Koch Fertilizer Standardizes Control Cabinets with Cybernet's Rugged iPC R2is

Cybernet Manufacturing has 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. This deployment, which began at Koch's Wichita, Kansas operations in 2024, has now expanded into a multi-site enterprise standardization, replacing failure-prone commercial hardware with an air-gapped, industrial-grade computing solution.

The two-year multi-site deployment provides 100% uptime reliability and air-gapped physical security, ensuring that Koch Fertilizer maintains strict operational technology (OT) network integrity. The iPC R2is platform is engineered to solve the physical and cybersecurity challenges of industrial edge computing, delivering reliable thermal dissipation, air-gapped zero-trust security, hardware-level data redundancy and integrity, a locked bill of materials (BOM), and flexible cabinet integration.

According to Cybernet Manufacturing, general-purpose commercial computers routinely fail on the plant floor due to extreme thermal dynamics and airborne particulates. By providing Koch Fertilizer with a completely air-gapped, rugged, and locked-BOM build, Cybernet eliminated the company's primary point of cabinet hardware failure. This deployment demonstrates the high standard required for converged IT/OT infrastructure across heavy process manufacturing.

Engineered to meet the harsh conditions of chemical manufacturing environments, the iPC R2is platform offers reliable thermal dissipation through a fully fanless chassis, reducing the number of mechanical failure points and improving overall reliability and uptime. The air-gapped zero-trust security feature, which involves Cybernet custom-manufacturing the units with all wireless/Bluetooth hardware physically removed at the board level, enforces a strict wired-only OT policy and eliminates unmonitored wireless attack vectors.

The hardware-level data redundancy and integrity are ensured through an integrated hardware RAID controller, dual solid-state storage drives, and a dedicated TPM 2.0 module, which guarantees real-time local data mirroring and secure cryptographic key storage. The locked BOM configuration ensures that all replacement units deployed across Koch facilities maintain identical component architecture, removing driver conflict risks and reducing IT qualification cycles.

Flexible cabinet integration options, including integrated DIN rail and VESA mounting options, allow direct, vibration-resistant installation into existing low-clearance control cabinets. This deployment 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.

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. The company 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.