EMBEDDED MOTHERBOARDS

Embedded Motherboards for Industrial Applications

Digimax offers a wide range of embedded motherboards, designed for high reliability and operational continuity applications, with particular attention to the industrial, medical, railway, automotive and automation environments. We rely on the largest motherboard manufacturers, such as:

• Advantech, a global leader in industrial solutions, with a complete range of ATX, Mini-ITX, 3.5” SBC, COM Express and high-performance modular systems;

• IEI Technology, a company specializing in industrial and medical motherboards, designed to operate in critical environments and support rigorous regulatory standards;

• AAEON, part of the ASUS group, offers integrated, compact and scalable PC boards for AI applications, edge computing, automation and fanless systems.

The Digimax offer covers all the main standardized formats (ATX, Mini-ITX, Pico-ITX, COM, 3.5"" or 2.5"") and is aimed at system integrators, OEMs, designers and manufacturers who need reliable, durable and compliant industrial IT embedded systems.

Digimax: High performance embedded motherboards

Digimax distributed embedded computer boards are available in a wide variety of sizes and configurations, designed to meet the needs of designers and system integrators in critical contexts requiring high reliability. From expandable ATX, micro-ATX and mini-ITX solutions, suitable for high connectivity requirements, to Pico-ITX and ultra-compact low-power motherboards, up to System-on-Modules with customizable carrier boards for OEMs and custom projects.

Some technical specifications of Digimax embedded motherboards:

• CPU architectures: x86 and ARM®, depending on your needs;

• Supported storage: SSD, eMMC, M.2, SATA, mSATA;

• RAM: DDR3, DDR4 or LPDDR modules soldered or on SO-DIMM slots;

• I/O interfaces: USB 2.0 / 3.0 / 3.1, RS-232/422/485, Ethernet (up to 10GbE), HDMI / DP / eDP / LVDS, GPIO, CAN Bus, SPI, I²C for controlling industrial peripherals;

• Expansion slots: PCIe, Mini-PCIe, M.2 for communication, graphics or AI modules;

• Extended operating ranges: versions with operating temperatures from -40°C to +85°C available.

Advantages of embedded boards and areas of use

The embedded boards offered by Digimax are designed to offer reliable performance over time even in harsh environments and hostile conditions. They are key components in new generation integrated systems, where continuity of service, efficiency and robustness are essential:

• Industrial reliability, to guarantee continuous 24/7 operation and high lifespan;

• Low-power fanless designs, optimized for sealed, constrained environments or portable devices;

• High integration, with CPU, GPU and RAM soldered to improve operational stability;

• Guaranteed solidity, EMC compliance and resistance to vibrations, mechanical and thermal shocks;

• Design flexibility, integrations with AI modules, Wi-Fi, LTE/5G and carrier boards.

The application sectors of embedded boards range from industrial automation (machine control, PLC, HMI and supervision systems) to medical (imaging devices, mobile trolleys, patient monitoring systems); from the railway and transport sector (on-board systems, infotainment, vehicle control) to smart retail (digital signage, vending machines, POS, flow management), up to the IoT and Edge AI field (edge ​​computing, AI inference, low-power intelligent devices).

Frequently asked questions about embedded PC boards

What is an embedded motherboard?

An embedded board is a hardware platform designed for integration into dedicated electronic systems, with advanced functionality and continuous operation requirements. Unlike standard motherboards, embedded PC boards are optimized for reliability, low power consumption, compactness and long life. Embedded boards are used in industrial, medical, automotive, railway and professional electronics fields.

What are the differences between embedded card and motherboard?

Embedded boards are distinguished from normal (consumer) motherboards by a series of design features, oriented towards use in typically professional or industrial environments:

•  They use components soldered to the board, reducing mechanical failure points;

• Available in small form factors, designed for limited spaces or embedded devices;

• Designed for extended life cycles, with guaranteed availability over time (5–10 years);

• Wide operating temperature range and high certified environmental resistance.

Are embedded boards suitable for artificial intelligence?

Yes, embedded motherboards are increasingly used in the AI ​​and Edge Computing fields, thanks to the availability of AI acceleration modules (TPU, GPU and VPU) compatible with M.2 or Mini-PCIe slots, SoCs with integrated AI (NVIDIA platforms, Jetson or optimized ARM-based solutions), framework software support (TensorFlow Lite and OpenVINO), and other AI inference tools.

How to choose the most suitable embedded motherboard?

The selection of an embedded PC board requires the careful evaluation of several parameters:

• Application requirements: computing power, graphics, connectivity, storage;

• Form factor and type of installation (rack, fanless, VESA mounting);

• Interfaces and I/O: serial slots, LAN, USB, video, GPIO, CAN Bus, expandability;

• Operating environment: temperature, humidity, vibration, electromagnetic compatibility;

• Manufacturer lifecycle and availability, software compatibility and advanced features.

Digimax supports customers in the pre- and post-sales phase with a technical and application consultancy service, helping to identify the most suitable embedded board even in complex OEM projects.