FAQ
About product selection, solutions to common problems and maintenance guarantee services
Product Selection
Processor selection
Choose based on application software compatibility and operating system: X86, ARM, FPGA
Choose based on computing power requirements
Memory
Confirm the memory size
Interface I/O
Confirm network interface, serial port, USB, DI/O, CAN, etc.
Interface chip
Confirm the chip requirements of interface I/O
Power input
Confirm the power input range: AC or DC. 220V, 110V, 24V, 12V, etc.
Confirm expansion requirements
Expansion slots include PCIex16, PCIex8, PCIex4, PCIex1, PCI, PCIe Mini Card, M.2 Key, etc.
Expansion cards include graphics card, network card, USB card, serial port card, acquisition card, WIFI, 4G, storage card, etc.
Display
VGA, DVI, HDMI, DP, LVDS, etc.
Operating temperature
0°C to +60°C, -20°C to +65°C, -20°C to +75°C, -40°C to +85°C, etc.
Operating system
Windows 7, Windows 10, Windows 11, IoT, Linux, etc.
Fanless Industrial PCs are becoming increasingly popular in industrial applications, and their design has significant advantages and disadvantages in certain environments and applications. Here are the main advantages and disadvantages of fanless industrial PCs:
Advantages
High reliability
Reduces failure points: The absence of mechanical moving parts such as fans reduces potential failure points and increases the overall reliability of the system.
High durability: Suitable for operation in harsh environments such as high dust, humidity and vibration environments, avoiding the problem of dust ingress and damage to the fan.
Quiet operation
Noiseless: The fanless design makes the industrial PC almost noiseless during operation, which is very suitable for noise-sensitive environments such as laboratories, medical equipment and offices.
Low power consumption
Energy saving: Fanless industrial PCs usually use low-power processors and components, which not only saves energy but also reduces the system’s cooling requirements.
Miniature design
Compact: The fanless design allows the industrial PC to be more compact and suitable for application scenarios with limited space, such as embedded systems and portable devices.
Easy to maintain
Maintenance-free: Since there is no fan, there is no need to clean and replace the fan regularly, reducing maintenance workload and costs.
Disadvantages
Limited heat dissipation
Passive heat dissipation: Fanless IPCs rely on passive heat dissipation, which conducts heat through the case or heat sink, and have limited heat dissipation capacity compared to fan systems.
Performance limitations: To avoid overheating, low-power, low-heat processors are usually used, which may limit the performance and processing power of the system.
Temperature limitations
High environmental requirements: In high-temperature environments, the heat dissipation effect of fanless designs may be insufficient, which can easily lead to system overheating and performance degradation. It is necessary to ensure that they are installed in a well-ventilated area.
High cost
Complex design: The passive heat dissipation design of fanless IPCs requires higher design and manufacturing processes, and is usually more expensive than fan systems.
Limited scalability
Limited expansion: Due to compact design and heat dissipation limitations, fanless IPCs may be limited in terms of expansion interfaces and internal component upgrades.
Application scenarios
Fanless IPCs are particularly suitable for the following application scenarios:
Industrial automation: Environments that require high reliability and durability, such as production line control, machine vision, and factory automation.
Transportation: Such as rail transit, vehicle-mounted systems, and ship control, which need to cope with vibration and harsh environments.
Medical equipment: environments that require low noise and high reliability.
Outdoor and harsh environments: such as outdoor surveillance, environmental monitoring, and energy management.
Embedded systems: such as smart terminals, self-service equipment, and IoT devices.
Summary
Fanless industrial computers have significant advantages in reliability, silent operation, low power consumption, and miniaturized design, and are suitable for industrial applications that require high reliability and durability. However, they have certain limitations in heat dissipation capacity, performance, cost, and scalability. When choosing a fanless industrial computer, you should weigh its advantages and disadvantages according to the specific application requirements and environmental conditions to ensure the stability of the system。
There are mainly the following types of storage media used in industrial computers. Each storage medium has its own advantages and disadvantages and is suitable for different application scenarios:
- Hard disk drive (HDD)
Advantages
Large capacity: Provides large storage capacity, usually between hundreds of GB and several TB.
Low price: Low unit storage cost, suitable for large-scale data storage.
Long life: Relatively long write life, suitable for frequently written data storage.
Disadvantages
Slow speed: Compared with SSD, data reading and writing speed is slower.
Mechanical parts: Due to the mechanical moving parts inside, it is easily affected by vibration and shock.
High power consumption: High power consumption during operation.
- Solid state drive (SSD)
Advantages
Fast speed: Fast data reading and writing speed, short startup and response time.
Strong shock resistance: No mechanical parts, strong shock resistance, suitable for harsh environments.
Low power consumption: Low power consumption during operation, suitable for energy saving needs.
Disadvantages
High price: High unit storage cost.
Limited lifespan: NAND flash memory has a limited write lifespan and may wear out faster under frequent write conditions.
- eMMC (Embedded Multimedia Card)
Advantages
High integration: Integrated on the circuit board, small size, suitable for compact design.
Low cost: Relatively low cost, suitable for embedded systems.
Low power consumption: Low power consumption during operation.
Disadvantages
Slow speed: Slower read and write speeds compared to high-performance SSDs.
Small capacity: Storage capacity is usually small, suitable for lightweight applications.
- NVMe SSD (Non-Volatile Memory Express)
Advantages
Extremely high speed: Provides extremely high read and write speeds through the PCIe interface.
Low latency: Very low latency, suitable for applications with high performance requirements.
Disadvantages
High price: High unit storage cost.
High power consumption: High power consumption compared to SATA SSD.
- SD card and microSD card
Advantages
Portability: Small size, easy to replace and carry.
Low cost: Relatively low cost, suitable for low-cost applications.
Flexibility: Easy to replace and expand storage capacity.
Disadvantages
Slow speed: Slower read and write speeds compared to SSD.
Limited life: Limited write life, may wear out faster under frequent writing.
- CF card (CompactFlash card)
Advantages
Moderate speed: Read and write speeds more suitable for industrial applications.
Durability: Relatively durable, suitable for industrial environments.
Moderate capacity: Provides moderate storage capacity.
Disadvantages
High price: Relatively high cost.
Large size: Larger size compared to SD card.
- NAND flash memory
Advantages
Fast speed: Faster read and write speeds.
High durability: Suitable for use in harsh environments.
High flexibility: can be used in a variety of embedded systems.
Disadvantages
High price: relatively high cost.
Limited lifespan: limited write lifespan.
Summary
HDD is suitable for large capacity, low cost storage needs, but lacks in performance and shock resistance.
SSD provides high performance and shock resistance, suitable for applications that require fast response and high reliability, but the cost is high.
eMMC is suitable for embedded systems, low cost, low power consumption, but limited performance and capacity.
NVMe SSD is suitable for applications with high performance requirements, with extremely high speed, but high cost and power consumption.
SD card and microSD card are suitable for applications with low cost and portability requirements, but limited in speed and lifespan.
CF card is suitable for industrial environments and has good durability, but it is expensive and large in size.
NAND flash memory provides fast read and write and durability, suitable for embedded systems, but it is expensive and has a limited lifespan.
When choosing a storage medium, you need to consider the specific application requirements, environmental conditions, and performance requirements.
Commercial operating systems
Windows Embedded/Windows IoT
1.Windows Embedded Standard: An operating system customized for industrial and embedded devices.
2.Windows IoT Enterprise: Provides full Windows 10 functionality with the reliability of embedded systems.
3.Windows Server: For industrial computers that require server functionality.
Linux
1.Ubuntu: A popular desktop and server Linux distribution suitable for a variety of industrial applications.
2.Debian: A stable and widely used Linux distribution.
3.Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL): A commercially supported Linux distribution suitable for enterprise-level applications.
4.CentOS: A community version of RHEL suitable for industrial and enterprise environments.
5.Yocto: A customized Linux distribution tool suitable for embedded systems.
Real-time operating system (RTOS)
VxWorks: A high-performance real-time operating system widely used in aerospace, defense, medical and industrial automation.
QNX: A microkernel-based real-time operating system suitable for industrial applications with high reliability and stability.
FreeRTOS: An open source real-time operating system widely used in embedded systems and industrial control.
RTEMS: A real-time multitasking operating system suitable for spacecraft, medical instruments, industrial control and communications.
Specialized operating systems
Android Things: An Android-based operating system suitable for Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Embedded Linux: A customized version of Linux designed for embedded systems.
Other operating systems
DOS: Still used in some old or low-resource industrial systems, such as MS-DOS or FreeDOS.
UNIX
1.AIX: IBM’s UNIX operating system for high-performance computing and industrial applications.
2.HP-UX: Hewlett-Packard’s UNIX operating system.
3.Solaris: Oracle’s UNIX operating system for enterprise and industrial applications.
Specialized operating systems
NI Linux Real-Time: A real-time operating system provided by National Instruments for its hardware platforms such as CompactRIO and PXI.
Wind River Linux: A commercial embedded Linux operating system provided by Wind River for industrial and embedded applications.
Embedded operating systems
Contiki: A lightweight embedded operating system for IoT devices and sensor networks.
TinyO: An embedded operating system designed for wireless sensor networks.
Different countries, regions and industries have different regulations,
Hardware specifications
1 EN 61000 series (electromagnetic compatibility)
EN 61000-4-2 (electrostatic discharge immunity)
EN 61000-4-3 (radio frequency electromagnetic field immunity)
EN 61000-4-4 (electrical fast transient pulse group immunity)
EN 61000-4-5 (surge immunity)
2 EN 55022 / EN 55032 (radio frequency interference characteristics of information technology equipment)
Electromagnetic interference emitted by control equipment
3 IEC 60529 (protection level, IP code)
Dust and water resistance level, such as IP65, IP67
4 IEC 60068 series (environmental testing)
IEC 60068-2-1 (low temperature)
IEC 60068-2-2 (high temperature)
IEC 60068-2-6 (Vibration)
IEC 60068-2-27 (Shock)
Safety specifications
1 IEC 60950-1 / IEC 62368-1
Safety standards for information technology equipment and audio and video equipment
2 UL 508
Safety standards for industrial control equipment
Networking and communication specifications
1 IEEE 802 series
IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet)
IEEE 802.11 (Wireless LAN)
2 IEC 61158 (Industrial Communication Networks)
Defines communication protocols for industrial automation systems and equipment
Other specifications
1 RoHS Directive (2011/65/EU)
Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment
2 REACH Regulation (EC 1907/2006)
Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical Substances
Industry specifications
Different industries have different specific requirements. For example:
Transportation: EN 50155 (railway applications)
Medical equipment: IEC 60601 (medical electrical equipment)
Reliability and redundancy
Ensure that the system has high reliability and redundant design, such as power redundancy, network redundancy, etc.
Different markets and industries have different certification requirements:
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) certification
1 CE certification
Complies with the European Union’s Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC Directive 2014/30/EU)
2 FCC certification
Complies with the electromagnetic interference (EMI) regulations of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States
Safety certification
1 UL certification
Complies with the safety standards of the United States and Canada, such as UL 508 (industrial control equipment) or UL 60950-1 (information technology equipment)
2 CSA certification
Complies with the safety standards of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
3 TÜV certification
Complies with the safety and quality standards of the German Technical Supervision Association (TÜV)
4 IEC certification
Complies with the safety standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), such as IEC 60950-1 or IEC 62368-1
Environmental testing certification
1 IP rating certification
Protection rating tested in accordance with IEC 60529, such as IP65, IP67, etc.
2 MIL-STD certification
Complies with US military standards such as MIL-STD-810 (Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Testing)
Specific industry certifications
1 EN 50155
Electronic equipment for railway applications
2 ISO 13485
Quality management system for medical devices
3 ATEX certification
Equipment and protection systems for explosive atmospheres
4 IECEx certification
International Electrotechnical Commission explosion-proof certification system for use in hazardous environments
Environmental certifications
1 RoHS certification
Complies with the EU’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (2011/65/EU)
2 REACH certification
Complies with the EU’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals Regulation (EC 1907/2006)
Functional safety certification
1 ISO 26262
Functional safety standard for road vehicles
2 IEC 61508
Functional safety standard for electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety-related systems
Energy efficiency certification
1 ENERGY STAR certification
Meets the energy efficiency standards of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
2 Quality management system certification
ISO 9001 quality management system standard
OEM/ODM
Our company undertakes the customization of industrial computers, and the customization scope includes: motherboard size, motherboard IO, chassis size, chassis color, BIOS, etc.
When the standard products of industrial computer brands on the market cannot meet the needs, they will choose to customize. This kind of application is generally special or the demand is small. It is recommended to choose standard products as much as possible.
Intel, Rockchip, NXP, Phytium
Size: 8 inches ~ 32 inches
CPU: J1900/J6412/4/6/7/8/10/11/12 generation i3/i5/i7Corei3/i5/i7
Touch screen: Capacitive/Resistive
Installation method: Panel embedded, VESA
Case material: Sheet metal, aluminum alloy
Operating temperature: -20 ~ +60℃, -40 ~ +75℃
Size: 8 inches ~ 32 inches
Touch screen: Capacitive/Resistive
Installation method: Panel embedded, VESA
Case material: Sheet metal, aluminum alloy
Operating temperature: -20～+60℃, -40～+75℃
Tri-conformal paint: Optional
Whole machine waterproof: Optional
Depending on the complexity of the requirements, the product manager will estimate the delivery time of the first version of the prototype, which usually takes 8 to 10 weeks.
FAQ
A computer blue screen of death (BSOD) is usually caused by the operating system encountering a serious error that it cannot handle. These errors may involve problems with the hardware, drivers, or the operating system itself. Here are some common problems that may cause a computer blue screen:
Hardware failure: Damaged memory modules, hard drive failure, power problems, etc. may cause the system to crash.
Driver problems: Unstable, outdated, or incompatible device drivers may cause the system to crash. Usually, updating or upgrading the driver can solve this type of problem.
Operating system problems: Damaged operating system files, system configuration errors, etc. may cause blue screens. Repairing or reinstalling the operating system may be one of the solutions.
Viruses or malware: Malware may cause the system to crash, so timely antivirus scanning and security measures are important.
Overheating: High temperatures may cause hardware failure or instability, so make sure the computer is well ventilated and not overheated.
Hardware compatibility issues: Conflicts between installed hardware components, such as incompatibility between different hardware.
RAM (memory) problems: Memory failure may cause the system to crash. This type of problem can be detected by running a memory diagnostic tool to test the memory.
When encountering a blue screen problem, an error code and error message are usually displayed，This information is very helpful in determining the root cause of the problem. Users can get detailed information about how to resolve the problem by searching the error code or consulting technical support.
UEFI BIOS is the first program that runs on a computer. When the computer is powered on, UEFI BIOS performs a self-test to ensure that the various devices in the computer are running.
You can navigate in the UEFI BIOS interface by pressing the following keys:
F1: General help
F9: Set defaults
F10: Save and exit
F5/F6: Change boot priority order
↑↓ or PgUp/PgDn: Select/scroll page
← →: Move keyboard focus
Esc: Return/close dialog box
Enter: Select/open submenu
I. Industrial computer power-on auto-start settings (incoming call auto-start)
- Restart the computer. When the logo screen is displayed, press F2 to enter the BIOS menu
- Enter Power — Power on after power failure and select S0 – Power On
- Press F10, select YES, and save the settings.
- Switch between independent graphics card and CPU integrated graphics card
- Enter Advanced — System Agent (SA) Configuration — Graphics Configuration and set Primary DisPlay
- AUTO = Prioritize independent graphics card
IGFX = Integrated graphics card output display
PEG = Independent graphics card output display - Press F10 to save changes and exit
- UEFI/Leagcy boot switch
1 Enter Boot — Boot Typ - Adjust CPU performance
- Set CPU to maximum power. Enter Power — Processor Type SKU Power Config = Max.TD
- Boot preformance mode — Max non-turbo performance
- C states — Disabled
The watchdog timer (WDT) in industrial computers is a hardware or software timer used to detect and recover from faults in the system. Its main function is to automatically restart the system when a system fault occurs (such as freezing, no response) to ensure the stability and reliability of the system.
Functions of watchdogs
System monitoring: Continuously monitor the operating status of the system.
Fault detection: Detect whether the system fails or hangs.
Automatic restart: Automatically restart the system to resume normal operation when a system fault is detected.
Improve reliability: Increase the reliability and stability of the system through the automatic recovery function.
Fault recording: Some watchdog systems can also record the time and number of faults to help troubleshoot and system maintenance.
How to use watchdogs
Watchdogs usually exist in two forms: hardware watchdogs and software watchdogs. The following are the basic methods of using watchdogs:
Hardware watchdog
Initialization: Initialize the watchdog timer at system startup and set the timeout period.
Periodic reset: Under normal operation, the application needs to periodically send a reset signal to the watchdog to reset the watchdog timer. This process is usually called “feeding the dog”.
Timeout handling: If the system does not reset the watchdog within the specified time, the watchdog will trigger a timeout operation, usually restarting the system.
Software watchdog
Software implementation: Implement the watchdog function in the operating system and regularly check the system status or key tasks.
State monitoring: Monitor the key tasks or processes of the system and regularly check their running status.
Timeout handling: If a task or process is not completed within the specified time, the software watchdog will perform corresponding recovery operations, such as restarting the system or restarting the process.
Precautions in actual application
Reset cycle: According to the complexity of the system and the task execution time, reasonably set the reset cycle and timeout time of the watchdog.
Reset operation: Ensure that there is a regular reset operation of the watchdog on each critical path of the system to avoid false triggering due to omission.
Fault handling: Design a reasonable fault handling mechanism to correctly restore the system when the watchdog is triggered.
Debugging and testing: During the development and debugging phase, fully test the function of the watchdog to ensure that it can work correctly in actual applications.
Watchdog is an important safety mechanism in industrial computers. Through reasonable configuration and use, it can significantly improve the reliability and stability of the system.
Repair & Warranty
The product warranty starts from the date of shipment. If the product fails due to material or production problems during the warranty period, Gushi Intelligence will provide warranty service. The warranty period varies according to product category, as shown below
Updated: November 24, 2023
| Product Line | category | Warranty period |
| Fanless Embedded Computer System | Embedded Computer | The warranty period for GUSHI’s own products is 3 years. The agency products are subject to the original factory manufacturing standards. |
| NVIDIA Jetson Platform | ||
| Traffic Embedded Computer | ||
| DIN rail installation & edge computing & gateway | ||
| Expandable Embedded Barebone | Industrial Computer | The warranty period for GUSHI’s own products is 3 years. The agency products are subject to the original factory manufacturing standards. |
| Rack-mount industrial computers | ||
| ATX Motherboard | Industrial Motherboard | The warranty period for GUSHI’s own products is 3 years. The agency products are subject to the original factory manufacturing standards. |
| Mini-ITX Motherboard | ||
| Micro ATX Motherboard | ||
| 3.5-inch embedded single board computer | ||
| CPU Module | ||
| Storage Products | Domestic platform | The agent products are subject to the original manufacturing standards. |
| Feiteng Platform | ||
| Haiguang Platform | ||
| Zhaoxin Platform | ||
| GS LCD display module | OLED Module | 2 years |
| Industrial touch display | Tablet | 2 years |
| Industrial Tablet PC | 2 years | |
| The warranty period for external devices/accessories is as follows: | ||
| Power adapter | Original Manufacturer’s Warranty | |
| DIN rail mounted power supply | ||
| CPU | ||
| Memory | ||
| Mechanical hard disk | ||
| mSATA | ||
| SSD | ||
| Optical Drive | ||
| Keyboard, mouse | ||
| Fiber Optic Module | ||
| Wireless network card, 4G network card | ||
| CAN Card | ||
| Data Acquisition Card |
Warranty Terms and Conditions
- This warranty is limited to repair or replacement of faulty products during the warranty period. (At the sole discretion of GUSHI)
- If a product that is installed and used normally fails within three months of delivery by GUSH, GUSH will determine that the product is defective and provide a replacement service.
- If a product fails during the warranty period, the customer contact sales to submit a repair service application, and then the faulty product will be sent to the designated address of Gushi Intelligence.
- Customers need to use the original packaging or packaging with equal protection to ship the products, and need to bear the one-way shipping costs of the products as well as the risk of loss or damage during transportation (insurance can be provided for them).
- Before sending the product for repair, customers must back up the relevant configuration of the product and the data in the storage device (hard disk, memory card, etc.) by themselves. Gushi Intelligence does not assume any responsibility for the loss of data or configuration stored in the product.
- The warranty period of products repaired (or replaced) by GUSHI Smart can be calculated as 3 months after the completion date of repair (or replacement), or the remaining warranty period of the original product, whichever is longer (only for the same fault).
Non-warranty coverage
The warranty does not cover:
- The faulty product exceeds the warranty period.
- Regardless of whether the failure is caused by misuse or abuse of the product due to accident or other reasons, GUSHI Intelligence reserves the right to determine the warranty.
- Product damage caused by natural disasters such as lightning strike, flood, earthquake, fire, etc.
- The customer makes changes to the product in a manner not mentioned in the instruction manual. (Note: The product instruction manual of Solid Smart provides installation, configuration and maintenance instructions. Please refer to the instruction manual before installing or configuring the product.)
- Software products.
- Consumables such as fuses.
- The warranty for traditional hard disks, solid-state drives, and various types of flash memory such as CFast, DOM, CF or SD shipped with GUSHI Smart products will comply with the regulations of the original manufacturer.
- Loss of Data or Software.
- According to the warranty terms for bad pixels on LCD displays, bad pixels on the LCD display are not covered by the warranty.
- Solid Smart Products that are upgraded, altered, or improperly tested by the customer or a third party authorized by the customer.
Customized products and original design manufacturer (ODM) products. The warranty period for customized products and ODM products is subject to the customized confirmation signed by the customer.
Terms of Service and Fees
If the customer agrees to the inspection and repair, Solid Intelligence will provide a total quotation including the inspection fee, parts fee and one-way shipping fee after the repair is completed.
If the customer decides not to accept the repair service of Solid Smart, Solid Smart will return the faulty product to the customer or scrap it directly according to the customer’s decision. If the product is not within the warranty period, the customer shall bear the shipping costs.
Once the customer agrees that GSI will repair the faulty product, the total charge will be calculated according to the table below.
| RMA | During the warranty period | Out of warranty period | |
| product | |||
| freight | Delivered to Gushi Intelligent Repair Center | Customers/Dealers | Customers/Dealers |
| Delivery from GUSHI Intelligent Repair Center to customers/dealers | Solid smart responsibility | Customers/Dealers | |
| Note: If the customer decides not to accept the repair service of Solid Smart, Solid Smart will return the faulty product to the customer or directly scrap it according to the customer’s decision. | |||
| Testing Fee | No payment required | Customers/Dealers | |
| Repair and parts costs | No payment required | Customers/Dealers | |
| Note: If the customer agrees to the inspection and repair, Solid Intelligence will provide a total quotation after the repair is completed. | |||
Notice:
- After receiving the product that needs to be repaired, Gushi Intelligence will provide the customer with an estimated quotation. If the customer agrees to pay for the inspection and repair, Gushi Intelligence will send a formal quotation through sales staff after the repair is completed.
- After receiving the estimated quotation, the customer decides whether to accept the repair service of Gushi Intelligence. If the customer decides not to accept the repair service of Gushi Intelligence, the product will be sent back to the customer at the shipping cost. The customer can also choose to have Gushi Intelligence directly scrap the product without paying any additional fees.
Extended Warranty Service
Customers can purchase extended warranty services for large order projects. However, some products have shorter chip life cycles and some parts may be subject to the original supplier warranty period. If you are interested in purchasing extended warranty services, please contact your local sales representative.
Limitation of Liability
This warranty replaces all other warranties, whether express or implied, written or oral. The liability of Solid Intelligence for the manufacture, sale, supply and use of the product, whether based on warranty, contract, negligence, product liability or other reasons, shall not exceed the original cost of the product. Solid Intelligence shall not be liable for any compensation for unintentional or consequential customer losses, including but not limited to loss of profits and damage to use caused by the manufacture, sale or supply of the product.