What trends does Aaronn Electronic see in box PCs?

Florian Haidn: Box PCs are becoming increasingly compact with more I/Os in the smallest of spaces. They are also becoming more powerful and more individual: because there are so many different applications, customer-specific adaptations are often required to meet the requirements. Interconnectivity is also a decisive criterion, especially for gateways.

What prompted Aaronn Electronic to develop its own box PCs?

Florian Haidn: There is already a wide range of different box PCs for various applications. However, customer-specific adaptations are usually only possible for larger quantities. This also requires a complex coordination process between the customer, system integrator and manufacturer.
The A2I box from Aaronn Electronic, on the other hand, is a completely modular and therefore particularly flexible alternative that is geared towards the customer's requirements.

What are the unique selling points of the box PCs?

Florian Haidn: The A2I box has a modular design and therefore remains up-to-date for years: if there is a new generation of modules, for example with more powerful or cheaper CPUs, the CPU module can be replaced without having to redesign the entire box. The base consisting of the carrier board with the I/Os and the housing remains the same.

With dimensions of 142.4 mm x 103 mm x 54.5 mm, the fanless housing is very compact. Nevertheless, it offers various interfaces: DisplayPort, 2 x RS232, 2 x USB 3.0 and 2 x Gigabit Ethernet. The range of interfaces can be expanded as required via mPCIe slots, for example to include connection via CAN, Profibus, WLAN or RS485.

However, the most important unique selling point is the ability to make customer-specific adaptations, even for smaller quantities. These adaptations are carried out at Aaronn Electronic. The fact that it is an in-house product means that the company has all the levers in its hands and can act independently, quickly and flexibly.

Can the box PCs be used as edge controllers?

Florian Haidn: The A2I Box can be seamlessly integrated into a network and takes on a wide range of tasks on the machines that go beyond machine control. For example, it can pre-process, filter and, if necessary, analyze data on the machine using machine learning and AI in order to make quick decisions on site. This ensures that only selected data is sent to the cloud, eliminating potential security risks and reducing costs.

How can the Box PCs be customized?

Florian Haidn: It starts with your own company logo on the box. Interfaces that are not available as standard can simply be added using mPCIe cards: RS485, CAN, Profibus and additional network interfaces. Deep learning and AI applications can also be implemented using mPCIe cards from Intel subsidiary Movidius.

We are happy to create specific images of operating systems and install them - also together with customers. Not only the box PC itself, but also the surrounding packaging, labels and cables can be customized. The entire package can be designed according to the customer's requirements and wishes.