Navigating Embedded HMI Designs: OSM Modules vs. Chip-Down SBC

Navigating Embedded HMI Designs: OSM Modules vs. Chip-Down SBC

Designing an ARM-based Industrial Human-Machine Interface (HMI) often presents a critical early choice: Should you opt for an Open Standard Module (OSM) Computer-on-Module (COM), or go fully custom with a chip-down Single-Board Computer (SBC)?

Both approaches have significant implications for product development timelines, costs, scalability, and long-term maintenance.

Speed and Risk

The OSM module significantly accelerates hardware development, potentially cutting 6-12 months off your time-to-market. Using a pre-engineered module reduces complexity and risk, avoiding multiple PCB iterations and EMC compliance issues common in custom designs.

Cost Considerations

OSM modules substantially lower initial development (NRE) costs by reducing hardware engineering effort. However, modules typically carry higher per-unit costs due to vendor margins. Conversely, chip-down SBC designs have higher upfront investment but deliver lower per-unit production costs, particularly beneficial at higher volumes (10,000+ units/year).

Software and Maintenance

OSM solutions often provide ready-to-use Board Support Packages (BSPs) and ongoing vendor support for software updates, significantly lowering software development and long-term maintenance costs. In contrast, custom SBC designs offer full control but increase the burden of software adaptation, driver integration, and sustained support.

Product Family and Scalability

The OSM modular approach excels in scalability and flexibility, making it easy to create diverse product families—low-cost, mid-range, and high-performance variants—simply by swapping modules. Chip-down designs are less flexible, requiring separate development efforts for each variant or extensive redesigns to upgrade functionality.

Global Market Readiness

Pre-certified OSM modules simplify achieving global compliance (e.g., FCC, CE), streamlining the certification process. Custom SBC designs involve greater regulatory risk, potentially adding unexpected delays and costs.

Designed & Made in Europe Advantage:

Producing and designing products within Europe offers substantial strategic benefits. It mitigates geopolitical risks and tariff uncertainties, ensuring stable costs and more predictable timelines. Additionally, European manufacturing provides advantages such as proximity to end-markets, enhanced quality control, easier regulatory compliance, and the ability to quickly respond to market changes and customer needs.

Conclusion

Choosing between OSM modules and chip-down SBCs depends on your priorities. If speed-to-market, flexibility, and minimized development risk are critical, an OSM module is highly advantageous. However, if cost-per-unit optimization at scale and total design control are your primary objectives, a custom SBC may justify its upfront complexities.

For industrial HMIs aimed at global markets, especially when considering tariffs and geopolitical risks, the OSM approach combined with European manufacturing typically provides the best balance, enhancing your agility, scalability, and market responsiveness.

What’s been your experience? Have you successfully navigated these decisions in your projects? I'd love to hear your insights and lessons learned!