Industrial Automation

The biggest change to the manufacturing sector since the Industrial Revolution is the injection of IT applications and computer science into the process. By using computers to control the production tools; by linking them to one another and the control center over the IIoT; and by using AI-enhanced sensors to oversee operations, the manufacturing of goods can become fully automated. Not only will this increase productivity and efficiency, it will also reduce waste and protect the safety of human workers. "Lights-out" factories already exist where everything is automated and human participation in the manufacturing process is essentially reduced to zero.

As we explained, higher levels of automation can improve productivity and efficiency, reduce waste, and protect human safety. While the initial cost of setting up the equipment may be high, the total cost of ownership (TCO) will be lower due to these perquisites. Especially as artificial intelligence continues to advance thanks to the implementation of deep learning and MLOps, automated production will be able to do more and more things that used to be the specialty of human workers—such as reading handwriting, checking the quality of products, learning new routines, and engaging in self-improvement that will help enterprises which adopt industrial automation to become more and more competitive.

As with the IIoT, GIGABYTE Technology's solutions for industrial automation can be separated into three categories: servers, embedded solutions, and e-mobility solutions that include Telematics Control Units (TCUs) and Automated-Driving Control Units (ADCUs).

Servers: The backbone of industrial automation is the servers in data centers or server rooms which take care of the more difficult computing tasks. There are also examples where the server is deployed directly on the factory floor. For example, a North American logistics giant installed a bespoke GIGABYTE server under the conveyor belts in its distribution center to accelerate the sorting process. The server was outfitted with a customized rugged shell to protect it against statically-charged dust.

Embedded solutions: GIGABYTE and its subsidiary GIGAIPC offer embedded motherboards and IoT gateway devices that may be used for industrial automation, access control, and security systems inside a smart factory. The embedded motherboards come in form factors ranging from mini-ITX to 3.5" Single Board Computer (SBC), and they can operate in temperatures ranging from -40°C to +85°C. The embedded IoT gateway systems specialize in fan-less designs that consume less power, various I/O interfaces to fulfill the needs of the IIoT, and even advanced features such as Power over Ethernet (PoE), which can transmit both data and power through a single Ethernet cable.

E-Mobility solutions: GIGABYTE provides the In Vehicle Telematics Controller and IIOT Gateway, also known as the In-Vehicle Telematics Control Unit (TCU); the Telematics Module, an SBC; and the Autonomous-Driving Control Units (ADCUs), which is an AI-enhanced Mobile Edge Computing Platform. They may also be used as part of an automated guided vehicle (AGV) or autonomous mobile robot (AMR) solution inside a smart factory, or on automated farming and mining equipment out in the field.