DFI to Show Smart Factory Systems for the First Time at India Automation Expo

DFI, a global provider of embedded motherboards and industrial computer solutions, announced that it will participate for the first time in the Automation Expo, which will be from Aug. 23 to 26, 2023, in Mumbai, India. The company said it will present systems for factory automation including virtualization technology and mobile robots.

Founded in 1981, DFI said it is one of the top three providers of industrial PCs and high-performance computing technology across multiple embedded industries. The New Taipei City, Taiwan-based company said its systems enable customers to optimize their equipment and ensure high reliability, long life cycles, and 24/7 durability in markets including industrial automation, medical, gaming, transportation, energy, mission-critical, and retail.

At the Automation Expo, DFI plans to exhibit in four themed areas: factory automation, rugged products, motherboards, and systems. The company said in a release that it hopes “to become the best partner in the transformation of India's manufacturing industry.”

DFI supports mobile robots with Qualcomm

As the use of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) increases, the performance demands are also higher, noted DFI. The company has developed the QRB551, which it claimed is “the world's first single-board computer” (SBC) with the QRB5165 high-performance processor.

This product works with Qualcomm's RB5 robot development platform, whose low power consumption and high performance make it suitable for integrating 5G networking and top-level edge AI for robotics innovations, said DFI.

In addition, the QRB551 address AI applications such as appearance identification, defect detection, and human body posture recognition.

Virtualization technology developed with Intel

DFI's exhibits at the Automation Expo will include industrial-grade motherboards, embedded system modules, touchscreen tablets, and rugged systems. It noted that its SR-OIV (single-root I/O virtualization) technology developed in partnership with Intel “can improve the efficiency of factory transformation.”

The modernization of factories often faces challenges related to time consumption and high costs, the company said. DFI said its SR-IOV enables industrial automation to run operating systems such as Windows, Ubuntu, and Android. This allows for the simultaneous integration of substantial amounts of shared data, it said.

'Make in India' promises digital transformation

The label “Make in India” holds significant potential for business opportunities, said DFI, which intends to reinforce and expand its market share.

In recent years, the Indian government has declared its “Make in India” strategy as a pivotal direction for industry transformation. It has encouraged local manufacturers to continually expand in scale, the company observed.

At the same time, sustainability trends such as energy conservation and carbon, plus digitalization, have led numerous manufacturers to adopt edge AI, cloud computing, and robotics to boost their competitiveness, said DFI.

“India has developed rapidly in recent years,” stated Alexander Su, president of DFI. “The transformation of the manufacturing industry is not only robust, but it has also occurred from multiple perspectives, encompassing aspects from production to operations.”

“DFI has been deeply involved in the industrial automation field for many years,” he added. “Next, we will strengthen our local planning and continue to enhance customers' trust and brand recognition with our technology innovations and comprehensive services. Additionally, we plan to expand from India into Southeast Asia to enhance our market share.”