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 are the key characteristics of the BFC Series Panel PCs?

BFC Series Panel PCs feature fanless design for reliable operation, various screen sizes (10.1" to 15.6"), IP65 front panel protection, industrial-grade components, touchscreen capability, multiple I/O ports, and panel mount installation options for industrial control applications.

What mounting options are available for BFC Series Panel PCs?

BFC Series Panel PCs are designed primarily for panel mount installation, where the unit is installed through a cutout in a control cabinet or equipment enclosure, with the front bezel and touchscreen exposed for operator interaction. They typically include mounting clips or brackets for secure installation in industrial panels.

What processor options are available in the BFC Series Panel PCs?

BFC Series Panel PCs typically offer Intel processor options ranging from efficient Celeron and Atom processors for basic HMI applications to more powerful Core i3/i5 options for performance-demanding visualization and control systems. The specific processor availability varies by model, with newer variants offering more recent generation processors with improved performance and power efficiency.

What processor options are available in the BFC Series Panel PCs?

BFC Series Panel PCs typically offer Intel processor options ranging from efficient Celeron and Atom processors for basic HMI applications to more powerful Core i3/i5 options for performance-demanding visualization and control systems. The specific processor availability varies by model, with newer variants offering more recent generation processors with improved performance and power efficiency.

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.

BFC-1232

*Price on request. Contact us for a quote.

Manufacturer: Avalue

6th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 Processor
Full flat front panel with projected capacitive touch supports multi touch
2 x Intel® Gigabit Ethernet, 5.1-CH audio
1 HDMI, 6 USB 3.0, 3 COM
Fanless system & VESA compliance
Wide voltage +12V ~ +26V input, ErP power
Timer-power-on
Front side IP65 dust and water proof

Product Description

The Avalue BFC-1232 is a 12.1" industrial touch panel PC featuring a 6th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-6300U processor. It includes a full flat front panel with projected capacitive multi-touch support, fanless design, dual Gigabit LAN, multiple USB and COM ports, and HDMI support.

The panel is IP65 front and IP41 rear rated, suitable for rugged environments, with wide voltage input and an operating temperature range of 0°C to 40°C.

Technical Specifications

System Information

Processor

Intel® Core™ i5-6300U Processor, 3M Cache, up to 2.4 GHz

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

EBM-SKLU

CPU Cooler (Type)

Fanless Heatsink

Panel

LCD Size

12.1" 4:3

Display Type

XGA

Resolution

1024 x 768

Pixel pitch

0.240mm (H) x 0.240mm (V)

Luminance

600 cd/m²

Contrast ratio

1000

Viewing angle

89 (U), 89 (D), 89 (L), 89 ( R)

Response time

11 ms

Backlight

LCD

Touch Type

Projective capacitive multi-touch up to 10 points

Touch Light Transmission

89 %

Touch Controller

USB touch (EETI)

Expansion

1 x Mini PCIe support mSATA

1 x Mini PCIe support SIM card

Storage

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

External And Internal I/O

USB Port

4 x USB 3.0

COM Port

1 x RS-232/422/485

1 x RS-232

HDMI

1x HDMI

LAN Port

2 x RJ-45

Audio

Audio Codec

Realtek ALC233

Audio Interface

Line-out

Display

Graphic Chipset

Intel® Skylake U SoC integrated graphics

Spec. & Resolution

HDMI:Max. Resolution 4096x2304@ 24Hz

Certifications

Certification Information

CE / FCC Class B

Ethernet

LAN Chipset

1 x Intel® I210AT

1 x Intel® I219LM

Ethernet Interface

10/100/1000 Base-Tx GbE compatible

Power Requirement

DC Input

+12V ~ +26V

DC Input Connector

Lockable DC Jack

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

Software Support

OS Information

Win 7 / Win 10 / Linux

System Control

LED Indicator

HDD LED, power LED

Mechanical & Environmental

Operating Temperature

0°C ~ 40°C (32°F ~ 104°F)

Storage Temperature

-10°C ~ 50°C (14°F ~ 122°F)

Operating Humidity

5% ~ 90% Relative humidity, non-condensing

Weight

3.8 Kg

Vibration Test

With SSD/mSATA : 3Grms, IEC 60068-2-64, random, 5 ~ 500Hz, 30 mins/axis

Shock Test

With CF/SSD : 10Grms, IEC 60068-2-27, half sine, 11ms

Drop Test

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

IP Rating

Front IP65

Mounting Kit

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

Panel Mount with mounting kits

Power Mode

AT/ATX (ATX is default setting)

System Fan

Fanless

Construction - Front

Silver aluminum

Construction - Rear

Silver alloy

Dimension

292.9 x 225.4 x 50.14mm

Ordering Information

BFC-1232-630-A1R

6th Gen Intel® ULT Core i5 6300U 2.4GHz/2LAN/3COM/6USB/12~26V Input/12V Adaptor

What is BFC-1232?

The BFC-1232 is a panel pc / monitor / mobile manufactured by Avalue, designed specifically for industrial-panel-pc applications. The Avalue BFC-1232 is a 12.1" industrial touch panel PC featuring a 6th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-6300U processor. It includes a full flat front panel with projected capacitive multi-touch support, fanless design, dual Gigabit LAN, multiple USB and COM ports, and HDMI support. The panel is IP65 front and IP41 rear rated, suitable for rugged environments, with wide voltage input and an operating temperature range of 0°C to 40°C.

Key Features & Benefits

6th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 Processor
Full flat front panel with projected capacitive touch supports multi touch
2 x Intel® Gigabit Ethernet, 5.1-CH audio
1 HDMI, 6 USB 3.0, 3 COM
Fanless system & VESA compliance
Wide voltage +12V ~ +26V input, ErP power
Timer-power-on
Front side IP65 dust and water proof

Applications & Use Cases

The BFC-1232 is ideal for various industrial automation applications:

Harsh industrial environments requiring dust and water protection
Dust-sensitive environments and silent operation requirements
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
Panel-mounted installations and control cabinets
Peripheral device connectivity and data transfer

Frequently Asked Questions

The BFC-1232 features a 12.1" widescreen display with 1280x800 resolution, providing a compact yet functional interface for industrial applications. It includes a fanless design for reliability, multi-touch PCAP screen for intuitive operation, IP65-rated front panel for protection against dust and water, multiple I/O ports for connectivity, and supports various industrial automation software platforms.

The BFC-1209 supports industrial control applications with its 12.1" XGA display (1024x768), providing clear visualization for SCADA, HMI, and control interfaces. It features multiple I/O ports including serial connections for legacy equipment, USB for peripheral connectivity, Ethernet for network integration, and optional expansion capabilities. Its robust design with IP65 front protection ensures reliable operation in harsh industrial environments.

Product Features

Product Description

Technical Specifications

System Information

Processor

System Memory

I/O Chipset

Watchdog Timer

H/W Status Monitor

SBC

CPU Cooler (Type)

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

HDMI

LAN Port

Audio

Audio Codec

Audio Interface

Display

Graphic Chipset

Spec. & Resolution

Certifications

Certification Information

Ethernet

LAN Chipset

Ethernet Interface

Power Requirement

DC Input

DC Input Connector

Adapter

ACPI

Software Support

OS Information

System Control

LED Indicator

Mechanical & Environmental

Operating Temperature

Storage Temperature

Operating Humidity

Weight

Vibration Test

Shock Test

Drop Test

IP Rating

Mounting Kit

Power Mode

System Fan

Construction - Front

Construction - Rear

Dimension

Ordering Information

Ordering Information

What is BFC-1232?

Key Features & Benefits

Applications & Use Cases

Frequently Asked Questions