Developing a single-board computer for a commercial automation application can be a tedious business. It's often cheaper, faster, and much more convenient (especially if only a small number of systems are required) to use one of the off-the-shelf development platforms popular amongst the Maker community rather than to go ahead and developing you own new SoC. How does the Raspberry Pi and other consumer SBCs perform when they are integrated into an end-product? Where are the pitfalls, what are the advantages and how do you find suitable accessories? The author gives an insight from his own experience designing commercial applications in the automotive and automation sector.