ComfilePi

Warning

The ComfilePi is an industrial panel PC built around the Raspberry Pi Compute Modules, and augmented with additional hardware and features for industrial automation solutions (e.g. touch screen, real-time clock, RS-232/485, passive cooling, and much more).

• The CPi-G and CPi-J models are built around the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5.
• The CPi-C models are built around the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4.
• The CPi-S models are built around the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4S.

Most ComfilePi panel PCs are UL Listed.

• Model Comparison Table

• CPi-G IO Features - CM5 model with ComfilePi form factor and features.
• CPi-J IO Features - CM5 model with CUWIN form factor, camera, and PCIe features.
• CPi-C IO Features - CM4 model with ComfilePi form factor and features.
• CPi-S IO Features - CM4S model with ComfilePi form factor and features.

• IO Expansion Boards - Additional relay, digital, analog and communication IO available through the ComfilePi's GPIO header socket.
• CFNET Modules - Additional relay, digital, analog and communication IO available over the ComfilePi's USB ports.

Download the ComfilePi OS

Each ComfilePi panel PC will come with a modified Raspberry Pi OS Linux distribution (a.k.a. ComfilePi OS) installed to the device's SD card or eMMC storage. You can always re-image your SD card or eMMC by downloading the OS image and following the instructions there.

The ComfilePi, like most Linux computers, can be programmed in just about any programming language. The following guides illustrate just a few of the possibilities.

• .NET (C# & VB.Net) - Develop and debug applications for the ComfilePi using C#, VB.Net, .NET 8, and Mono.
• C/C++ - Develop and debug applications for the ComfilePi using C and C++, including GUI applications using frameworks such as Qt, and GTK+.
• Java - Develop and debug applications for the ComfilePi using Java and JavaFX.
• NODE-RED - A flow-based, low-code development tool for visual programming developed originally by IBM for wiring together hardware devices, APIs and online services as part of the Internet of Things.
• CodeSys - An integrated development environment for programming controller applications according to the international industrial standard IEC 61131-3.

• Calibrating the Touch Screen - Explains how to calibrate the ComfilePi's touch screen.
• Rotating the Screen - Change the screen orientation by 90, 180, or 270 degrees.
• Hiding the Mouse Cursor - Explains how to hide the mouse cursor in X Windows.
• Disabling the Touch Screen - Explains how to disable the touch screen in case the ComfilePi is being used for touchless applications like digital signage.
• Controlling the LCD Backlight - The LCD Backlight can be controlled via one of the ComfilePi's GPIO pins.
• Configure X11 Touchscreen Gestures - Configure X Windows so a long-touch, touch-and-hold, will simulate a right-click and a touch-and-drag will scroll.

• Installing a real-time kernel - Explains how to install a real-time kernel to a ComfilePi panel PC using the Bookworm OS or later.
• Improving Real-Time Performance - Explains how to improve the real-time performance of the ComfilePi

• Panel Mounting Instructions
• VESA Mounting Instructions

• Migrating an Existing Solution from the CPi-A/B to the CPi-C/S - Recommendations for migrating an existing solution from the CPi-A/B Compute Module 3 panel PCs to the CPi-C/S Compute Module 4 panel PCs.
• Serial Port - About the ComfilePi's Serial Port
• Read-only File System with Overlay - Boot the ComfilePi with a read-only mounted file system. All file system modifications are written to RAM and discarded between boots.
• Configure a Program to Auto-Start - Most embedded applications do not run in a desktop environment. This procedure will describe how to configure the ComfilePi to boot to a console instead of a desktop environment, and auto-start a program as a service.
• Controlling the Electro-magnetic Buzzer - The ComfilePi has a built-in electro-magnetic buzzer. By default, it beeps when touched. This feature can be disabled and/or the electro-magnetic buzzer can be used for other purposes.
• 1-wire Communication - Troubleshooting issues with 1-Wire communication
• Enable the Internal Watchdog Timer - Enable the internal watchdog timer to reboot the ComfilePi in case the system stops responding.
• Set Date and Time - Set the date and time of the RTC.
• Ensuring Reliable RS-485 communication - Some recommendations to follow to ensure reliable RS-485 communication on the CPi-A, CPi-B, and CPi-S panel PCs.
• Choosing a USB WiFi Dongle - Some recommendations for choosing a USB WiFi dongle.
• Optimizing to Reduce RAM and Storage Utilization - Some recommendations for reducing RAM and disk space consumption.

If you are new to Linux and the Raspberry Pi, try purchasing and using an ordinary Raspberry Pi first. This product is for those who already have experience with Linux and the Raspberry Pi.

We receive many questions about basic usage of Linux and the Raspberry Pi. There are too many of such questions for our company to respond to, and it is puts strain on our limited resources. Please understand.

Raspberry Pi is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi Foundation

COMFILE Technology's Documentation Library