In 2016, Premier Equipment, a trusted John Deere dealer specializing in trench-digging and agricultural machinery, faced major technology setbacks in the field. Their existing industrial PCs were unreliable, difficult to repair, and not built for outdoor use. To solve these challenges, Premier partnered with SmallPC, resulting in a tailored rugged computing solution that dramatically improved reliability, performance, and field productivity.
The Challenges: Outdated Technology in Harsh Field Conditions
Premier Equipment was using German-made all-in-one industrial PCs in their trench-digging machines. However, the systems weren’t built to withstand real-world field demands. Key issues included:
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Underpowered processing that couldn’t keep up with software requirements
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Dim displays that were unreadable in direct sunlight
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No vibration resistance, leading to frequent breakdowns
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Expensive repairs, requiring overseas shipping and long downtimes
For Premier Equipment, this wasn’t sustainable. They needed a rugged, sunlight-readable, field-ready industrial computer built for extreme environments—and responsive local support.
The Solution: A Custom SDC150ML Rugged Industrial Computer
SmallPC worked directly with Premier to customize the SDC150ML—a rugged, sealed industrial PC—to meet the demands of trench-digging operations. Premier requested several key upgrades:
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Intel i7 quad-core processor with improved thermal management
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High-brightness sunlight-readable display for full visibility in outdoor conditions
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Dustproof speakers and USB 3.0 ports for alerts and field software
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LTE and wireless connectivity for remote operations
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Rugged SIM and antenna connectors for long-term outdoor durability
To meet these requirements, SmallPC:
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Added external heatsink fins for better cooling
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Redesigned the chassis to integrate speakers
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Installed dust-sealed ports and rugged wireless/LTE antenna systems
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Enabled drive shuttles for fast, in-field storage swaps
The Results: Better Performance, Less Downtime, and Local Support
With the customized SmallPC systems:
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Operators could see the display clearly in bright sunlight
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Software ran faster and more reliably, with upgraded CPU power
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Dust, vibration, and field conditions no longer caused failures
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When service was needed, local repairs took only a few days—not weeks
This eliminated the need for costly overseas shipments and gave Premier Equipment confidence in their field operations.
Continued Success: From Premier to Techdir and Zone86
After Premier amalgamated with another company, one of their former team members started Techdir (later renamed Zone86), continuing to specialize in trench-digging equipment. Dirk and his team have been using SmallPC solutions ever since, retrofitting and upgrading field machinery across the region with rugged, sunlight-readable, and field-proven industrial PCs.
SmallPC: Rugged Computing for Demanding Field Applications
Whether you're in agriculture, construction, or heavy equipment operations, SmallPC builds custom rugged PCs designed to thrive in tough conditions—dust, shock, vibration, extreme heat, and direct sunlight.
Looking for a reliable industrial PC that keeps your machines running and your team productive?
Talk to SmallPC for a tailored solution.