Case Studies
RK3568 Industrial HMI Controller Board ODM Case Study for Industrial Automation
Jul
RK3568 Industrial HMI Controller Board ODM Case Study
KICKPI partnered with an industrial automation equipment manufacturer to develop a customized RK3568 industrial HMI controller board. The solution supports Android and Linux operating systems, integrates multiple industrial communication interfaces, and has been successfully deployed across several industrial HMI terminals for volume production.
Linux
RS485
CAN Bus
Gigabit Ethernet
Customer Background
As industrial automation continues to evolve toward smarter manufacturing, Human Machine Interface (HMI) devices have become the primary interaction point between operators and industrial equipment. Modern HMI terminals are expected to provide intuitive touch interfaces, real-time equipment monitoring, reliable industrial communication, and long-term operational stability.
One of KICKPI’s customers, an industrial automation equipment manufacturer, planned to upgrade its existing HMI product line used in PLC control systems, production line monitoring, machine parameter configuration, and industrial data acquisition.
Instead of developing multiple hardware platforms for different display sizes, the customer wanted a single embedded controller board capable of supporting various HMI products while reducing engineering complexity and long-term maintenance costs.
The project required not only customized hardware development but also Android/Linux BSP customization, industrial communication integration, and hardware optimization for continuous industrial operation.
Project Requirements
The customer defined several key objectives before the hardware development began.
Display Support
- Support industrial touchscreen displays from 7 inches to 15.6 inches
- High-resolution display output with responsive touch interaction
- Flexible support for multiple HMI product sizes
Industrial Communication
The controller board needed to communicate reliably with various industrial devices through multiple interfaces, including:
- RS232
- RS485
- CAN Bus
- Gigabit Ethernet
These interfaces would allow seamless integration with PLCs, industrial sensors, controllers, and production equipment.
Operating System
To accommodate different software ecosystems, the platform had to support both:
- Android
- Linux
with customized BSP development for customer applications.
Data Processing & Maintenance
Additional requirements included:
- Local data storage
- Equipment status monitoring
- Remote firmware upgrades
- Remote maintenance
- Long-term software stability
Product Platform Strategy
Rather than designing different PCBs for every product model, the customer wanted one hardware platform that could be reused across multiple HMI products.
This approach would significantly reduce development costs and simplify future product expansion.
KICKPI ODM Solution
To meet these requirements, KICKPI selected the Rockchip RK3568 processor as the core computing platform.
The RK3568 provides an excellent balance of CPU performance, graphics capability, industrial interfaces, and long-term software support, making it an ideal choice for industrial HMI applications.
The customized controller board integrates:
- RK3568 Quad-Core Cortex-A55 Processor
- LPDDR4 Memory
- eMMC Flash Storage
- Gigabit Ethernet
- USB Expansion
- UART Interfaces
- CAN Bus
- GPIO Expansion
- Multi-display Support
- Android & Linux BSP
A modular hardware architecture was adopted during PCB design.
Instead of creating separate motherboards for different HMI products, KICKPI designed configurable interface modules that could easily adapt to various display sizes and industrial communication requirements.
This modular approach enables customers to launch new HMI models with minimal hardware redesign while maximizing software reuse.
Technical Challenges
Challenge 1 – Supporting Multiple Industrial Communication Standards
Industrial automation systems often consist of equipment from different manufacturers.
Some customers require additional RS485 ports, while others rely heavily on CAN Bus or Ethernet communication.
Designing separate boards for each configuration would dramatically increase development costs and maintenance complexity.
KICKPI Solution
KICKPI designed a scalable interface architecture with reserved UART, CAN, and GPIO resources.
Different communication configurations can be implemented simply by adjusting interface modules without redesigning the entire motherboard.
Results
The unified hardware platform successfully supports multiple industrial HMI models while significantly reducing future customization costs and engineering effort.
Challenge 2 – Ensuring Long-Term Industrial Stability
Unlike consumer electronics, industrial HMI systems typically operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Continuous operation places strict requirements on power stability, thermal management, and overall system reliability.
KICKPI Solution
The engineering team optimized several critical areas:
- Power integrity design
- Surge protection
- ESD protection
- Thermal dissipation
- Linux background service optimization
- Long-duration stability testing
Comprehensive aging tests were performed to verify continuous operation under industrial conditions.
Results
The final system demonstrated stable long-term performance and met the customer’s requirements for continuous industrial deployment.
Project Results
After completing hardware and software development, the project successfully achieved all predefined objectives.
Deliverables
- Custom RK3568 Industrial HMI Controller Board
- Android BSP Customization
- Linux BSP Customization
- Support for 7″, 10.1″, and 15.6″ HMI products
- Integrated RS232, RS485, CAN Bus, and Gigabit Ethernet
- Remote Upgrade Capability
- Local Data Storage
- Mass Production Support
The customized controller board has now been deployed in the customer’s industrial control terminals and entered volume production.
Customer Benefits
By adopting a unified RK3568 hardware platform, the customer gained several long-term advantages.
Faster Product Development
Multiple HMI products can now be developed from the same motherboard architecture, dramatically shortening new product development cycles.
Higher Software Reusability
Android and Linux software can be shared across multiple product models, reducing maintenance workload and improving development efficiency.
Lower Supply Chain Complexity
Using a common hardware platform simplifies component sourcing, inventory management, and manufacturing processes.
Improved Product Reliability
Industrial-grade hardware optimization enables stable 24/7 operation while reducing maintenance costs after deployment.
Why RK3568 is an Excellent Choice for Industrial HMI
The Rockchip RK3568 has become one of the most popular processors for industrial embedded systems due to its balance of performance, power efficiency, and interface flexibility.
Key advantages include:
- Quad-Core Cortex-A55 CPU
- Powerful Mali GPU for HMI graphics
- Android and Linux support
- Rich industrial communication interfaces
- Long lifecycle suitable for industrial equipment
- Excellent scalability for customized OEM & ODM projects
For manufacturers developing industrial touch panels, PLC terminals, machine control systems, or factory automation equipment, RK3568 offers a reliable and cost-effective embedded computing platform.
Conclusion
This project demonstrates how a modular RK3568-based hardware architecture can significantly simplify industrial HMI product development while improving scalability and long-term reliability.
Through customized hardware design, BSP development, industrial communication integration, and rigorous stability optimization, KICKPI successfully delivered an ODM solution that enabled the customer to build an entire family of industrial HMI products on a single embedded platform.
Whether your application requires Android or Linux, multiple industrial communication protocols, or long-term product availability, KICKPI provides complete OEM & ODM development services—from hardware design and PCB layout to BSP customization, driver development, certification support, and mass production.
Contact KICKPI
Planning to develop a custom Industrial HMI, PLC controller, or embedded automation device?
Contact KICKPI’s engineering team today to discuss your OEM/ODM project and accelerate your next industrial product development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn how KICKPI develops customized RK3568 industrial HMI controller boards from concept to mass production.
Why choose RK3568 for Industrial HMI applications?
RK3568 delivers high-performance quad-core processing, low power consumption, rich display interfaces, and industrial-grade stability, making it ideal for Human Machine Interface (HMI), industrial automation, and smart control terminals.
Can KICKPI support both Android and Linux?
Yes. We provide complete Android and Linux BSP customization, kernel optimization, driver integration, OTA updates, and long-term software maintenance based on your project requirements.
Which industrial communication interfaces are supported?
Our RK3568 HMI solutions support RS232, RS485, CAN Bus, Gigabit Ethernet, USB, GPIO, HDMI, LVDS, MIPI DSI, and other interfaces commonly used in industrial automation equipment.
Can the hardware be customized for my project?
Yes. KICKPI provides complete ODM services including schematic design, PCB layout, interface customization, peripheral integration, thermal optimization, and prototype verification.
Which display sizes can be supported?
Our customized RK3568 HMI controller boards have been successfully deployed in 7-inch, 10.1-inch, and 15.6-inch industrial touch panels. Other display sizes can also be customized according to project requirements.
Does KICKPI provide manufacturing and mass production?
Yes. Besides hardware and software development, KICKPI provides prototype assembly, functional testing, reliability verification, manufacturing, quality control, and scalable mass production services.
Build Your Industrial HMI Solution with KICKPI
Whether you need a customized RK3568 controller board, Android/Linux BSP development, industrial interface integration, or complete OEM & ODM manufacturing services, our engineering team is ready to help.
Contact Our Engineering Team