Global markets have undergone rapid changes in recent years. First, a wave of AI technology adoption has led to a trend of industrial upgrading. Second, events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and various geopolitical conflicts have led to increased stress on the operations of many industries. Consequently, strengthening competitiveness through digital technology has become an important strategy for businesses. At Computex 2023, IBASE Technology, a leading industrial computer manufacturer with years of experience in vertical industry applications, showcased a range of solutions tailored to the needs of various industries in order to help enterprise customers build highly efficient and stable industrial equipment.
According to Kerwin Chang, senior sales director of IBASE Technology, the products on display this year cover embedded computing, panel PCs, intelligent transportation, digital signage, RISC architecture, networking and communication, customization services, human-machine interfaces (HMI), industrial IoT gateways, and eSOP management software for production lines. As for embedded boards, IBASE offers a comprehensive range of popular industrial computer board form factors, including ATX, Micro ATX, 3.5" SBC, COM Express, and Mini-ITX. Regarding processors, Mr. Chang noted that Intel's products still serve as the mainstream CPU option for industrial computers. Due to the close cooperation between IBASE and Intel, the product development of the two companies also tends to be synchronized. Currently, the high-performance CPU market is dominated by Intel's 12th-generation devices. However, IBASE will introduce industrial computers with Intel 13th Gen processors shortly after Intel announce to the market this July. Intel Atom processors will be used for embedded boards that require low power consumption and wide operating temperature range. In addition, the high-resolution video market has grown rapidly in recent years. In response, IBASE offers a wide range of products that support AI expansion slots. These can be directly paired with NVIDIA PCIe, MXM GPUs, or Hailo AI modules to meet the needs of AI-related markets.
Mr. Chang went on to say that industrial computer boards must meet the different marketing requirements by providing a variety of functional products. For example, COM Express has high flexibility to shorten development time, the 3.5" SBC is suitable for limited physical dimensions, the wide operating temperature specifications support stable operations in harsh environments, and adapter designs that allow non-mainstream I/O ports to operate. IBASE provides solutions for all of these needs, thereby helping system and equipment manufacturers create optimized products that are fully functional and reliable over the long term.
In addition to the x86 architecture, IBASE also offers a complete RISC product line. Mr. Chang pointed out that RISC hardware development costs are much lower. Manufacturers who have the corresponding software development capabilities will therefore benefit from lower implementation costs. For RISC products, IBASE uses computing chips from NXP Semiconductors, Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Nvidia, and offers relevant products for fields such as AIoT, medicine, and communications. In addition, regarding RISC AI applications, IBASE has also introduced AI solutions using the NVIDIA® Jetson Orin™ series to provide customers with a wide range of choices.
Diverse design services to meet the needs of vertical applications
As for panel PCs, IBASE offers both standard and customized models. The standard models are designed for various applications, They can meet the challenges of factory automation and outdoor environments. These include various models with multiple 2.5GbE LAN ports, wide temperature ranges, water and shock resistance, network security, compact size, Intel Core i-series CPUs with various processing power, Power over Ethernet (PoE) functionality, and other features.
Rail Intelligent transportation and digital signage are also two of IBASE's main areas of interest, and they have attracted significant market and customer attention in recent years. Mr. Chang pointed out that the pace of digitalization in these two sectors is quite fast compared to other applications. Rail transport products can be divided into two types depending on where they are used: products for use on trains and products for use in stations. The first type consists of information screens in vehicles that are visible to passengers and control panels in drivers' cabs. The second type comprises information systems in station concourses. All of these devices must meet the special requirements of rail transport EN50155 and eMark in terms of voltage, fire protection, shock resistance, wide temperature capabilities, and others.
Digital signage is mainly focused on the retail industry. This type of equipment requires high resolution video image quality and sometimes support for multi-screen control. As a result, IBASE's solutions in this area are primarily powered by Intel and AMD CPUs, which offer higher performance in image processing. The product on display at Computex 2023 can support up to 16 channels of high-resolution video output with a single player, offering better performance in terms of both cost and management efficiency.
Networking and communication products are IBASE's most popular product line at this moment. This market has seen strong growth due to the large number of individuals working and shopping online from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The architecture of IBASE's networking and communication products is primarily based on Intel, with most products using Intel Xeon processors. According to Mr. Chang, the demand for customized networking and communication products is quite high. Only a handful of small and medium-sized customers opt for standard products, while customized products are mainly supplied to large network software companies. Such customers have a high demand for technical services from suppliers, and IBASE's technical capabilities are well suited to meeting their needs.
Demonstrating strong technology capabilities to help customers seize the tremendous business opportunities presented by digital transformation
In addition to customized designs, IBASE also provides ODM services for customers in vertical markets. One of the products on display is a 3D endoscopic imaging device designed for a medical facility. The device allows surgeons to see 3D images through special glasses to improve the accuracy of surgeries. It can also be used for teaching purposes. Another exhibit is a 21-inch outdoor panel PC. It is used for tracking the trajectories of tee shots on golf courses and as an ordering system in a U.S. fast-food restaurant chain, where customers can order food from their cars and have it delivered by waiters. Mr. Chang said that this panel PC is IP65 rated and produces images that are clearly visible even in strong outdoor light. It is suitable for various extreme weather conditions and works well in outdoor environments. In addition, IBASE has also participated in a government-led smart parking system. In this project, IBASE was responsible for assisting ODM customers with the integration of cameras, various payment systems, and the design of waterproof mechanisms for outdoor use.
In response to the trend toward visualization in the automation market, IBASE has recently established a subsidiary focused on HMI solutions. The subsidiary specializes in the development of various gateways and HMIs and can provide hardware and software customization services. The products have interfaces ranging from 4 to 15 inches and can be integrated with gateways. Customers who do not need panel PCs can therefore use these HMIs to get the appropriate UI support.
As for software, IBASE maintains its own automation software team that can provide customers with various software and hardware integration systems. For example, IBASE's display at Computex 2023 showcases equipment that utilizes small gateways, making it suitable for a product packaging detection system. This system has already been applied in IBASE's in-house production line. It can automatically check whether a product is in the correct position and, in the event of an error, trigger an alarm to alert the person in charge. In addition, IBASE's R&D team has other products and solutions to provide customized services for various applications.
IBASE's exhibits show that the digital transformation of various vertical industries has been accelerating, and that demand for AIoT software and hardware has also grown rapidly. IBASE's technical services help system and equipment manufacturers shorten development time and create high-quality products to take advantage of the huge business opportunities in the smart market.
IBASE Technology's Senior Executive Vice President Stephen Lin (right) and Senior Sales Director Kerwin Chang (left) say IBASE Technology's solutions are tailored to the needs of various industries, and can help customers build highly efficient and stable industrial equipment.
Photo: DIGITIMES