Industrial Computers with High Expandability for Factory Automation
Contec's Industrial Computers deliver unmatched expansion capabilities with 3 to 11 slots for multi-card factory automation, machine vision, and data acquisition systems. Our VPC series FA computers (250W-1600W PSU), LPC/GPC business PCs (global certifications), and ePC rack-mount systems (4U with redundant power) are trusted by manufacturers worldwide for 24/7 industrial operations. From compact slim-tower units with 3 PCI slots to flagship 4U rack-mount systems with 11 expansion boards, every model features powerful CPUs (8th Gen Intel Core to 5th Gen Xeon Scalable), enterprise-grade storage (RAID 1/5/10), and legacy PCI support for existing automation cards—backed by long-term supply guarantees.
Problems We Solve Every Day
Industrial engineers face critical challenges when standard PCs fall short of factory automation requirements
Limited Expansion in Compact PCs
Embedded computers offer 0-1 expansion slots—insufficient for multi-card factory automation requiring 4-8 motion control, PLC, and I/O cards simultaneously.
- •Only 0-1 expansion slots in embedded PCs
- •Factory automation needs 4-8 cards
- •Cannot install motion control + PLC + I/O cards
- •Forced to use multiple PCs (higher cost)
Cannot Use Existing Industrial Cards
Modern PCs dropped PCI slots, making existing motion control, DAQ, and fieldbus cards incompatible—forcing costly equipment replacement or extended downtime.
- •PCI slots removed from modern PCs
- •Existing automation cards become obsolete
- •Cannot upgrade CPU without losing cards
- •Forced to keep outdated systems running
Insufficient Power for High-Power Cards
Standard PCs limited to 300-500W cannot power multiple GPUs, FPGA cards, or CoaXPress frame grabbers—causing system instability and crashes under load.
- •Only 300-500W in standard PCs
- •Multi-GPU configs need 800W-1400W
- •System instability under high load
- •Cannot run machine vision with 4 cameras
Re-Certification Delays Global Rollouts
Deploying PCs to multiple countries requires individual safety certifications (CE, FCC, CCC, etc.)—delaying projects by months and adding significant costs.
- •Each country requires separate certification
- •Delays of months for regional approvals
- •High certification costs per region
- •Cannot deploy same SKU globally
Scarce Rack-Mount PCs with High Expansion
Test & measurement systems need 19" rack-mount form factor with 8-11 expansion slots—but market offers limited options with poor availability.
- •Need 8-11 slots in rack-mount
- •Limited 4U options in market
- •Poor long-term availability
- •Cannot fit DAQ cards in control room rack
Frequent Model Changes Disrupt Operations
Standard PC vendors discontinue models frequently, forcing re-verification and software updates for industrial equipment running for many years.
- •Models discontinued frequently
- •Forced re-verification costs
- •Software compatibility issues
- •Equipment runs for many years
Choose Your Industrial PC Platform
From compact FA towers to maximum-expansion rack-mount systems—select the perfect platform for your automation needs
VPC Series - FA Computers
High-performance industrial PCs designed for factory automation with 3-7 expansion slots, 250W-1600W power supplies, and Intel Core/Xeon processors. Highly reliable and long-life components ensure 24-hour continuous operations. This FA PC is designed with a focus on maintainability and reliability that allows us to recommend them not only for factory automation solutions but also for applications that require high availability. Tower and slim-tower form factors with hardware RAID support.
- 3-7 expansion slots (PCIe Gen3/Gen4/Gen5 + legacy PCI)
- 250W to 1600W power supplies (high-capacity PSU for multi-GPU)
- Intel 8th-13th Gen Core / Xeon E / 3rd Gen Xeon Scalable CPUs
- Hardware RAID 1/5/10 support (VPC-7000-G, VPC-5000-G, VPC-3200)
- Multiple Gigabit LAN ports (2-3 ports for network redundancy)
LPC/GPC Series - Business PCs
Cost-optimized industrial PCs that strike a balance between reliability and cost, well suited for embedding in medical devices, production equipment, and store terminals. The GPC-710 global model meets safety standards of 18 countries (areas) including CE, FCC Class B, CCC, KC, VCCI Class B, and 13 other regional certifications—enabling same-day deployment to manufacturing sites worldwide without re-certification delays. Compact and ultra-slim form factors with 0-3 expansion slots.
- Compact/ultra-slim form factors (space-saving designs)
- 0-3 expansion slots (PCIe Gen3/Gen4 for moderate expansion needs)
- Intel Core i3/i5/i7 & Celeron processors (8th-13th Gen + Core Ultra 5)
- GPC-710 global certifications: 18 countries (CE, FCC, CCC, KC, UKCA, VCCI, BSMI, BIS, IRAM, NOM, RCM, SONCAP, etc.)
- 60W-250W power consumption (energy-efficient operation)
Custom ePC Series - Rack-Mount PCs
Maximum expansion industrial PCs built with Contec products and carefully selected components for high reliability and long-term availability. Through BTO (build-to-order) manufacturing, customers are provided with custom computers that fully meet their needs. EIA 19" rack-mount 4U form factor with 6-11 expansion slots, supporting up to 5th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors. Redundant hot-swappable power supplies (up to 1300W) and mixed PCIe/PCI slot configurations for 24/7 mission-critical operations.
- 6-11 expansion slots (maximum in entire lineup - mixed PCIe Gen5 + legacy PCI)
- EIA 19" rack-mount 4U form factor (standard data center/control room racks)
- 500W-1300W redundant PSU options (hot-swappable for zero downtime)
- Hot-swap drive bays (some models - RAID with zero downtime maintenance)
- BTO custom configurations (tailored to exact customer requirements)
Explore 18 Industrial Computer Models
High-resolution images showing front, side, and internal views of each model
VPC Series - FA Computers (7 Models)
VPC-7000-G
- 3rd Gen Intel® Xeon® Scalable (Ice Lake) up to 40 cores
- 1600W high-capacity PSU for multi-GPU configurations
- Hardware RAID 1/5/10 supported
- 6 slots: 3Ă— PCIe 4.0 x16 + 2Ă— PCIe 4.0 x8 + 1Ă— PCIe 3.0 x4
- 3Ă— dual-slot GPUs supported (267mm GPU clearance)
- 256GB DDR4 ECC server-grade memory
VPC-5000-G
- 9th Gen Intel® Xeon® E (Coffee Lake Refresh) workstation CPU
- 7 expansion slots: 1Ă— PCIe x16 + 3Ă— PCIe x4 + 3Ă— PCI
- Hardware RAID 1/5/10 supported
- Maximum legacy support: 3Ă— PCI slots for existing cards
- 500W large capacity power supply
- 128GB DDR4 memory capacity
VPC-3200 NEW
- 13th Gen Intel® Core™ (Raptor Lake) up to 24 cores
- 4 expansion slots with PCIe Gen4 support
- Hardware RAID 1/5/10 supported
- 64GB DDR5 memory - latest platform
- 3Ă— Gigabit LAN ports for network redundancy
- 500W power supply for modern automation
VPC-720
- Entry-level Intel® processors (Celeron/Pentium)
- 2 expansion slots (1Ă— PCIe x16 + 1Ă— PCI)
- Software RAID supported
- 32GB DDR4 memory capacity
- 2Ă— Gigabit LAN ports
- 180W power supply - budget-friendly efficiency
LPC/GPC Series - Business PCs (5 Models)
GPC-710 GLOBAL
- 18 countries pre-certified: CE, FCC, CCC, KC, UKCA, VCCI, BSMI, BIS, CSA, IRAM, NOM, etc.
- Same SKU deployable globally - eliminates re-certification
- 12th Gen Intel® Core™ (Alder Lake) processors
- 3Ă— expansion slots (1Ă— PCIe x16 Low Profile)
- Significant cost savings on multi-country certifications
- Compact tower - space-efficient design
LPC-1700
- 12th Gen Intel® Core™ (Alder Lake) processors
- 3 expansion slots (2Ă— PCIe + 1Ă— PCI)
- Software RAID supported
- 64GB DDR4 memory capacity
- 2Ă— Gigabit LAN ports
- 180W power supply - balanced efficiency
Custom ePC Series - Rack-Mount PCs (6 Models)
MR44000 NEW
- 5th Gen Intel® Xeon® Scalable (Emerald Rapids) up to 64 cores
- 1300W redundant hot-swappable PSU - zero downtime maintenance
- PCIe Gen5 support - latest high-speed standard
- 7 expansion slots (4Ă— PCIe x16 + 3Ă— PCIe x4)
- Hot-swap drive bays + PSU for 24/7 mission-critical
- 512GB DDR5 server-grade maximum capacity
SR4100 11 SLOTS
- 11 expansion slots MAXIMUM - highest in entire Contec lineup
- 9Ă— PCI legacy slots - maximum support for 20-year-old instruments
- EIA 19" rack-mount 4U form factor
- Hardware RAID 1/5/10 supported
- Test & measurement labs - 11 DAQ cards in one system
- 10th Gen Intel® Core™ (Comet Lake) processors
Built for 24/7 Industrial Operations
Enterprise-grade components and industrial design features engineered for reliable factory automation
3 to 11 Expansion Slots
From VPC-1800-G's 3 PCI slots to SR4100's 11 expansion boards, Contec industrial computers handle multi-card factory automation with unmatched flexibility. Support for latest PCIe Gen5 (MR44000) alongside legacy PCI slots (SR4100: 9 PCI) enables both modern high-speed devices and 20-year-old industrial cards in the same system. Install motion control, machine vision frame grabbers, DAQ, PLC, and I/O cards simultaneously without external chassis.
8th Gen to 5th Gen Xeon Scalable CPUs
Wide processor range from Intel 8th Gen Core i3 (VPC-1700) to latest 5th Gen Xeon Scalable 64-core processors (MR44000). Choose mature 8th Gen platforms for proven driver stability, 13th Gen Core for modern performance (24 cores, DDR5), or server-grade Xeon E/W for ECC memory reliability. Workstation Xeon processors deliver HPC performance for machine vision, while Xeon Scalable handles multi-socket AI inference workloads.
250W to 1600W PSU Options
VPC-7000-G's 1600W PSU powers 3× high-end GPUs (NVIDIA RTX A6000), while MR44000's 1300W redundant hot-swappable PSU ensures zero downtime for 24/7 operations. Mid-range models (VPC-3200: 500W, VPC-1800-G: 250W) balance power and efficiency. Redundant PSU configurations (ePC series) enable hot-swap during operation—if one PSU fails, system continues running on backup without interruption.
Extended Product Lifecycle
Contec industrial PCs remain available significantly longer than commercial systems, reducing re-verification costs for equipment running 10-20 years. Advance discontinuation notices (typically years ahead) and Last Time Buy opportunities enable customers to stock spare units. Long-term component sourcing and BTO (build-to-order) custom configurations protect against obsolescence for mission-critical production lines and test systems.
18 Countries Pre-Certified
GPC-710 global model meets safety standards for 18 countries (CE, FCC Class B, CCC, KC, UKCA, VCCI Class B, BSMI, BIS, CSA, IRAM, NOM, NRCS LOA, RCM, SONCAP, Ukr Sepro, and more)—eliminating typical 6-12 month re-certification delays and significantly reducing certification costs for multi-country factory rollouts. Deploy same SKU globally without regional variants or engineering modifications.
RAID 1/5/10 Data Protection
VPC-7000-G, VPC-5000-G, VPC-3200, MR44000, and SR4100 feature integrated hardware RAID controllers supporting RAID 1 (mirroring), RAID 5 (parity), and RAID 10 (striped mirrors). Hardware RAID offloads parity calculations from CPU to dedicated controller, delivering superior performance during high I/O machine vision recording or continuous DAQ logging. Enterprise-grade data reliability for 24/7 mission-critical operations.
Ultra-Slim to 4U Rack-Mount
LPC-400 ultra-slim fits constrained office spaces (60W fanless operation), while MR44000 4U rack-mount (EIA 19" standard) centralizes control room systems. Mid-tower (VPC-3200), slim-tower (VPC-1800-G), and tower (VPC-7000-G) options match factory floor layouts. All form factors support DIN rail, VESA, and wall mounting (BX series accessories compatible) for flexible installation without custom enclosures.
24/7 Continuous Operation
High-reliability capacitors, industrial-grade power supplies, and ruggedized components enable 24/7 factory floor operation at 0°C to 40°C (standard models). Carefully selected parts ensure long-term availability matching 10-20 year equipment lifecycles. ECC memory options (Xeon platforms) detect and correct single-bit errors automatically. Vibration-resistant designs meet industrial shock/vibration standards for harsh manufacturing environments.
PCI Slots for Existing Cards
SR4100 (9 PCI), VPC-5000-G (3 PCI), VPC-1800-G (3 PCI) extend life of legacy motion control, DAQ, and fieldbus cards worth significant value. Upgrade to latest CPUs (13th Gen Core, Xeon Scalable) while keeping 20-year-old PCI cards operational. Mixed PCIe/PCI configurations (SR4120) support modern high-speed devices alongside legacy 32-bit PCI instruments—eliminating forced equipment replacement.
Windows for IoT / Server IoT
All 18 models support Windows 10/11 IoT Enterprise and Windows Server IoT 2022 with embedded OEM licensing. Long-term Servicing Channel (LTSC) provides 10-year support without feature updates. Device lockdown, Unified Write Filter (UWF), and embedded mode protect kiosk deployments. Enterprise management via Active Directory, Group Policy, WSUS. Volume licensing through Microsoft VLSC portal.
Compare 8 Featured Industrial Computers
Select the right platform based on expansion slots, CPU, power supply, and form factor requirements
| Specification | VPC-7000-G | VPC-5000-G | VPC-3200 | VPC-1800-G | GPC-710 | LPC-500 | MR44000 | SR4100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series | VPC (FA) | VPC (FA) | VPC (FA) | VPC (FA) | GPC (Business) | LPC (Business) | ePC (Rack) | ePC (Rack) |
| Expansion Slots | 6 (PCIe/PCI) | 7 (PCIe/PCI) | 4 (PCIe Gen4) | 3 (PCI) | 3 (PCIe Gen4) | 1 (PCIe Gen4) | 7 (PCIe Gen5) | 11 (PCIe/PCI) |
| CPU Platform | Xeon E / W | Xeon E / W | 13th Gen Core | 8th Gen Core | 12th Gen Core | Core Ultra 5 | 5th Gen Xeon | Xeon E / W |
| Power Supply | 1600W | 500W | 500W | 250W | 180W | 120W | 1300W Redundant | 500W |
| Form Factor | Tower | Tower | Mid-Tower | Slim-Tower | Compact | Ultra-Slim | 4U Rack-Mount | 4U Rack-Mount |
| Hardware RAID | Software | Software | Software | |||||
| Legacy PCI Slots | 2 PCI | 2 PCI | None | 3 PCI | None | None | None | 9 PCI |
| Gigabit LAN Ports | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Max Memory | 128GB DDR4 | 128GB DDR4 | 64GB DDR5 | 64GB DDR4 | 64GB DDR5 | 96GB DDR5 | 512GB DDR5 | 128GB DDR4 |
| Storage Bays | 4 Ă— 3.5" | 4 Ă— 3.5" | 2 Ă— 3.5" | 2 Ă— 2.5" | 2 Ă— 2.5" | 1 Ă— M.2 | 4 Ă— 3.5" Hot-Swap | 4 Ă— 3.5" |
| Operating Temp | 0°C to 40°C | 0°C to 40°C | 0°C to 40°C | 0°C to 40°C | 0°C to 40°C | 0°C to 40°C | 0°C to 40°C | 0°C to 40°C |
| Ideal Application | Multi-GPU Vision | Multi-Card FA | Modern Automation | Legacy PCI Cards | Global Deployment | Business/Office | Control Room | Test & Measurement |
Industrial Computer Selection Guide
Expert answers to common questions about choosing the right industrial PC for factory automation
How do I choose between VPC tower and ePC rack-mount for my factory automation project?
Choose VPC tower models when you need desktop or floor placement near machines with flexible positioning—ideal for machine vision stations, operator workstations, and standalone automation controllers where rack space is not required.
Choose ePC rack-mount systems when deploying in control rooms or test labs with 19" EIA racks requiring centralized mounting—MR44000 and SR4100 deliver up to 11 expansion slots in 4U form factor with redundant power for 24/7 mission-critical operations.
Key decision factors: Mounting location (rack vs desktop), expansion needs (6-11 slots), power requirements (500W-1600W), and redundancy needs (single vs hot-swap PSU).
Which models support legacy PCI slots for my existing motion control and DAQ cards?
VPC-1800-G offers 3 dedicated PCI slots in slim-tower form factor—perfect for upgrading CPUs while keeping existing 32-bit PCI cards for motion control, fieldbus, and legacy I/O.
SR4100 (ePC rack-mount) provides maximum legacy support with 9 PCI slots + 2 PCIe slots (11 total expansion boards)—ideal for test & measurement labs requiring multiple PCI-based instruments in centralized rack systems.
VPC-7000-G and VPC-5000-G include 2 PCI slots alongside PCIe Gen3 slots—balancing modern high-speed cards (GPU, CoaXPress) with legacy PCI compatibility for gradual equipment migration.
Note: LPC/GPC business PCs and newer VPC-3200 focus on modern PCIe Gen4/Gen5 only (no PCI slots).
What PSU capacity do I need for machine vision systems with multiple GPUs?
VPC-7000-G (1600W PSU) recommended configurations:
- 3Ă— NVIDIA RTX A6000 (350W TDP each): 1050W GPUs + 300W system + 250W headroom = 1600W âś…
- 3Ă— NVIDIA RTX A5000 (230W TDP each): 690W GPUs + 300W system + 610W headroom = safe âś…
- 2Ă— NVIDIA RTX A6000 + CPU + 6 expansion cards: 1000W total âś…
GPU clearance: 267mm supports dual-slot designs
MR44000 (1300W redundant PSU) configurations:
- 4Ă— NVIDIA RTX A5000 (230W each): 920W GPUs + 380W system + hot-swap redundancy
- 2Ă— NVIDIA RTX A6000 + 4Ă— PCIe Gen5 cards: 1100W with redundant PSU failover
- Redundant PSU: If one 1300W PSU fails, system runs on backup without shutdown
VPC-5000-G (500W PSU) configurations:
- 1Ă— NVIDIA RTX A4000 (140W): 140W GPU + 150W CPU + 210W headroom âś…
- 1Ă— NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada (130W): Balanced single-GPU workstation âś…
- Cannot support dual high-power GPUs (insufficient headroom)
Power calculation formula:
Required PSU = (GPUs Ă— GPU TDP) + (CPU TDP) + (Peripheral cards Ă— 25W each) + safety margin
Example: 2× RTX A6000 + Xeon W-2295 (165W) + 4 cards (100W) = 700W + 165W + 100W + 193W headroom = 1158W → Requires VPC-7000-G (1600W PSU) ✅
Does Contec offer PCs pre-certified for global deployment to avoid re-certification delays?
GPC-710 Global PC is pre-certified for 18 countries including CE (EU), FCC (USA), CCC (China), KC (Korea), VCCI (Japan), UKCA (UK), and additional regional standards—enabling same-day deployment to manufacturing sites worldwide without waiting months for individual certifications.
This eliminates typical delays of 6-12 months for regional safety approvals and significantly reduces certification costs when deploying 50+ units across global factory networks.
Other VPC/ePC models carry standard CE/FCC certifications—contact engineering for specific country requirements and certification documentation for your target markets.
Which models include hardware RAID controllers for data protection in 24/7 operations?
Hardware RAID available on: VPC-7000-G, VPC-5000-G, VPC-3200, MR44000, and SR4100—featuring integrated RAID controllers supporting RAID 1 (mirroring), RAID 5 (parity), and RAID 10 (striped mirrors) for enterprise-grade data reliability.
Hardware RAID offloads parity calculations from CPU to dedicated controller, delivering better performance than software RAID especially under high I/O workloads (machine vision recording, continuous DAQ logging).
Budget models (VPC-1800-G, LPC-500, GPC-710) use software RAID via Windows Storage Spaces—sufficient for basic data protection but with CPU overhead during rebuild operations.
Recommendation: Use hardware RAID for mission-critical systems with costly downtime; use software RAID for cost-sensitive deployments with lower uptime requirements.
What's the difference between LPC and GPC series business PCs?
LPC (Local PC) models are designed for regional deployment with standard CE/FCC certifications—ideal for single-country or single-region factory rollouts where global certifications are not required. Available in compact and ultra-slim form factors.
GPC (Global PC) specifically refers to GPC-710—our flagship business PC pre-certified for 18 countries—significantly reducing certification costs and eliminating 6-12 month delays when deploying identical SKU across global manufacturing networks.
Choose LPC series for cost-optimized domestic projects; choose GPC-710 when deploying 50+ units internationally to maximize ROI on certification investments.
What rack-mount options are available for control room and test lab deployments?
All ePC series models (MR44000, MR4310, MR4300, MR4100, SR4100, SR4000) feature 4U rack-mount chassis compliant with EIA 19" racks—providing 6-11 expansion slots for maximum DAQ card density in centralized control rooms.
MR44000 (5th Gen Xeon, 1300W redundant PSU) is our flagship rack-mount with hot-swap PSU and drive bays for highest reliability in mission-critical applications.
SR4100 (11 slots, 9 PCI legacy) delivers maximum expansion for test & measurement labs requiring numerous PCI-based instruments (oscilloscopes, signal analyzers, data acquisition boards).
Note: VPC tower models can be converted to rack-mount using optional rack-mount kits—contact engineering for compatibility.
How do I choose between 8th Gen Core, 13th Gen Core, and Xeon processors for my application?
8th Gen Intel Core (VPC-1800-G): Proven mature platform with excellent long-term driver stability—ideal for legacy software requiring Windows 7/10 compatibility and applications prioritizing stability over raw performance.
13th Gen Intel Core (VPC-3200, GPC-710): Modern desktop processors (up to 24 cores) with DDR5, PCIe Gen4, and integrated Iris Xe graphics—best for machine vision, HMI displays, and general factory automation requiring balanced performance/cost.
Intel Xeon E/W (VPC-7000-G, VPC-5000-G, SR4100): Workstation-class CPUs with ECC memory support, higher core counts, and enhanced reliability features—required for mission-critical applications where single-bit memory errors cannot be tolerated.
5th Gen Xeon Scalable (MR44000): Server-grade multi-socket platform (up to 60 cores, 512GB DDR5)—overkill for most FA but necessary for high-throughput test systems, AI inference servers, and multi-GPU deep learning workloads.
How long will Contec continue supplying each industrial PC model?
Contec industrial PCs follow extended availability commitments aligned with industrial equipment lifecycles—models remain available for purchase significantly longer than standard commercial PCs which typically discontinue after short periods.
We provide advance discontinuation notices (typically a significant period before end-of-life) and offer Last Time Buy opportunities for customers to stock spare units for long-term production equipment support.
Contact your regional Contec representative for specific model availability roadmaps and long-term supply agreements—we work with customers on custom BTO configurations for projects requiring availability commitments.
Do these PCs support Windows 10/11 IoT Enterprise and Windows Server IoT 2022?
All 18 models support Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, Windows 11 IoT Enterprise, and Windows Server IoT 2022—enabling embedded OEM licensing with features like long-term servicing channel (LTSC), device lockdown, and enterprise management without per-device activation fees.
Windows IoT Enterprise is recommended for machine HMI, vision inspection systems, and factory automation controllers requiring standard Windows application compatibility without consumer bloatware.
Windows Server IoT 2022 is ideal for rack-mount ePC systems (MR44000, SR4100) functioning as factory data servers, SCADA historians, or edge computing gateways requiring Active Directory, IIS, and SQL Server support.
Contact Microsoft or authorized Contec distributors for Windows IoT licensing, Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) access, and OEM embedded royalty agreements.
Still have questions about selecting the right industrial computer?
Contact Our Engineering TeamReady to Deploy Industrial Computers in Your Factory?
Talk to our application engineers about configuring VPC, LPC/GPC, or ePC systems for your automation requirements