Raspberry Pi in Industry: Myths and Realities of Modern IIoT Gateways

2025-05-10•Eduardo Vieira, Zenith Industrial Cloud

The Lingering Question: Can a Raspberry Pi Survive on the Factory Floor?

When discussing cost-effective and flexible IIoT Gateways, the name Raspberry Pi inevitably comes up. Known worldwide for its success in the maker, educational, and prototyping spheres, its low cost and massive software ecosystem make it highly attractive. However, it also raises skepticism in the industrial realm: Is it truly robust enough? Is it reliable for 24/7 operation in demanding environments?

The short answer is: The standard Raspberry Pi probably isn't, but its 'industrial sibling,' the Compute Module, combined with the right hardware, most definitely IS.

At Zenith Industrial Cloud, we've embraced this technology as the foundation for many of our gateways, and here's why we debunk the myths surrounding its industrial use.

Myth 1: "The Raspberry Pi is a Toy, Not Industrial Hardware"

  • Reality (Compute Module): It's crucial to differentiate the standard Raspberry Pi (the board everyone knows) from the Compute Module (CM4, CM5). The Compute Module is a version designed for integration into end products and industrial systems. It lacks standard connectors (USB, HDMI), instead featuring a high-density connector that mounts onto a "carrier board."
  • Industrialized Hardware: Our gateways utilize these Compute Modules mounted on carrier boards designed specifically for industry, housed in robust metal enclosures (often DIN-rail mountable), powered by industrial-grade power supplies (tolerant to voltage fluctuations, wider temperature range), and use SSD storage via USB 3.0 instead of failure-prone SD cards.
  • The Result: You get the processing power and flexibility of the Raspberry Pi's ARM processor, but packaged physically to withstand plant conditions (vibration, moderate dust, wider temperature ranges than the standard Pi).

Myth 2: "SD Cards Fail Constantly"

  • Reality: This myth holds true... for SD cards! The constant write cycles of an operating system and data logs quickly wear out standard SD cards.
  • Our Solution: We DO NOT use SD cards for the operating system or data buffering in our gateways. We utilize external SSDs connected via USB 3.0 (or eMMC storage on some Compute Module/carrier board models). SSDs are designed for vastly more write cycles and offer orders of magnitude higher reliability, besides being faster.

Myth 3: "It's Not Powerful Enough for Industrial Processing"

  • Reality (CM4/CM5): The Compute Modules 4 and 5 (based on the RPi 4 and 5 processors, respectively) are incredibly powerful. Their quad-core ARM Cortex-A72/A76 CPUs are more than capable of:
    • Running multiple industrial protocol clients (Modbus, lightweight OPC UA) simultaneously.
    • Handling secure MQTT (TLS) connections to the cloud.
    • Running a local MQTT broker (Mosquitto) if needed.
    • Executing data processing logic in Python or Node.js.
    • Running Docker containers.
    • Serving local web HMI interfaces (FUXA, Flask/Node.js).
    • Even running the CODESYS runtime to function as a Soft PLC on compatible models!
  • Comparison: Their performance often exceeds that of many mid-range PLCs or older, more expensive industrial gateways.

Myth 4: "The Software Ecosystem isn't Professional/Industrial"

  • Reality: The heart of our gateways is Linux (an optimized version like ZenithOS Edge, based on Debian or Yocto). Linux powers countless critical industrial embedded systems and servers worldwide.
  • Languages & Tools: We primarily develop in Python, a robust, versatile language with a massive library ecosystem (including excellent libraries for Modbus, MQTT, OPC UA, etc.). We use Docker for deployment and management, a standard technology in modern DevOps and systems. The CODESYS compatibility on certain models aligns it with the IEC 61131-3 standard for PLC control.
  • Community & Support: The vast Raspberry Pi and Linux ecosystem means access to documentation, tutorials, forums, and libraries for almost any problem or integration need.

Key Advantages of the RPi Compute Module Solution (Managed by Zenith)

  1. Cost-Effectiveness: Allows offering a robust industrial solution at a more accessible price point than traditional brand gateways.
  2. Software Flexibility: Full access to the power of Linux and Python (or Node.js, C/C++, etc.) for custom solutions and open-source library integration.
  3. Performance: Modern ARM processors capable of handling complex communication and edge processing tasks.
  4. Mature Ecosystem: Wide availability of software, drivers, and community support.
  5. Integrated Control Option: CODESYS capability on some models allows unifying gateway and PLC functions.
  6. Managed by Experts: Zenith handles selecting the right components (CM, carrier board, enclosure, PSU, SSD), optimizing the OS (ZenithOS Edge), developing the core software, and managing security and updates. You receive a tested, ready-to-deploy solution.

Conclusion: A Smart and Robust Choice for IIoT

The Raspberry Pi Compute Module, when properly integrated into industrialized hardware and managed with optimized, secure software, is not a toy, but an incredibly powerful and versatile Edge Computing platform for IIoT applications. It overcomes the myths based on the standard Pi and leverages the strength of its processor and the flexibility of its Linux ecosystem.

At Zenith Industrial Cloud, we have validated this technology and offer it as a core option in our solutions, providing you with a cost-effective, flexible, and powerful path to connect your plant to the cloud.

Interested in how our RPi CM-based gateways can modernize your operations?

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