Waveshare Launches the IPCBOX-CM5 — A Rugged Industrial Computer Built Around the Raspberry Pi CM5
The IPCBOX-CM5 packs RS485, RS232, CAN Bus, dual Ethernet, and an M.2 slot into a palm-sized aluminum enclosure starting at just $100.
The Raspberry Pi ecosystem keeps expanding beyond the hobbyist bench. Waveshare's latest creation puts the Compute Module 5 squarely on the factory floor.
Industrial Interfaces in a Tiny Package
The IPCBOX-CM5 measures just 13.6 by 9.2 by 3.95 centimeters and ships in a fanless aluminum enclosure with integrated heat-dissipation fins. Despite its compact size, it packs a serious interface roster: RS485, RS232, CAN Bus, digital I/O terminal blocks, dual Ethernet with both Gigabit and 2.5 Gigabit ports, and an M.2 slot for NVMe storage or AI accelerator modules.
Wide Power Input and Flexible Mounting
Designed for real-world deployment, the unit accepts 7-to-36-volt DC input — perfect for vehicles, solar installations, and industrial power rails. DIN-rail and VESA mounting options mean it can be snapped into a control cabinet or bolted behind a monitor with equal ease.
$100 Entry Point
The baseboard and enclosure start at $100, with the Raspberry Pi CM5 sold separately. That price point undercuts comparable industrial single-board computers by a wide margin while offering the full Pi software ecosystem, including Raspberry Pi OS, Ubuntu, and thousands of community-maintained packages.
For makers, integrators, and factory engineers looking to deploy edge computing without breaking the budget, the IPCBOX-CM5 checks every box.
Sources: CNX Software, March 5, 2026; Waveshare Product Page, March 2026