What to Look for in a Rugged Computer

A tough computer has to cope with more than just a bit of a bump. In the military, transport, field service, and mobile applications, you’re going to have systems that are going to be subject to vibration, dust, temperature cycling, moisture, unstable power, and constant workloads.

This is very different from just buying a standard desktop or laptop. The CPU speed is still a factor, but the enclosure design, the cooling, the connectivity, the environmental testing, and the length of the support are just as important.

1. Match the Computer to the Actual Environment

Start by thinking about the conditions the computer will have to cope with.

A computer in a climate-controlled room has quite different requirements from one that’s in a vehicle, an aircraft, an outdoor cabinet, or a mobile command post.

For demanding deployments, specialized rugged computers are available in configurations designed around environmental stresses such as shock, vibration, temperature variation, moisture, dust, and electromagnetic interference.

Don’t go for the gear just because it’s got ‘rugged’ written all over it.

Record the actual operating conditions prior to embarking on any spec comparison.

Check Conditions Such As

• Minimum and maximum operating temperature
• Vibration during operation
• Shock from transport or vehicle movement
• Dust or airborne contaminants
• Moisture exposure
• Altitude
• Electromagnetic interference
• Available ventilation
• Power quality

Once those conditions are known, it becomes easier to identify which ruggedization features are genuinely necessary.

2. Understand Environmental Test Claims

Rugged computers will often refer to standards such as MIL-STD-810 but it’s vital to look at how the testing is actually described.

The U.S. Department of Defense’s active MIL-STD-810 standard addresses environmental engineering considerations and laboratory test methods for stresses equipment may experience throughout its service life.

Don’t treat it as a single universal durability rating.

Find out precisely what tests were done on the computer. Temperature, vibration, shock, humidity, altitude and all the other things are tested in various ways.

A good spec should actually list the environmental tests and limits. It shouldn’t just state the product is “military grade”.

Testing should be such that it reflects how the equipment will in fact be used. Gear in a moving vehicle, for instance, will require vibration testing that is appropriate to that situation rather than just some generic lab vibration test.

3. Look Closely at Thermal Design

Heat is a huge reliability issue in high-performance computers.

A fast processor of course, doesn’t help much at all if the machine is just going to slow down again and a

gain as it can’t dissipate the heat.

Look at the full temperature range the system can cope with and how it handles the heat.

Some of the rugged computers will use fans, some will use conduction cooling and some will use other methods. The right approach will be dictated by the required airflow, the enclosure requirements, the noise limits, the potential for contamination and the level of processor demand.

Pay particular att

Reference to systems installed inside vehicles, in cabinets or in confined equipment bays. The ambient temperature around the computer can become considerably higher than the temperature in the rest of the room or vehicle.

So always bear processor performance and how well the system manages heat in mind.

4. Specify Processing Power Around the Workload

Don’t just go for the fastest processor.

Start by looking at the software you’re going to be running.

If it’s just gathering the raw sensor data then it won’t need much in the way of processing power. If it’s doing real-time imaging, AI, mapping, video, sensor fusion, or running a number of apps, then it will require a lot more CPU, memory, GPU, and storage.

Define the Required Hardware

Consider:

• CPU core count and clock speed
• RAM capacity
• GPU or accelerator requirements
• Storage capacity
• Storage write endurance
• Network throughput
• Expansion-card requirements

Make sure you leave some headroom for future requirements.

If the computer is always at full capacity, there’s not a lot of headroom left for updates or adding further sensors at a later date.

For mission-critical systems, you need to be particularly mindful of storage. Removable drives, redundant setups or indeed several separate drives can all be of great assistance when you’re trying to get data collected, moved and/or recovered.

5. Check Ports Before You Check Benchmarks

Connectivity can make or break whether a rugged computer will work in your application.

Industrial and field work will often require ports and interfaces that you won’t find on a normal consumer PC.

Make a list of every device you’re going to need to connect prior to selecting your hardware.

That could be cameras, displays, GPS receivers, radios, sensors, Ethernet networks, serial devices, removable drives or specialist PCIe hardware.

Check the connector type, number of ports, bandwidth and location of the ports.

Connector retention is important as well. A cable that’s neatly secured on a desk could come loose if there’s any vibration.

If you’re adding the system to existing equipment, then make sure it will work with the older interfaces before relying on adapters to sort anything out.

Adapters add more connection points and can be another point of failure.

6. Consider Power and Mounting as Part of the Computer

Plan for your power requirements right from the outset, particularly if you’re going to be on the move.

Check input voltage, max power draw, startup requirements, power conditioning, and how it deals with interruptions.

Vehicles and other mobile equipment can induce voltage sags that standard office equipment is never required to cope with.

How you install the computer is just as important.

Measure the available rack, console, or equipment space and check:

• Computer dimensions
• Weight
• Connector clearance
• Cable routing
• Cooling clearance
• Service access

Even a very powerful computer can be a bad proposition if the end result is that you’ve got to take half the rig apart to replace a drive or get at a connector.

7. Evaluate Serviceability and Product Lifecycle

Rugged computers tend to last a lot longer than your average office machine.

This completely changes what “value” means for these systems.

Can you get at the storage, the memory, the fans, the filters and all the other bits without having to take the whole unit apart?

Also find out how long the platform will be available for purchase and support.

Industrial and mission-critical projects can often require the same setup for years. If the motherboard or the processor is changing all the time then you end up with far more testing, far more spares and a lot more work in terms of configuration management.

So think about warranty, technical support, repair times, replacement parts, and the ability to customize when you’re making your choice.

A cheap computer can end up costing you a lot if you find yourself having to redesign the entire setup just to replace the one that has failed.

Choose Rugged Hardware Around the Mission

The best rugged computer isn’t necessarily the one with the most specs.

It’s the system that delivers the performance you require, is suited to the environment, connects to your equipment, fits in your space and is supportable for the whole of its life.

Start by looking at the environment and what the computer is going to be doing. Then go through testing, cooling, connections, power, mounting and the length of support.

This approach gives you a much more reliable setup than just picking by processor speed and hoping rugged features cover everything else.