What is an Industrial Panel PC?

An Industrial Panel PC is a robust computing device designed for industrial environments, featuring a touchscreen display integrated with a computer. These systems are built to withstand harsh conditions including dust, moisture, temperature extremes, and vibration, while providing reliable operation for factory automation, control systems, and HMI applications.

What makes a Panel PC 'industrial grade'?

Industrial grade Panel PCs feature rugged construction with IP65/IP66 front panel protection, extended temperature operation, shock and vibration resistance, fanless cooling for reliability, wide voltage input tolerance, and long product lifecycles designed for 24/7 operation in challenging environments.

What is the difference between a Panel PC and an HMI?

While both provide operator interface functionality, a Panel PC is a full-featured computer running a standard operating system (Windows, Linux) that can host any software application. An HMI is typically a simpler device with an embedded operating system designed specifically for machine/process control with limited functionality beyond its control software.

What mounting options are available for Panel PCs?

Panel PCs typically offer multiple mounting options including panel mount (cutout installation in cabinets/enclosures), VESA mount (standard bracket mounting to walls or arms), and sometimes desktop stands. Some specialized models may offer additional mounting options for specific industries.

What operating systems are supported on industrial Panel PCs?

Most industrial Panel PCs support Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, Windows 11 Pro, and various Linux distributions like Ubuntu. The specific OS support depends on the hardware configuration, with some models offering pre-installed options or being compatible with multiple operating systems.

What is IP65/IP66 protection and why is it important?

IP65/IP66 protection ratings indicate dust-tight (6) protection and resistance to water jets (5/6). This is essential for industrial Panel PCs that may be exposed to harsh factory environments with dust, splashes, or washdown procedures, ensuring reliable operation and longevity in challenging conditions.

Why are fanless designs important in industrial Panel PCs?

Fanless designs eliminate moving parts that could fail, prevent dust and contaminant ingress through ventilation openings, reduce maintenance requirements, increase reliability in high-vibration environments, and allow sealed enclosures for protection against harsh industrial conditions.

What is PCAP multi-touch technology?

PCAP (Projected Capacitive) multi-touch technology allows multiple simultaneous touch points on the screen, enabling intuitive gestures like pinch-to-zoom. It offers better optical clarity than resistive touchscreens, with a durable glass surface resistant to scratches, though it requires bare finger or special stylus operation.

What is a watchdog timer and why is it important?

A watchdog timer is a hardware-based timer that triggers a system reset if the software becomes unresponsive. This is crucial for industrial systems requiring high reliability and 24/7 operation, as it automatically recovers from software crashes or freezes without human intervention.

What does wide voltage input range mean for Panel PCs?

A wide voltage input range (typically 9-36VDC) allows Panel PCs to operate reliably in industrial environments with fluctuating power conditions. This provides flexibility in power source options and protection against voltage spikes and drops common in factory settings.

What is TPM and why is it included in industrial Panel PCs?

TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is a security chip that provides hardware-based encryption capabilities and secure storage for authentication credentials. In industrial settings, it helps protect sensitive data, secure communication channels, and ensure the integrity of control systems against unauthorized access.

How are Panel PCs typically mounted in industrial environments?

Panel PCs are typically installed using panel mount (where the unit is fitted into a cutout in a control cabinet with mounting clips or screws), VESA mount (attached to arms or wall mounts using standardized mounting patterns), or sometimes with custom mounting solutions for specific applications.

What cutout dimensions are needed for panel mounting?

Cutout dimensions vary by model and screen size. It's essential to refer to the specific Panel PC's installation guide for precise measurements. Most manufacturers provide detailed dimensional drawings showing the exact cutout size and mounting hole positions required.

What environmental conditions should be considered when installing Panel PCs?

Consider operating temperature range, humidity levels, exposure to dust or liquids, vibration/shock conditions, available power supply stability, electromagnetic interference sources, and ambient light conditions that might affect screen visibility when installing Panel PCs.

Do Panel PCs require additional cooling?

Most industrial Panel PCs are designed with fanless cooling systems that dissipate heat through the chassis. While they typically don't require additional cooling, it's important to ensure adequate air circulation around the unit and to avoid installing them in locations that exceed their specified operating temperature range.

What power supply requirements should be considered for Panel PCs?

Consider voltage requirements (typically 9-36VDC), current/power consumption specifications, power supply stability, surge protection needs, and whether battery backup or uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is necessary for critical applications to prevent data loss during power interruptions.

What should I do if the touchscreen becomes unresponsive?

First, try restarting the Panel PC. If the issue persists, check if the touch driver is installed and functioning properly, verify the touchscreen cable connection, ensure the operating environment is within specifications (especially for capacitive screens in high humidity), and check for physical damage to the screen surface.

How can I resolve overheating issues with fanless Panel PCs?

To address overheating: ensure the Panel PC is installed with adequate clearance for passive cooling, check that the ambient temperature is within specified operating range, clean dust buildup on cooling fins/chassis, verify that CPU-intensive applications aren't causing excessive load, and consider adding external cooling to the enclosure if necessary.

What causes Panel PCs to restart unexpectedly?

Unexpected restarts can be caused by unstable power supply, overheating, hardware failures, software issues, or watchdog timer activations due to system hangs. Check power stability, environmental conditions, system logs for error messages, and consider disabling the watchdog timer temporarily for diagnostic purposes.

How can I improve the visibility of the Panel PC screen in bright environments?

To improve visibility in bright environments, adjust the screen brightness to maximum, install an anti-glare shield or hood, position the Panel PC to avoid direct light sources, consider a higher-brightness model (500+ cd/m²) for new installations, or apply an anti-reflective film designed for industrial displays.

What should I do if Windows fails to boot on my Panel PC?

If Windows fails to boot, try booting in Safe Mode, use System Restore to revert to a working state, run startup repair from recovery options, check for hardware issues (particularly storage drives), verify BIOS/UEFI settings are correct, or restore from a system image backup if available.

What are the key features of the ARC-15W32 Panel PC?

The ARC-15W32 features a 15.6" widescreen display (1366x768), Intel Atom or older generation Celeron processors, up to 8GB DDR3L memory, dual Intel Gigabit LAN, multiple USB and COM ports, rugged design with IP65 front panel protection, fanless cooling system, wide operating temperature range, and flexible mounting options for industrial environments.

How does the ARC-15W32 differ from the ARC-15W33 model?

The ARC-15W32 typically features older generation Intel Atom or Celeron processors and DDR3L memory compared to the ARC-15W33's newer Apollo Lake/Elkhart Lake processors and DDR4 memory. While both models share the same 15.6" widescreen form factor, the ARC-15W32 offers more economical performance suited for less demanding HMI and visualization applications.

What power efficiency benefits does the ARC-15W32 offer?

The ARC-15W32's Intel Atom and older Celeron processors are designed for excellent power efficiency, contributing to lower heat generation in its fanless design and reduced power consumption. This efficiency makes it suitable for applications where energy utilization is a concern, installations running on UPS systems, and deployments where maintaining lower operating temperatures is beneficial.

What storage options are available for the ARC-15W32?

The ARC-15W32 supports multiple storage configurations including 2.5" SATA drives in its dedicated drive bay, mSATA storage via the Mini PCIe slot for applications requiring solid-state performance without a separate drive, and support for various industrial storage capacities. This flexibility allows optimization for different reliability, performance, and capacity requirements.

Avalue · Panel PC / Monitor / Mobile

ARC-15W32

Data Sheet

*Price on request. Contact us for a quote.

Manufacturer: Avalue

Highlights

Onboard 6th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 6300U 2.40GHz BGA Processor
Full Flat Front Panel with Projected Capacitive Touch Supports Multi Touch
One SODIMM sockets supports up to 16GB DDR4 2133 SDRAM
4 USB3, 2 COM
Dual Intel GigabitLAN
Wide Voltage +12V ~ +26V Input, ErP Power
Available Expansion for Audio, USB, COM, HDMI, MPCIe, GPIO CAN Bus
IP65 Compliant Front Panel, IP41 Rear Box
With Panel
Mount kits included
TPM 1.2 Function (Optional)

Product Description

The Avalue ARC-15W32 is a 15.6" industrial touch panel PC powered by a 6th Generation Intel® Core™ i3/i5/i7 processor. It features a fanless design, projected capacitive multi-touch screen, dual Gigabit LAN, multiple USB and COM ports, HDMI support, and wide voltage input.

The panel is IP65 rated at the front and IP41 at the rear, making it suitable for rugged environments with flexible mounting options and a wide operating temperature range.

Technical Specifications

Processor

6th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-6300U, 2-Core, 2.4GHz processor

i3 and i7

System Memory

1 x 260-Pin DDR4 2133MHz SO-DIMM up to 16 GB

I/O Chipset

EC ITE IT8528E

Watchdog Timer

H/W Reset, 1sec. ~ 65535min. and 1sec. or 1min./step

H/W Status Monitor

Monitoring CPU & System Temperature and Voltage

SBC

ARC-SKLU

CPU Cooler (Type)

Fanless heatsink

Other

3 x Knockouts for antenna mounting

LCD Size

15.6", 16:9

Display Type

WXGA

Resolution

1366 x 768

Pixel pitch

0.252mm(H) x 0.252mm(V)

Luminance

300 cd/m²

Contrast ratio

500

Viewing angle

80 (U), 80 (D), 80 (L), 80 (R)

Response time

8 ms

Backlight

LED

Touch Type

Projective Capacitive Multi-Touch up to 10 points

Touch Light Transmission

88 %

Touch Controller

USB touch (EETI)

Expansion

1 x Mini PCIe Support mSATA

1 x 80-pin IET interface

Storage

1 x 2.5" Drive Bay (7mm HDD Restricted)

USB Port

4 x USB3 3.0

COM Port

1 x RS-232/422/485

1 x RS-232

SATA

1 x SATA III

LAN Port

2 x RJ-45

Graphic Chipset

Intel® Skylake SoC integrated Graphics

Supports optional dual display

Spec. & Resolution

HDMI: Max. resolution 4096x2160 @ 24Hz (Optional by IET module)

Audio Codec

Realtek ALC888S

Speaker Output

2 x 2W

LAN Chipset

1 x Intel® I211AT

1 x Intel® I219LM

Ethernet Interface

10/100/1000 Base-Tx GbE compatible

Certification Information

CE/FCC Class B

OS Information

Windows 7/ 10 / Linux

DC Input

+12V ~ +26V

DC Input Connector

Lockable DC Jack (default)

Optional for phoenix connector

Adapter

Input: 100 ~ 240Vac/ 50 ~ 60Hz

Output: 60W Adapter (12V @ 5A Adapter) AC-DC Adapter

ACPI

Single power ATX support S0, S3, S4, S5 and ACPI 3.0 compliant

Operating Temperature

-10°C ~ 50°C (14°F ~ 122°F)

Storage Temperature

-20°C ~ 60°C (-4°F ~ 140°F)

Operating Humidity

0% ~ 90% Relative Humidity, Non-condensing

Dimension (W x L x H)

391.2 x 239.2 x 57.5 mm

Weight

3.7Kgs

Vibration Test

With SSD/mSATA : 1.5Grms, IEC 60068-2-64, Random, 5 ~ 500Hz, 1hr/axis

Shock Test

Operating with SSD/CFast/mSATA : MIL-STD-810G, Method 516.6, Procedure I, functional shock=20G

IP Rating

Front IP65

Rear IP41

Mounting Kit

Wall / Stand / VESA 75mm x 75mm, 100mm x 100mm

Panel Mount with mounting kits

Power Requirement

DC +12V ~ +26V, wide voltage single power input

TVS component for surge protection

Reverse current/voltage protection

Power Mode

AT/ATX (ATX is default setting)

System Fan

Fanless

Construction - Front

Die Casting with Cover lens

Construction - Rear

Black Die Casting

Relative Humidity

0~90% Relative Humidity, Non-condensing

Fanless

Yes

Drop Test

ISTA 2A, IEC-60068-2-32 Test:Ed

Ordering Information

ARC-15W32-630-B2R

15.6" 1366x768 Industrial Touch Panel PC, ErP Design, PCAP Multi Touch

6th Gen Intel Core i5 6300U 2.4GHz CPU/2GLAN/2COM/4USB/SPK/12~26V input/12V Adapter

Optional IET Module list:

ACC-ARC-USB-1R

4 x USB 3.0 Kit for ARC Series

ACC-ARC-AUDIO-1R

HDMI + 5.1 CH Audio Kit for ARC Series

ACC-ARC-MPCIE-1R

HDMI + MPCIE w/SIM Kit for ARC Series

ACC-ARC-COM-1R

2 x Isolated RS-232 Kit for ARC Series

ACC-ARC-COM-2R

3 x RS-232 Kit for ARC Series

ACC-ARC-COM-3R

2 x RS-232 + USB Kit for ARC Series

ACC-ARC-COM-4R

2 x RS-232 + LAN Kit for ARC Series

ACC-ARC-GPIO-1R

12-bit GPIO + 2-pin CAN Bus Kit for ARC Series

ACC-ARC-OBDII-1R

OBDII - CAN Bus Kit for ARC Series (OBDII/EOBD for Small Vehicle)

ACC-ARC-OBDII-2R

OBDII - CAN Bus Kit for ARC Series (J1939J1708 for Large Vehicle)

ACC-ARC-OBDII-3R

OBDII - CAN Bus Kit for ARC Series (ISO15765-4 for Special Large Vehicle)

What is ARC-15W32?

The ARC-15W32 is a panel pc / monitor / mobile manufactured by Avalue, designed specifically for industrial-panel-pc applications. The Avalue ARC-15W32 is a 15.6" industrial touch panel PC powered by a 6th Generation Intel® Core™ i3/i5/i7 processor. It features a fanless design, projected capacitive multi-touch screen, dual Gigabit LAN, multiple USB and COM ports, HDMI support, and wide voltage input. The panel is IP65 rated at the front and IP41 at the rear, making it suitable for rugged environments with flexible mounting options and a wide operating temperature range.

Key Features & Benefits

Onboard 6th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 6300U 2.40GHz BGA Processor
Full Flat Front Panel with Projected Capacitive Touch Supports Multi Touch
One SODIMM sockets supports up to 16GB DDR4 2133 SDRAM
4 USB3, 2 COM
Dual Intel GigabitLAN
Wide Voltage +12V ~ +26V Input, ErP Power
Available Expansion for Audio, USB, COM, HDMI, MPCIe, GPIO CAN Bus
IP65 Compliant Front Panel, IP41 Rear Box
With Panel
Mount kits included
TPM 1.2 Function (Optional)

Applications & Use Cases

The ARC-15W32 is ideal for various industrial automation applications:

Rugged environments with flexible mounting options and a wide operating temperature range
Harsh industrial environments requiring dust and water protection
DC-powered industrial installations and mobile applications
High-performance computing and data processing tasks
Networked industrial systems and data communication
Interactive control interfaces and operator panels
Peripheral device connectivity and data transfer
Memory-intensive applications and multitasking

Frequently Asked Questions

The ARC-15W32 is ideal for standard industrial HMI applications, operator interfaces for machinery control, process monitoring stations, and visualization terminals that don't require intensive processing power. Its widescreen format, reliable connectivity options, and industrial-grade construction make it suitable for factory floor deployment in manufacturing, automation, and control applications with moderate performance requirements.

Highlights

Product Description

Technical Specifications

System Information

Processor

System Memory

I/O Chipset

Watchdog Timer

H/W Status Monitor

SBC

CPU Cooler (Type)

Other

Panel

LCD Size

Display Type

Resolution

Pixel pitch

Luminance

Contrast ratio

Viewing angle

Response time

Backlight

Touch Type

Touch Light Transmission

Touch Controller

Expansion

Expansion

Storage

Storage

External and Internal I/O

USB Port

COM Port

SATA

LAN Port

Display

Graphic Chipset

Spec. & Resolution

Audio

Audio Codec

Speaker Output

Ethernet

LAN Chipset

Ethernet Interface

Certifications

Certification Information

Software Support

OS Information

Power Requirement

DC Input

DC Input Connector

Adapter

ACPI

Mechanical & Environmental

Operating Temperature

Storage Temperature

Operating Humidity

Dimension (W x L x H)

Weight

Vibration Test

Shock Test

IP Rating

Mounting Kit

Power Requirement

Power Mode

System Fan

Construction - Front

Construction - Rear

Relative Humidity

Fanless

Drop Test

Ordering Information

Ordering Information

What is ARC-15W32?

Key Features & Benefits

Applications & Use Cases

Frequently Asked Questions