Two-year multi-site deployment provides 100%-uptime reliability, air-gapped physical security, and locked-BOM stability across harsh chemical manufacturing environments.
IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Cybernet Manufacturing today announced that Koch Fertilizer, LLC, a subsidiary of Koch Ag & Energy Solutions, has standardized its plant-floor control cabinet computing on Cybernet's iPC R2is fanless rugged embedded platform. Following initial implementation at Koch's Wichita, Kansas operations in 2024, the deployment has expanded into a multi-site enterprise standardization, replacing failure-prone commercial hardware with an air-gapped, industrial-grade computing solution.
Process manufacturing facilities present severe environmental hazards for standard enterprise IT equipment. Chemical particulates, ambient thermal swings, conductive dust, and persistent structural vibration from heavy rotating equipment cause commercial PCs to suffer rapid thermal throttling, fan bearing failure, and premature board-level degradation, especially when enclosed within sealed control cabinets.
To eliminate unplanned operational downtime and maintain strict operational technology (OT) network integrity, Koch Fertilizer's converged IT/OT architecture team selected a customized, build-to-order model of the Cybernet iPC R2is platform.
Engineered to solve the physical and cybersecurity challenges of industrial edge computing, the standardized configuration of the iPC R2is delivers:
- Reliable Thermal Dissipation: A fully fanless chassis eliminates mechanical air draw and reduces the number of mechanical failure points within the computer, improving overall reliability and uptime.
- Air-Gapped Zero-Trust Security: Cybernet custom-manufactured the units with all wireless/Bluetooth hardware physically removed at the board level, enforcing a strict wired-only OT policy and eliminating unmonitored wireless attack vectors.
- Hardware-Level Data Redundancy & Integrity: All models are configured with an integrated hardware RAID controller, dual solid-state storage drives, and a dedicated TPM 2.0 module to ensure real-time local data mirroring and secure cryptographic key storage.
- Locked Bill of Materials (BOM): A long-lifecycle, locked BOM guarantees that all replacement units deployed across Koch facilities maintain identical component architecture, removing driver conflict risks and reducing IT qualification cycles.
- Flexible Cabinet Integration: Integrated DIN rail and VESA mounting options allow direct, vibration-resistant installation into existing low-clearance control cabinets.
"General-purpose commercial computers routinely fail on the plant floor because they are not engineered for extreme thermal dynamics or airborne particulates," said Ali Bagheri, Senior Vice President of Global Operations at Cybernet.
"By providing Koch Fertilizer with a completely air-gapped, rugged, and locked-BOM build, we eliminated their primary point of cabinet hardware failure. This deployment demonstrates the high standard required for converged IT/OT infrastructure across heavy process manufacturing."
The ongoing standardization reflects Cybernet's dedicated focus on developing purpose-built, industrial-grade hardware that reduces Total Cost of Ownership and maximizes Mean Time Between Failures even in the most difficult working conditions.
Availability & Customization
The iPC R2is rugged embedded series is available immediately for enterprise-level deployment. Cybernet offers complete OEM/ODM customization, including custom BIOS locks, legacy port integration, physical interface removal, and long-lifecycle BOM management for industrial automation and process control applications.
To review the full technical deployment details, read the Koch Fertilizer Case Study. To configure models or request evaluation units, explore Cybernet's primary line of Industrial PCs or view the iPC R2is Industrial Computer Product Page.
About Cybernet Manufacturing
Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Irvine, California, Cybernet Manufacturing designs and builds custom, fanless, and rugged all-in-one computers, tablets, and embedded systems for enterprise healthcare, industrial automation, and government sectors.
Cybernet owns and operates its manufacturing facilities, enabling full control over the Bill of Materials and manufacturing process to deliver reliability even in harsh, mission-critical environments. For more information, visit www.cybernetman.com.
Media Contact
Communications Department, Cybernet Manufacturing, 1 9496008000, [email protected], https://www.cybernetman.com/
SOURCE Cybernet Manufacturing
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