Power, Performance, and Flexibility: SIMATIC Rack PCs for Industrial Automation

Ezekiel (Zeke) French
Sep 26
4 min read

Need industrial-grade computing that won’t flinch on a production line? SIMATIC Rack PCs bring server-class performance, workstation-level graphics, and client-class value — engineered for 24/7 reliability, rapid integration, and long-term availability. From AI/vision to HMI/SCADA, they deliver the horsepower, uptime, and scalability that manufacturers and machine builders demand.

Why manufacturers choose SIMATIC Rack PCs (and buy from elliTek)

Plant Managers / Operations: Maximize ROI with high availability (redundant PSUs, RAID), long lifecycle, and consistent 24/7 uptime that minimizes unplanned downtime and maintenance costs.
Automation Engineers: Accelerate projects with fast integration into SIMATIC ecosystems, flexible I/O and GPU options, robust driver support, and clean documentation.
System Integrators: Scale confidently using modular, open architectures; leverage multiple PCIe/PCI slots, virtualization, multi-monitor support, and secure TPM 2.0.
OEMs / Machine Builders: Ship reliable machines globally with customization, global support, and long-term availability — reducing redesign risk across product lifecycles.

Built for harsh, always-on environments

Industrial reliability: Ruggedized enclosures, components selected for durability and longevity, stable operation up to 45 °C ambient.
High availability: Redundant power supplies and RAID options keep lines running through single-point failures.
Performance headroom: From compact dual-core builds to dual-processor servers with generous DDR5 RAM and AI accelerator options, you can allocate just enough computing for each cell or line — and grow later.

The portfolio at a glance

Server Class — heavy compute, AI, and virtualization

Ideal for: virtualized SCADA, historian/analytics, AI model training/inference, MES, central data hubs.

Examples: SIMATIC IPC RS-545A (visualization) and SIMATIC IPC RS-828A (virtualization/AI).
Highlights: up to dual AMD® EPYC™ processors, up to ~1.5 TB DDR5 RAM, multiple high-bandwidth slots for AI/GPU and NVMe storage, optimized thermals to reduce cooling overhead in control rooms or data closets.

Workstation Class — vision, simulation, controls engineering

Ideal for: machine vision, simulation/digital twin, advanced HMI/SCADA, and engineering stations.

Examples: SIMATIC IPC RW-543B, RW-545A, compact 2U RW-528A for space-constrained racks, and RW-548A with up to 10 slots for maximum expandability.
Highlights: up to 16-core Intel® Core™ processors, optional NVIDIA® GPUs, TPM 2.0, and RAID for data resilience.

Need extreme horsepower?

SIMATIC IPC1047E offers dual-socket Intel® Xeon®, up to ~2 TB RAM, and NVIDIA® RTX™ GPUs—a fit for high-throughput visual inspection, real-time analytics, AI, and large-scale virtualization.

Client Class — dependable HMI, monitoring, measurement

Ideal for: HMI/SCADA clients, data collection, line-side dashboards, and test/measurement stations.

Examples: SIMATIC IPC RC-543B, RC-545A.
Highlights: Up to 64 GB RAM, multi-monitor support, flexible power options, strong price-performance for distributed clients that still need industrial reliability.

Portfolio overview

Class	Best For	Example Models	Key Highlights
Server	Virtualized SCADA, historians/analytics, AI training/inference, MES, central data hubs	SIMATIC IPC RS-545A, RS-828A	Dual AMD® EPYC™ options, up to ~1.5 TB DDR5 RAM, AI/GPU & NVMe expandability, optimized thermals
Workstation	Machine vision, simulation/digital twin, advanced HMI/SCADA, engineering stations	SIMATIC IPC RW-543B, RW-545A, RW-528A (2U), RW-548A	Up to 16-core Intel® Core™, optional NVIDIA® GPUs, TPM 2.0, RAID, up to 10 slots on RW-548A
Client	HMI/SCADA clients, data collection, line-side dashboards, test/measurement	SIMATIC IPC RC-543B, RC-545A	Up to 64 GB RAM, multi-monitor support, flexible power, strong price-performance

Use cases by industry

Automotive & Tier suppliers: Vision-guided assembly, end-of-line inspection, traceability, high-availability SCADA, and on-prem analytics for cycle-time reduction.
Food & Beverage / Pharma: Validated, reliable HMI/SCADA with audit trails; redundant servers for GxP and compliance; predictive analytics for OEE.
Oil & Gas / Chemical: Rugged compute for process visualization, historian, batch, and advanced control — plus virtualization to simplify lifecycle management.
Infrastructure & Building Automation: Centralized BMS/SCADA servers, video wall clients, and analytics nodes with long-term serviceability.
Machine Builders (OEMs): Configurable rack PCs with global support, clear roadmaps, and long-term availability to anchor platforms across multiple machine generations.
Logistics & Distribution: Vision-based sortation, edge analytics for throughput optimization, and resilient HMI clients across distributed facilities.

Security, serviceability, and lifecycle

Security by design: TPM 2.0, secure boot options, role-based access, and hardened OS images reduce attack surface.
Serviceable in the field: Tool-less access designs (model-dependent), clear documentation, and component commonality shorten MTTR.
Lifecycle stability: Industrial PCs with long-term availability and roadmap continuity help standardize spares and reduce TCO.

Integration that speeds you up

TIA Portal & WinCC Unified-ready engineering stations (model-dependent), multi-monitor development setups, and GPU options for simulation or vision.
Virtualization support lets you consolidate HMI servers, engineering VMs, and data services onto fewer boxes — lowering footprint and power.
Flexible I/O & expansion ensures clean connectivity to cameras, networks, storage, and specialized cards without kludgy workarounds.

Ready to right-size your compute with elliTek?

As a Siemens partner, elliTek helps you choose the right SIMATIC Rack PC configuration — server, workstation, or client — mapped to your application, budget, and lifecycle goals. We’ll align compute, storage, and GPU options with your HMI/SCADA, AI/vision, and virtualization needs, so you get maximum uptime and long-term value.

Bonus: Want to speak with Siemens industry experts in person? Join us at elliTek’s Automation Expo on Thursday, October 16, 2025. You’ll be able to compare configurations, get answers from Siemens specialists, and see demos tailored to automotive, food & beverage, pharma, oil & gas, chemical, building automation, machine building, and logistics applications.

Helpful links: