Cold computer???

Knowing something of computers ( I was in the IT field for 16 years) I know there are a couple ways to put computers in less than ideal environments and have them survive it. First is the type of computer in use. There are specific computer systems both portable and fixed (sort of) that are hardened or rugged in their design. Panasonic Toughbook is one that comes to mind. This is a laptop that gets heavy use by the military and public safety agencies across the US. New units are very expensive but are frequently available on the used market for reasonable sums of money. There are docking stations that are available for them that could be mounted to a machine in the way a DRO head is mounted. The second style is what is referred to as a MDT or mobile data terminal. These are car computers. They are modular in that the computer and monitor are connected by cables and the monitor and keyboard are remote of the CPU cabinet. These too will mount in the same manner as a DRO head. They run off 12 volts so they would require a power supply. Again, these new are silly expensive in my mind but do show up on ebay and government auctions regularly and depending on the requirements for CPU and memory are a reasonable choice for a CNC mill or lathe. Motorola has made several over the years and continues to make them. Another option is an industrial computer. These are very similar to what a CNC mill / lathe control panel looks like and have touch screens and hardened keyboards for implimentation in harsh environments. These can be built on standard parts and be upgraded in some cases. Again, eBay and some computer knowledge is going to be your friend here.

Another option is the inexpensive tablet with a DIY mount running a remote desktop application controlling a remote computer in a less harsh environment.

What the computer is installed in has alot to do with it's serviceability as well. A good NEMA enclosure with forced are circulation can take the most fragile of computer systems and protect them from the environment they would otherwise be exposed to. Some basic filters that can be cleaned and / or replaced will keep things like metal dust and swarf from getting into the computer and wreaking havoc on it.

Things to look for are going to be real serial / parallel ports on the computer. The USB adapters may or may not work with the software you choose. Drivers are always an issue and should be closely considered when selecting a computer for CNC (or any other physically interfaced) hardware integration project. For those running a Linux based CAM application, drivers are paramount. Nother is worse than buying a computer for a project and loading it up with Linux to find that it's video card is not supported by the release of Linux you have and drivers being non-existent. Make sure that you have drivers available for your operating system of choosing before laying down your money on a computer. It will save you in the long run.
 
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