Category: Application Story

Posted on by

Cruise Engine Sentinel: Cincoze’s Open Frame Panel PC Enhances Monitoring of Cruise Ship Engine Status

Introduction

According to statistics from the globally recognized data platform Statista by 2027, the number of cruise users is expected to reach 32.53 million. Given the critical role of cruise ships in passenger transportation, onboard systems, such as engine monitoring, power management, and safety systems, are essential for closely overseeing their operation.

Cincoze’s customer, a renowned Central European systems integrator selected Cincoze’s open frame panel PC (CO-W121C/P2102E) to monitor cruise ship engines. This panel PC connects multiple sensors, collecting data for analysis and enabling preventive maintenance, thereby avoiding engine overheating, shutdowns, or component damage due to bearing wear or excessive oil mist. The Cincoze CO-W121C/P2102E helps improve cruise ship engine safety and minimizes engine maintenance costs.

Customer Requirements

Open Frame Design

The customer requires a high performance industrial panel PC to serve as the core of cruise ship engine monitoring. This panel PC receives real-time data from sensors, visualizes it, and enables operators to immediately understand the engine’s status for adjustments and predictive maintenance. The customers also wanted the industrial panel PC to align with the other equipment in the control room, so they needed an open frame industrial panel PC.

At Least Six COM Ports

As cruise ship engine oil mist and bearing monitoring rely on data captured by sensors, a computer that supports at least 6 COM ports is required to connect to multiple sensors for real-time data acquisition.

Withstand the Harsh Maritime Environment

Cruise ships potentially experience significant temperature and humidity variations, requiring the computer to endure harsh weather conditions, impacts from waves, ship vibrations, and electromagnetic interference. A rugged and highly reliable industrial panel PC is needed to prevent monitoring interruptions and difficult maintenance situations at sea due to malfunctions.

Why Cincoze?

Cincoze Open Frame Panel PC

The Cincoze open frame panel PCs (CO-100/P series) offer a choice among Intel® Core™ U, Pentium®, or Atom® processors to meet diverse computer performance needs. Beyond providing high-performance data processing and graphics capabilities, their easy installation is a significant highlight. The exclusive adjustable mounting bracket (Patent No.: D224544, D224545, I802427) features thickness adjustment settings and two locking methods (panel or boss type), enhancing convenience for integration into ship control cabinets.

Cincoze open frame panel PCs (CO-100/P series) offer a wide range of options, with sizes from 19” to 21”, 5:4 and 16:9 display ratios, and multi-point capacitive touch.

Flexible Expansion

The monitoring system for mist and bearing in cruise ship engines relies on multiple sensors to capture data. The CO-W121C/P2102E is equipped with 4 built-in COM ports, and with Cincoze’s unique MEC module, it can expand up to 8 COM ports, effectively fulfilling the requirements. Additionally, two Mini-PCIe slots and one PCI/PCIe x4 slot cater to the needs of data acquisition cards or I/O expansion.

Easy to Maintain and Upgrade

Cruise ships may face challenges in equipment upgrades or maintenance. With Cincoze’s CDS patented technology (Patent No. M482908), the CO-W121C/P2102E makes replacing screens, upgrading systems, or troubleshooting easy. Only a single component needs to be quickly replaced to get the machine online and reduce downtime.

Rugged and Reliable

The CO-W121C/P2102E has industrial-grade protections, such as a fanless design, wide operating temperature (0°C to 60°C), wide voltage (9 to 48 VDC), and an IP65 waterproof and dustproof front panel. These features make it suitable for long-term operation in the harsh maritime environment.

Posted on by

Experience Faster and More Efficient Postal Automation with the Cincoze DI-1000

Introduction

A report released by Polaris Market Research Analysis has shown that the global market for postal automation systems reached a size of 749 million USD in 2021. It is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 6.56% from 2022 to 2030, with the market size expected to reach 1.309 billion USD by 2030. This growth is largely attributed to the thriving e-commerce market and online shopping, which have created a high demand for package delivery services and increased expectations for faster delivery times. Additionally, rising labor costs have also become a driving force behind the acceleration of postal service automation.

Postal automation systems are classified based on their functions, such as Culler Facer Cancellers (CFC), letter sorting machines, and parcel sorters. With recent advancements in computer CPU performance and complementary technologies like sensors, scanners, and recognition systems, postal automation systems have experienced significant improvements in processing speed and address reading accuracy. The adoption of postal automation has decreased reliance on human labor and prevented human errors, while also enhancing execution efficiency and precision.

A postal system located in Central Europe has selected the Cincoze DI-1000 high performance & power-saving embedded computer to integrate into its Parcel Sorter. The primary challenge was to overcome the continuous high-vibration usage environment. And also utilizing an Optical Character Recognition System (OCR) to identify and read postal codes, addresses, and barcodes on packages, and sort them into the correct storage areas.

Customer Requirement

Reliable performance in high-vibration environments

As the Parcel Sorter depends on a conveyor belt to transport packages with identified addresses to their designated storage areas, it is the major challenge for the embedded computer to operate robustly in this high-vibration environment.

Quick and accurate character recognition capacity

Through OCR technology, the computer can perform real-time optical character recognition of postal codes, addresses, and barcodes on packages. It needs to rely on stable and excellent computing performance to process over 50,000 objects per hour.

Rich I/O for Integration with Other Devices

The computer must have sufficient I/O interfaces to connect with sensors, lights, scanners, etc. Additionally, it must support wireless transmission to upload data to the database for package delivery tracking.

Why Cincoze?

Robust Product Design for Industrial Applications

The DI-1000 exemplifies the robust features of Cincoze’s embedded computers, including a one-piece cover, cableless, jumperless, anti-vibration kit, fanless, and shock-vibration resistant protection (5/50 Grms); moreover, it also features a range of industrial-grade protections such as a wide voltage range (9-48VDC), wide operating temperature (-40°C to 70°C), and ESD protection to ensure uninterrupted and stable operation in harsh environments.

High Performance and Power Saving

The Cincoze DI-1000 is a high-performance and power-saving embedded computer that can be equipped with Intel® 6th generation Core™ i7/i5/i3 (BGA Type) processors with only 15W TDP. It is paired with 32GB DDR4 memory, making it capable of meeting the demands of graphic computing and high-speed image processing. In terms of storage, the DI-1000 has two sets of 2.5″ SATA HDD/SSD trays that can support RAID 0/1 function, providing ample storage space.”

Rich I/O & Expandability

The DI-1000’s native I/O includes 2x GbE LAN, 6x COM, 6x USB, and 8x Optical Isolated DIO. It also features both DVI and DisplayPort for digital display output. With two full-size mini PCIe slots, the DI-1000 can support the addition of wireless transmission modules. Through Cincoze’s exclusive CMI/CFM/MEC modules, it can add extra I/O or functionality such as LAN, M12, COM, USB, and Power Ignition Sensing (IGN). This makes it an ideal choice for applications that require peripheral device integration and connection.

Compact Size and Multiple mounting Options

Measuring at only 203 mm (W) x 142 mm (D) x 66.8 mm (H), and equipped with flexible mounting options such as wall-mounting, side-mounting, DIN-rail and VESA, the DI-1000 is an excellent choice for installations in narrow spaces or mobile robots.

For more advanced and complex applications, the newly launched DI-1100 advanced version is highly recommended. This compact model is equipped with 8th generation Intel® Core™ U-series i7/i5/i3 processors (TDP 15W) that offer rich I/O and expansion flexibility. Moreover, it has passed the US military equipment inspection standard (MIL-STD-810G), making it ideal for use in industrial automation, warehouse logistics, and edge computing applications.

Posted on by

Boosting Productivity in the New Era of Smart Spinning: Cincoze P2102E Achieves Advanced Spinning System

Introduction

It’s no secret that investment in automation can enhance business productivity. In fact, textile manufacturing has been innovating for decades, even centuries, to scale up production to the large-scale processes used in modern textile production. But now, as textile manufacturers face labor shortages, low production efficiency, and high energy consumption, they’re adopting hi-tech automation technologies to overcome those challenges. These smart, automated spinning systems combine sensors and edge data collection for centralized management and oversight of productions through a cloud control center, enabling intelligent monitoring, energy management, operational analysis, and predictive maintenance. This high-level view of operations is transformative, enabling significant reductions in production costs and energy waste while meeting discerning customers’ demands for quality, speed, and customization.

A European textile machinery manufacturer renowned for the power efficiency, flexibility, and high-quality output of its spinning machines has integrated the Cincoze P2102E into its spinning system to connect and monitor the machinery and various peripherals. They also developed custom management software integrated into the entire system. This intelligent spinning system allows factory managers and operators to perform equipment automation management from a control center or remotely using smartphones. The system’s capabilities include real-time equipment monitoring, power monitoring, energy management, and more, thereby achieving operational goals of high quality, high efficiency, low energy consumption, and reduced labor requirements.

Customer Requirements

Compact Computers

Textile machine manufacturers are dedicated to creating machines that save space in order to reduce their customers’ investment and maintenance costs for factory floor space. Because of this, the integrated embedded computers must also have a compact design to minimize space usage.

I/O Connectivity

To monitor the spinning system effectively, the embedded computer should be capable of acquiring data from multiple sensors, including those for fiber quality and yarn tension. It should also collect data on the surrounding environment, such as temperature and humidity. Furthermore, the computer must connect with peripherals such as PLCs, counters, and motion controllers. This means that the computer must have many I/O interfaces and PCI expansion slots to integrate with various sensors and devices.

Withstand Harsh Environments

In a harsh factory environment, the computer must be rugged and durable to ensure the continuous operation of the production line over a long period. During the process of twisting fibers into yarn, the vibrations caused by the machine’s rotational speeds pose a challenge for computers. The computer needs to have excellent durability and shock resistance to ensure the stability of the spinning system.

Why Cincoze?

Slim and Power Efficient

The P2102E, equipped with PCI/PCIe expansion slots, has a height of only 61 mm, while the P2102 without PCI/PCIe expansion slots has a height of only 41.5 mm. This slim design is suitable for various small spaces. The P2102E uses an 8th generation Intel® Core™ U-series i5/i3 processor, providing high performance with a low power consumption of only 15W TDP, making it suitable for IoT edge computing or applications in battery-powered mobile devices.

Rich I/O and Flexible Modular Expansion

The P2102E features rich I/O and additional functions suitable for connecting peripheral devices in industrial IoT. The I/O ports include 1x VGA, 1x DisplayPort, 2x GbE LAN, 3x USB 3.2, 4x COM, 16x isolated DIO, and more. The P2102E model also provides an add-on PCI or PCIe x4 slot, supporting expansion cards for data acquisition, motion control, and other I/O cards. With 1x M.2 2230 key E and 2x Mini-PCIe expansion slots, it can meet the wireless transmission needs of Wi-Fi, 4G, GNSS, and more, enabling a wireless connection to shuttle collected sensor data back to the control center for remote monitoring.

Industrial-Grade Rugged Design

The P2102E is built with the highest-spec industrial-grade components, designs, and protections for stable, long-term operation in harsh industrial environments. Features include fanless and cable-less design, wide operating temperature range (-40°C to 70°C), high shock resistance/vibration capability (50G/5G), wide-range DC power input (9-48V), and industrial-grade electrical protection (OVP, OCP, ESD, and surge). The P2102E has obtained UL 62368-1 safety certification from Underwriters Laboratories Inc., the most authoritative and credible accreditation in the United States, ensuring durability, reliability, and the safety of operators and enterprise assets.

Posted on by

Cincoze CS-115/P2102E Serves as HMI for Offshore Drilling Rig Control

Introduction

Energy companies can now—through industrial IoT, sensors, and wireless network technologies—gather the accurate real-time data they need to implement automatic equipment monitoring and remote management at remote oil and natural gas operations at sea or on land.

Cincoze’s customer in Eastern Europe is a system integrator providing offshore oil platform services, and they chose the Cincoze CS-115/P2102E sunlight-readable industrial panel PC as the HMI for its automated oil rig equipment. The industrial panel PC not only provides the HMI but must also control the operation of the oil rig, analyze sensor data and upload it to the cloud so that the management team can remotely monitor the status of each oil well and ensure optimal production efficiency and perform predictive diagnostics and maintenance. With the harsh environment at sea, there are stringent requirements for ruggedness and reliability, including IP65, high-brightness touchscreen display, multiple I/O, wide operating temperature range, and more.

Customer Requirement

Sunlight-readable Touchscreen Display

The HMI for marine automation control must be an industrial panel PC with a super bright screen that is clear and easy to read in bright sunlight. It must also be IP65 waterproof and dustproof and have a 15-inch projective capacitive touch panel. Capacitive touchscreen is necessary for this application because it has a high transmittance, sensitive response, high durability, and, most importantly, it supports multitouch to provide a convenient and easy-to-use user experience for field operators.

Multiple Sensor Control

The automated drilling machine is equipped with temperature, hydraulic pressure, storage capacity, and other sensors to obtain real-time machine and environment data. Through detailed analysis and real-time monitoring, operators can effectively monitor machine operation and improve drilling productivity. All these sensors must be connected to the industrial panel PC and on top of that it is also necessary to install a gas detector card in the PCIe expansion slot.

Suitable for Harsh Working Environment

Automation equipment at sea needs to stay in operation for a long time, and both temperature and humidity severely test hardware longevity. In addition to extreme temperatures, the industrial panel PC must also continue long-term operation in a high-humidity environment at sea.

Why Cincoze?

Complete Selection of Sizes

Cincoze sunlight-readable panel PC (CS-100/P series) has a wealth of options, with sizes from 8.4” to 24”, 4:3 and 16:9 display ratios, multi-point capacitive touch, and a selection of Intel® Core™ U, Pentium®, or Atom® processor to suit computer performance needs. The highest brightness can reach 1,600 nits so it is readable under sunlight and the series is specially designed for outdoor applications. The front panel is IP65 waterproof and dustproof, 7H hardness scratch-resistant, and the rugged frame is made of die-cast aluminum, making it suitable for long-term operation in industrial environments.

Rich I/O and Modular Expansion

The CS-115/P2102E has all the essential I/O connections needed for industrial IoT peripheral devices to achieve seamless connection to the cloud. I/O includes 1x VGA, 1x DisplayPort, 2x GbE LAN, 3x USB 3.2, 4x COM, 16x isolated DIO, and more. The P2102E also provides a PCI/PCIe x4 slot to support data acquisition, motion control, or I/O cards. One M.2 2230 key E and two Mini-PCIe slots meet the needs of wireless transmissions such as Wi-Fi and 4G LTE. Cincoze’s exclusive CFM module allows the addition of IGN and PoE functions.

Rugged Design

The CS-115/P2102E has strict industrial-grade protections, including fanless and cableless design, wide operating temperature (-20 to 70°C), wide range DC input (9 to 48V), industrial-grade power protection (OVP, OCP, ESD), Reverse Power Input protection, and surge protection. It can maintain reliable operation at 40°C and 80% relative humidity.

Easy Maintenance and High Flexibility for Upgrades

Cincoze sunlight-readable panel PCs (CS-100/P series) use Cincoze’s patented Convertible Display System (Patent No. M482908) modular technology to enable the individual replacement of the industrial panel PC’s computer module and display module, reducing on-site maintenance costs and retaining the possibility of future upgrades.

Configure and Purchase