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Manufacturers · OEM · Process

OEM computer: from prototype to series production, step by step

Going from an idea to hundreds of identical units follows an order. Skipping a step usually proves expensive later: a connector that does not reach, a computer that overheats inside the machine or a system image that will not boot in the field. These are the stages and what has to be settled in each.

ACD&CO technical team28 October 20266 min read

1. Requirements: what it has to withstand

Before choosing parts you need to know what the computer has to do and where it will live:

  • Workload: the software, how many cameras or sensors, and whether it needs a graphics card.
  • Environment: temperature, dust, vibration and whether it sits inside a closed cabinet.
  • Connections: ports, networking, fieldbuses and the power available.
  • Space: maximum dimensions, weight and how it is mounted.
  • Regulations: CE marking and whatever your sector and market require.
  • Volume: how many units a year and for how many years.

2. Prototype: one or two units to test

With the requirements, a prototype is built and tested first in the workshop and then inside your product. This is the moment to find the problems that are cheap to fix: a cable that does not reach, a fan that is too loud, a graphics card that overheats in the final case or a driver your software does not support.

The prototype is closed with a document: exact configuration, bill of materials, system image and test results.

3. Pilot run: a few units in the field

A pilot run of 5 to 20 units, built exactly as production units will be, is used to test with real customers and to check the whole process: assembly, image loading, 24-hour test, packaging and shipping.

Whatever shows up here is fixed before the platform is frozen. After that, any change will be a new revision, with its own validation.

4. Production: frozen platform and forecast

In production, the validated configuration is frozen: the same bill of materials, the same image and the same test on every unit. What makes it work is the forecast: with estimated units per quarter, the manufacturer secures parts and price, and you receive them on the agreed date.

Many companies work with a blanket order: an annual volume with scheduled deliveries, which gives volume pricing without having to buy or store everything at once.

5. Acceptance tests and traceability

  • A 24-hour stress test of every unit, with its report.
  • A serial number linked to the revision, the bill of materials and the loaded image.
  • A final check of the connections your product uses: ports, networking and peripherals.
  • Labelling and packaging with your brand, ready for your assembly line or your customer.

6. After-sales: spares and replacement

The computer is inside your product, so its fault is your fault. Agree before the first delivery how a unit is replaced under warranty, how quickly, and which spares are kept in stock.

Timescales depend on each project, but what lengthens the process most is usually not assembly but validation inside your product. Starting the prototype early is the best way to arrive on time.
Manufacturers · seriesOEM programmeThe same validated platform for years, with your image and a serial number per unit.See →Guide · OEMOEM computer for your productWhat to ask the maker of the computer inside your machine.See →Guide · OEMComponent obsolescenceHow to stop a discontinued part from halting your product.See →Guide · industrial computersFanless industrial mini PCWhen to choose one, which tests to look for and which I/O to ask for.See →Guide · regulationCyber Resilience ActWhat the CRA requires of the computer inside your machine.See →Guide · machine visionMachine vision computerGPU, cameras, PLC connection and form factor.See →

Frequently asked questions

How many units does an OEM computer need?

There is no fixed minimum: the process is the same for 20 units a year as for 500. With low volumes you start from standard components; with more, it pays to customise the case, the image and the packaging.

Who validates the computer inside my machine?

The computer’s own tests (24-hour stress test, temperatures and image) are done by its manufacturer; validation inside your machine is done by you with the prototype and the pilot run, with their support.

What is a blanket order?

An annual volume agreement with scheduled deliveries. It gives volume pricing and secured parts without buying or storing all the units at once.

Can I change the configuration after production starts?

Yes, as a new revision: the change is documented, tested and approved by you, and from then on units are built that way. Units already delivered remain identified by their revision.

Starting a new product?

Tell us what the computer has to do and where it will go. We will propose the platform and a schedule for prototype, pilot run and production.

See the OEM programme