EMBEDDED COM SOLUTIONS
Across diverse industries, today’s system designers face daunting imperatives:
• Accelerate product development.
• Design and enable increasingly sophisticated, interconnected applications.
• Extend the life cycles of existing designs to delay obsolescence.
• Reduce the risks and costs associated with new product development.
• Ensure embedded computing systems are secure and supply chains reliable.
Meeting these challenges requires highly reliable embedded computing solutions that incorporate extensive functionality yet can be modified to fit any application or be easily upgraded. These capabilities and others have been the driving factors in the growth and adoption of Computer-on-Module (COM) solutions.
What is a computer-on-module?
PROVEN AND FLEXIBLE
COM technology has been around in various forms for decades and consists of a mezzanine approach with CPU, memory and basic I/O interfaces on a module that mounts via a standardized module connector that physically attaches the module to the carrier board and provides high-speed, high-pin count signaling between the COM and a carrier board to complete the I/O and system requirements. The approach allows the most complicated part of the design to be separated from the unique I/O requirements of different carrier board solutions. Not only do COM standards enable an ecosystem of CPU and I/O vendors, many OEMs used the standardized bus and mounting to design unique carrier cards using off-the-shelf CPU modules available from multiple vendors.
INFINITE OPTIONS – CLEAR COM ADVANTAGES
The proven COM module computing solution is a practical way to shorten design cycles and time to market, provide performance scalability, minimize single-source risks, and extend the service life of products by keeping the carrier with its custom I/O in place and updating the COM. This approach also allows for prototypes to be developed and tested with much less expense than designing and manufacturing CPU-based designs.
WINSYSTEMS’ MADE-IN-USA COM EXPRESS MODULES
The industry standards adopted by manufacturers for COM modules are COM Express®, SMARC™, and Qseven®. WINSYSTEMS computer-on-module products align with the COM Express standards from the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG®) standards body.
WINSYSTEMS’ COM modules include the COM Express® Type 10 Mini, one of the most commonly used pin-outs because of its small size and functionality, and COM Express® Type 6 Compact with higher-performance processors, for which we also offer a development kit. For a current product list, visit our COMs and Carriers page.
ABOUT COM EXPRESS STANDARDS
The COM Express standard was developed to accommodate a wide range of performance and space requirements across applications like industrial automation, robotics, medical, retail, digital signage, gaming, mil/aero, transportation, and remote data acquisition.
The small form factor COM Express standard references four module sizes and standard interconnect pinouts, which enables a reliable carrier interface. The larger modules provide space for additional memory or other integrated features for more robust applications. Sizes include the Mini (84mm x 55mm) with its single 220-pin connector and the Compact (95mm x 95mm), Basic (125mm x 95mm), and Extended (155mm x 110mm) which have two 220-pin connectors. Additional detail is available on the PICMG COM Express page.
MARKET APPLICATIONS
The continued growth of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is driving more computational power to edge computing platforms where COM modules with specialized carrier boards provide the connectivity and sensor inputs.
- Industrial Automation / IIoT / Edge Computing
- Machine Learning / AI
- Robotics / Drones
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Unmanned Maritime Vehicles (UMVs) - Medical Diagnostics and Equipment
- Military / COTS
- Transportation
- Energy
- Test & Measurement
Accelerated product development
Focus your time on the application-specific functions that will distinguish your product in the market. Attach a COM Express® module onto a custom-designed carrier board, and you will have all the computing and connection options needed to gain the competitive edge.
Simpler, more secure upgrades
WINSYSTEMS’ COM modules are USA-designed and -manufactured products, supporting dependable supply chain management. Most include TPM 2.0 on-module for improved security and easier upgrades to current embedded designs without modifying the carrier design.
Reduced development risk
COM modules offer proven performance and form/fit/function compatibility. Because WINSYTEMS has been providing custom carrier and embedded computing designs for years, we understand the complexities of BIOS customization and integration required to make OEM products successful.
Long-term product availability
WINSYSTEMS’ highly reliable embedded systems are designed for challenging operating environments, extended temperatures and long product life cycles.
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