Power over Ethernet to enhance flexibility in panel PC deployment. This allows panel PCs to be seamlessly integrated with Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) in various mounting configurations, maximizing space efficiency and adaptability across production environments," says Shu.
As an example, when operator workstations are required within tight confines, highly flexible stainless steel pendant arm designs can save a significant amount of space, according to Shu. With the screen and connected keyboard suspended by a pendant arm mounted to a wall, the user can extend, rotate, and swivel the workstation into the ideal position. After data entry is completed, the workstation can be pushed back against the wall, out of the way.
When installing workstations in hallways or other space-constrained areas, wall-recessed units are the perfect solution. According to Shu, 15, 17, 19, and 21.5-inch touchscreen displays can be fully recessed into a wall to allow greater clearance. There is also an option for a 55-inch large-format 4K display workstation with quad view display so operators can visualize KPIs and take full control of the production data.
With flexible mounting options, plants are able to scale operations even more since new PoE panel PCs can be easily added to the network without the need for additional power outlets.
For industrial manufacturers, combining compact panel PCs, PoE, and versatile mounting offers much more than just space savings. With smaller footprints, fewer cables, and flexible placement, manufacturers free up valuable floor space while gaining agility to reconfigure lines as needs evolve.
