Kontron Unveils COM HPC: A New High‑Performance Embedded Computing Standard

Peter Müller, Vice President of Product Center Boards & Modules at Kontron, explains the impetus behind the new Computer‑On‑Module standard, COM HPC.

Data growth is unstoppable and the upcoming 5G wireless standard will accelerate it. Experts predict new digital business models that are only conceivable thanks to the high data‑transfer rates of 5G. Applications such as artificial intelligence require lightning‑fast, algorithm‑driven evaluation of massive data volumes. IoT devices, sensors, and actuators—especially in autonomous vehicles—continue to generate huge amounts of data that must be processed in fractions of a second. These scenarios are no longer confined to protected data‑center facilities or the cloud; they are moving closer to where the data originates: on mobile masts, production lines, warehouses, processing plants, or autonomous vehicles. Where embedded industrial computers once delivered reliability, today’s use cases demand performance and data throughput that far exceed previous expectations.

Existing embedded‑computer standards are no longer sufficient. COM Express, the world’s leading Computer‑On‑Module standard since 2005, introduced its high‑bandwidth Type 7 in 2016 but is now reaching its limits for next‑generation high‑performance applications. For lower‑performance workloads, COM Express will remain the standard of choice.

In response, industry leaders—including Kontron—have formed a new working group within the PICMG standard‑setting body. The goal is to evolve COM Express into a standard that can meet future demands. The result is COM HPC (formerly COM HD), an upgrade that retains the proven form factor while adding the performance needed for industrial edge computing.

Key specifications of COM HPC include:

• Support for high‑end server processors and up to eight SODIMM slots for memory.
• Power dissipation capability of up to 125 W, compared with the 60 W limit of standard COM Express.
• PCIe 4.0 support with an expanded 64‑lane connector layout, and readiness for the forthcoming PCIe 5.0 standard.
• High‑speed USB 3.2 and 100‑Gigabit Ethernet interfaces for rapid data transfer.
• Two new high‑speed connectors, each with at least 400 pins, totaling over 800 pins. The design builds on Samtec’s ADF6/ADM6 series but uses increased row spacing to enable multi‑vendor adoption.

The target audience for COM HPC modules is the factory floor and other harsh industrial environments. Unlike traditional IT servers, which are confined to protected data‑center spaces, COM HPC‑based boards are engineered for rugged conditions while delivering the performance and flexibility of server‑class hardware. Kontron plans to offer two variants: a graphics‑enabled version familiar to COM Express users, and a graphics‑free version that provides additional data lanes for advanced server concepts.

By early 2020, Kontron will introduce powerful server‑class modules based on COM HPC into its “From Edge to Fog to Cloud” portfolio. These modules will process the massive data streams generated by edge gateways, perform AI inference close to the source, and filter information before forwarding it to public or private clouds.

In partnership with other industry leaders, Kontron is delivering the performance and flexibility that once existed only in IT servers to the Intelligent Edge. The message is clear: servers are now embedded and rugged, ready to tackle the most demanding edge applications.