Company:
A global engineering firm specializing in decarbonization and sustainable resource development sought a rugged computing solution to support its hydrogen-powered systems for heavy-duty machinery. The company focuses on replacing diesel engines with zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell systems, particularly for mining and other heavy industries, where durable and reliable computing hardware is critical for vehicle integration and system control.
Challenge:
- The company’s existing non-ruggedized computers were failing in harsh, off-road conditions, making them unsuitable for long-term deployment in industrial vehicles.
- Standard I/O connectors frequently loosened during operation, leading to unreliable data transmission from cameras and sensors.
- The absence of built-in CAN bus integration made it difficult to enable real-time communication between the computing system and vehicle control modules.
- The company struggled with transferring and managing large datasets due to a lack of removable storage, slowing down AI model training and system diagnostics
- Without proper power ignition sequencing, unexpected shutdowns risked data corruption and disrupted system operations.
Solution:
- Premio’s AI Edge Inference Computer, RCO-6000-RPL Series, featuring high-performance processing and flexible connectivity engineered to power machine vision applications at the rugged edge
- Configured with Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake processor with edge reliability and an extended product lifecycle roadmap
- The RCO-6000-RPL features a durable, fanless architecture, preventing dust buildup and ensuring long-term reliability in heavy industrial applications
- With removable drive trays, the company gained the ability to swap storage drives quickly, allowing for seamless data collection and analysis without extended downtime
- The built-in CAN bus interface enabled direct communication with vehicle control systems, allowing the computer to interface with sensors, automation controls, and hydrogen fuel cell monitoring systems.
- The RCO-6000-RPL includes power ignition control, ensuring proper startup and shutdown sequencing when integrated into industrial vehicles
Benefits:
- Premio is strategically located in California, USA for localized supply chain management
- Strong partnership and long-term support with a dedicated engineering and sales team to address an on-going issues and future projects
- Effective communication between Premio and solution provider with transparency and competency
The Company
As industries move toward decarbonization and sustainable energy, the demand for zero-emission power solutions is rapidly growing. A global engineering firm is at the forefront of this movement, developing hydrogen fuel cell systems to replace traditional diesel engines in heavy-duty industrial vehicles. Their expertise spans mining, transportation, and energy sectors, where reducing emissions while maintaining high-performance operation is critical. By focusing on hydrogen-powered systems, the company is helping industrial operators transition to cleaner, more efficient energy sources without compromising productivity.
To support the development and deployment of their hydrogen-powered vehicles, the company relies on advanced computing solutions that enable real-time monitoring, AI-driven analytics, and seamless vehicle integration. Their vehicles must operate in rugged, unpredictable conditions, requiring an industrial-grade computing platform that can withstand shock, vibration, dust, and extreme temperatures while ensuring reliable data processing and communication with vehicle subsystems. As the company scaled its hydrogen vehicle deployments, they needed a robust and future-proof computing solution capable of handling the challenges of real-world implementation.
The Challenge
Computers failing in off-road conditions
The company’s existing computing hardware was not designed for continuous operation in rugged environments. Vehicles equipped with hydrogen fuel cell systems frequently traveled across uneven, off-road terrain, exposing onboard computers to constant shock, vibration, and extreme environmental conditions. Over time, these non-ruggedized systems failed, leading to frequent replacements and operational downtime that delayed testing and deployment. The company needed a durable, industrial-grade computing solution that could endure harsh conditions without performance degradation.
Unstable connectivity in high-vibration environments
During vehicle operation, cameras, sensors, and automation systems played a crucial role in monitoring vehicle performance and gathering real-time data. However, their previous computing solution lacked secure I/O connections, causing cables to loosen due to continuous movement and vibration. This led to unreliable data transmission, impacting AI-powered analytics and vehicle diagnostics.
Lack of CAN Bus support for vehicle automation
To fully integrate their hydrogen-powered vehicle systems, the company needed a computing platform that could communicate with automation controls and fuel cell management systems. Their previous solution lacked built-in CAN Bus support, requiring external adapters that complicated system integration and increased failure points.
Limited data storage and retrieval
Hydrogen-powered industrial vehicles generate massive amounts of operational data, including AI-driven analytics, system health monitoring, and fuel efficiency metrics. Their existing computers lacked removable storage, making it difficult to transfer and analyze large datasets without taking the system offline. This bottleneck slowed AI model training, data logging, and real-time processing. To streamline operations, they required a computing solution with removable drive bays for fast data swapping and efficient storage management.
Power management inefficiencies
One of the biggest pain points was the lack of proper power ignition sequencing in their previous computing solution. Vehicles require computers to power on and off in sync with the vehicle’s ignition system, ensuring safe startups and shutdowns. Without this feature, abrupt power losses could corrupt stored data, disrupt AI processes, and reduce system reliability. The company needed a computing platform with integrated power ignition control to prevent sudden shutdowns and maintain system integrity.
The Solution
To address these challenges, the company adopted Premio’s RCO-6000-RPL, a rugged, fanless industrial computer designed for high-performance edge computing in extreme environments. With its durable construction, modular connectivity, and advanced computing capabilities, the RCO-6000-RPL seamlessly integrated into the company’s hydrogen-powered vehicle systems, providing reliable AI processing, real-time data transmission, and seamless automation control.
Rugged, Fanless Design for Harsh Environments
One of the key advantages of the RCO-6000-RPL was its rugged, fanless architecture, which eliminated moving parts that could fail due to dust, debris, or vibration. This ensured long-term reliability in off-road industrial environments where traditional computers would struggle to survive. Its shock and vibration resistance, combined with a wide operating temperature range, made it an ideal computing solution for vehicles operating in unpredictable, high-impact conditions.
Locking M12 PoE Connectors for Stable I/O Connectivity
To solve connectivity issues, the RCO-6000-RPL featured ruggedized M12 PoE connectors, which provided secure, stable data transmission for cameras, sensors, and automation systems. Unlike traditional connectors that frequently loosened in high-vibration environments, the locking M12 PoE design ensured uninterrupted connectivity, reducing system failures and data loss during vehicle operation.
Power Ignition & CAN Bus for Seamless Integration and Vehicle Communication
The company also needed seamless integration with vehicle automation and power systems—a challenge that the RCO-6000-RPL addressed with dual-channel CAN bus support and intelligent power ignition management. With built-in CAN bus communication, the computing system could interface directly with the vehicle’s fuel cell management system, enabling real-time monitoring, automated performance adjustments, and predictive maintenance analytics. Additionally, the power ignition control ensured that the computer powered on and off in sync with the vehicle’s ignition system, preventing data corruption and hardware damage from sudden shutdowns.
Removable Drive Trays for Data Storage and Transfer
For efficient data storage and retrieval, the company leveraged the RCO-6000-RPL’s removable drive bays, which allowed for quick data swapping without taking the system offline. This was particularly useful for AI model training, real-time analytics, and performance optimization, as engineers could easily transfer and analyze large datasets from field deployments.
With its rugged durability, high-performance AI computing, and seamless integration capabilities, the RCO-6000-RPL provided the company with a scalable, long-term solution to support the development and deployment of hydrogen-powered industrial vehicles.
The Benefits
By integrating Premio’s RCO-6000-RPL into its hydrogen-powered vehicle systems, the company gained a rugged, high-performance computing solution that enabled real-time AI processing, seamless connectivity, and long-term reliability in extreme environments. This future-proof edge computing platform allowed the company to focus on advancing its clean energy technology while ensuring scalability and operational efficiency.
Robust Computing Product Portfolio
Premio has established a wide portfolio of off-the-shelf rugged edge computing solutions to meet all varieties of industrial deployment specifications. From ultra-compact fanless mini computers to machine vision computers that support dual FHFL GPUs, a reoccurring design or feature within most of Premio's industrial computers is the ability to offer customizability with:
- Modular EDGEBoost I/O: seamless plug-and-play connectivity and compatibility
- EDGEBoost Nodes: tailored to meet specialized hardware acceleration
- Hot-swappable Storage: convenient data offloading procedures and upgradability
- PCIe expansion: near limitless support for additional add-on cards
Localized Supply Chain Management
Premio is strategically located in City of Industry, California and has a dedicated supply chain team to expertly navigating through supply chain disruptions successfully. Being local to the machine vision provider leads to benefits such as decreased lead times and increased cost efficiency. As a result, Premio established a strong business relationship that enhanced the party's trust and delivery.
Stronger Partnership & Long-Term Support
Beyond hardware, the company benefited from Premio’s local engineering and sales support, ensuring shorter lead times, reliable supply chain management, and ongoing technical expertise. With a stable, long-term computing partner, the company could focus on pushing the boundaries of hydrogen-powered innovation without disruptions caused by component shortages or delayed product availability.