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In order to deliver products of the highest quality, manufacturing operations depend on single board computers or SBCs. These self-contained computing units provide the processing power needed to keep the production chain moving, and bring about the next phase of smart factory development.

But how do you find the best single board computers for your manufacturing needs? Take a look at our guide, and discover more as you shop single board computers for your business.

One of the first figures you'll see as you shop single board computers is the CPU rating. This tells you what kind of computer processing unit is powering the SBC.

Consider exactly what you want your SBC to do within your manufacturing setup. If you are designing a human/machine interface based on simple coding, you won't need a huge amount of processing power. However, if you're building an Edge processing and monitoring system to support automated smart manufacturing, you're going to be looking for the most powerful single board computers available.

This is an important consideration. The most powerful single board computers are going to be more expensive than simpler devices, so you'll need to keep your budget in mind as you make your decision.

The ECM-ADLS is available with an Intel Core i5 processor. This provides more computing power than the ECM-EHL SBC, with its Intel Pentium, Celeron, or Atom processors.

The chipset is like the nervous system of the SBC. It supports communication between the different components of the single board computer, and is available in both integrated and non-integrated versions.

Just like with the CPU, the chipset you choose will depend upon your use case. If you're working with a tight budget, and are not in need of ultra-high computing performance and processing, an integrated chipset will likely do the job.

On the other hand, if you're seeking the highest levels of computing performance, you may need to upgrade the chipset. A non-integrated chipset will give you the opportunity to do just that.

The ECM-KBLU and ECM-APL2-A and ECM-APL2-B SBC units feature integrated chipsets. The ECM-CFS SBC features an Intel Q370 chipset, while the ECM-KBLH single board computer includes the Intel QM175 chipset, designed for mobile and handheld devices.

The single board computer does not exist in isolation. It is at the heart of your manufacturing systems, and it needs to connect to other components in this system if it is to have the desired effect.

Typically, these connectivity options are USB, SATA, COM, and LAN. USB is a highly versatile connection, while SATA offers more speed in data transfer. COM is an older connectivity option and allows you to connect legacy hardware to the smart system, while LAN is used to create integrated local networks within your facilities.

The ECM-BSWA SBC supports six USB connections and six COM connections. A single SATA connection and two LAN connections are also supported.

The ECM-WHL offers the same connectivity options, but in a different configuration. While the six USB connections, single SATA, and two LAN connections are all offered, there is only a single COM connection.

Not every SBC used in manufacturing will necessarily be connected to a visual display. However, this kind of display does give human teams a swift and reliable means of examining system statuses and collecting data.

As you shop single board computers, think about what kind of visual display connection you need. Make sure you choose a single board computer unit that supports your desired display method.

Both the ECM-BYT and ECM-BYT-Lite SBCs feature VGA, HDMI, and LVDS connections, with one of each connection type supported.

The ECM-SKLH and ECM-SKLU units are different, and feature only HDMI and LVDS visual connections. However, there are two HDMI ports integrated into these units.

While SBC units certainly power your digital technology and provide CPU support for manufacturing software, they are still physical components. With this in mind, you need to select a component that will physically fit within your system.

Increasingly, we are seeing moves towards miniaturization in manufacturing. Business owners are looking for ways to get the most out of their production facilities, with smaller, lightweight devices that don't compromise on computing power. Slimline 1.8" SBC units can help to achieve this, reducing power and energy demand while still providing high performance.

The EZX-EHLP SBC is a 1.8" unit with Mini DP and eDP display options.

The EPX-ASLP SBC is a 2.5" PICO ITX unit, offering HDMI, DP, and LVDS display options.

As you shop single board computers for your manufacturing operation, you'll have the option of choosing an off-the-shelf SBC or a build-to-order component.

Off-the-shelf retail options include some of the most powerful single board computers available, and you'll find a diverse array of performance levels and specifications here. However, build-to-order components give you the opportunity to tailor the specifications of your SBC to your own needs — although this is likely to be more expensive, and you will have to wait longer to receive the SBC.

The ECM-APL2-B SBC is a build-to-order product, unlike its ECM-APL2-A counterpart, which is available to buy immediately.

The RSC-IMX61 is another example of an SBC that is available for immediate purchase.

Here at Avalue, we are proud to offer an enormous range of single board computer units, suitable for a variety of applications across the manufacturing industry. Explore our product range today and find what you need, or reach out to our team directly if you have any questions or queries about our SBCs.