FlexCore™
Modular Industrial Hardware Architecture
FlexCore™ is CESIPC's modular hardware architecture for industrial computing devices. Through unified interface specifications, structural boundaries, power design and expansion methods, it combines the i-Core compute board, i-Function expansion board, i-Connect I/O board and smart thermal design into one platform. So a single hardware architecture can support industrial PCs, panel PCs, AI edge devices and field terminals — lowering redundant development costs, shortening project lead times and improving long-term maintenance and platform upgrades.
Modular combinations, platform-level reuse
FlexCore™ is not about simply splitting hardware apart. It distills the compute, interface, function and structural differences across projects into reusable module boundaries — so customization no longer means redeveloping from scratch.
i-Core Compute Board
The compute core: 6 platforms plus two strong domestic chips, flexibly adapting to many industrial scenarios
- SoC + RAM + Storage
- CPU / GPU / NPU integrated
- Unified connector interface
i-Core is the compute core of the FlexCore™ architecture, integrating the SoC, memory, storage and basic I/O. Combined with i-Function and i-Connect boards through standardized connectors, it keeps a consistent form factor and electrical spec on the outside while adapting to many processor platforms on the inside. With the structure, power and interface boundaries kept stable, compute configurations can be tuned per project, raising platform reuse across whole units.
Five Key Features
- Multi-platform coverage: spans x86, ARM, domestic and edge-AI compute platforms
- Two strong domestic chips: Phytium / Rockchip domestic platforms, self-controllable
- Scenario fit: covers control, vision, AI, gateway, HMI and more edge applications
- Stable and reliable: industrial-grade quality, wide-temperature, wide-voltage, shock-resistant
- Easy expansion: forms a standardized combination with i-Function / i-Connect
i-Function Expansion Board
The expansion core: built on a standard industrial bus, supporting many interface protocols and custom functions
- PCIe / USB / COM / Modbus
- Small-batch custom development
- Noise-resistant · wide-temp
i-Function is the functional expansion layer of the FlexCore™ architecture, designed around a standard industrial bus. It decouples project-specific needs — PoE, isolated DIO, CAN, serial ports, AI acceleration, dongles, industry protocols — from the main board, reducing the full-board redesigns, structural rework and inventory fragmentation caused by single-project requirements, and enabling small-batch customization within standardized boundaries.
Key Capabilities
- Multi-protocol support: PCIe / USB / COM / Modbus / CAN industrial communication
- Fast customization: supports small-batch custom development, controlling cost while enabling personalization
- Environmental adaptability: noise resistance and wide-temperature tolerance for demanding industrial sites
- Stable coordination: works efficiently with i-Connect through standard connectors
Typical Expansion Scenarios
i-Connect I/O Board
I/O interface routing: a pluggable design with project-specific interfaces, adapting fast with no tooling
- Multi-serial / LAN / USB
- Pluggable and replaceable
- Multi-scenario, no tooling
i-Connect is the I/O interface routing layer of the FlexCore™ architecture, the answer to customers' most common "interface customization" request. Interface combinations can be tailored to project needs, and the I/O board can be swapped and reconfigured under maintenance conditions — the same platform can quickly adjust its I/O for industrial automation, smart cities, edge computing, security surveillance and more.
Supported Interfaces
Typical Applications
Smart Thermal Management
Adaptive airflow + multi-point temperature loop + smart fan control, keeping modular chassis running steady for the long haul
The challenge of a modular architecture is the cooling variation that different board combinations bring. Smart thermal management uses multi-point CPU/GPU/PSU temperature sensing, adaptive airflow and PWM fan control so that whether it is a low-power Atom or a high-power Xeon+GPU combination, the optimal operating temperature is maintained inside the same chassis.
- Multi-point sensing: synchronized monitoring of CPU / GPU / PSU / ambient temperature
- Adaptive airflow: dynamically schedules airflow based on the board combination
- Smart PWM fan control: quiet at low load, full speed at high load
- Over-temperature protection: automatic throttling and alarms on overheating
Six computing platforms supported by i-Core
From entry-level to flagship, x86 to ARM, imported to domestic — one architecture covers them all.
Intel® Core™
7th – 13th Gen Core i3 / i5 / i7 / i9
- Mainstream industrial control
- Vision / AI workstations
Intel® Atom / Celeron
Low-power compact platform
- HMI / data acquisition
- Edge gateways
Intel® Xeon®
Multi-core, multi-channel server class
- Data center / vision servers
- Multi-GPU inference
AMD Ryzen™
Multi-core, high value-for-money platform
- Value workstations
- Multi-threaded tasks
Phytium
Domestic self-controllable platform
- Government / domestic IT
- Critical infrastructure
Rockchip
Domestic low-power ARM platform
- Embedded industrial
- Edge AI terminals
Products built on the FlexCore™ architecture
Modular industrial PCs, modular panel PCs and AI industrial PCs are all built on this architecture — one mainboard covers multiple product lines.
EPC-S Series
FlexCore™ industrial PC
- i-Core + i-Function + i-Connect
- PCIe / MXM expansion
- Smart thermal management
FlexCore™ Panel PC
FlexCore™ panel PC
- Display-board separation · swappable mainboard
- Custom front-panel keys
- Platform upgrades reduce full-unit replacement
EA-N Series
FlexCore™ AI industrial PC
- Swappable Jetson compute modules
- EA-N100 → EA-N500 compute upgrade
- Modular I/O
FieldOps™ Series
FlexCore™ field equipment
- L1 / L2 / L3 three-tier lineup
- Unified interface spec
- Module reuse across tiers
Explore the other two core architectures
Modular capability is bounded by the specific platform, structure and interface spec
FlexCore™ can lower redundant development and project adaptation costs, but different processor platforms, cooling conditions, structural dimensions, interface counts and certification requirements affect the final configuration. For projects involving compute upgrades, interface replacement, functional expansion or structural reuse, implementation is recommended after prototype validation, thermal-design assessment and interface-resource confirmation.
Need a custom FlexCore™ configuration for your project?
Tell us your compute requirements, interface list and scenario characteristics, and our engineers will provide the best i-Core + i-Function + i-Connect combination and a prototype assessment within 24 hours.