How Hazardous Computers Operate in Tough Conditions

Hazardous computers are most commonly used by the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.  You may also find some hazardous computers in oil and gas applications.

You can skip forward to read about the unique features that make hazardous computers safe for these extreme environments. However, we first want to describe the classification system that describes the extent to which these environments are “extreme”. This classification system help us pair the right hazardous computer with the work environment.

The classification system is as follows:

• Classes
  Class describes the general nature of the hazards in the area of use.
  • Class I indicates an area with flammable gasses, vapors or liquids.
  • Class II indicates an area with combustible dust.
  • Class III indicates an area with ignitable fibers or materials.

• Division
  Division describes the likelihood of the hazardous materials in the area producing an explosive or otherwise ignitable mixture based on its location.
  • Division 1 indicates a high likelihood of this because the substance is available in flammable quantities in normal operations.
  • Division 2 indicates a lower probability because flammable quantities of the substance is confined to closed containers or closed systems.

• Group
  Groups describe in further detail the specific substances that are common in the environment so the groups assigned to Class I would specifically indicate which flammable gasses, vapors or liquids  are common in the Class I environment.
  • Class 1, Groups A, B, C and D describe gasses, such as acetylene, hydrogen, ethylene and propane
  • Class 2 or Class 3, Groups E, F and G describe dusts or fibers, such as metal dusts, charcoal, coal, flour, wood and plastic.

This structure helps determine the extend of the environment’ flammable the environment The more flammable the environment, the stricter the requirements are for the computers and the equipment inside of them.

Computers designed for Class I, Division 1 follow the most stringent requirements because the gasses are found in flammable quantities in normal operations.  Hazardous computers for Class I, Division 1 environments typically have built-in purges, temperature-shielded parts and the elimination of any potentially spark-producing components. While these design considerations are only required of computers operating in Class I, Division 1 classified environments, many Class II, Division 2 certified computers employ these same non-incendiary practices as an extra safeguard.

Unique Features of Hazardous Computers

You will find that hazardous computers are designed for the extreme environments common in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. These hazardous computers have important and distinctive technological features that protect the users, equipment and operations. Some key features are listed below.

• Withstand Extreme Temperatures
  Hazardous computers are more heat resistant than the other two rugged computers – military computers and industrial computers. Daisy first creates parts that dissipate heat quickly. We then intentionally design the hazardous computer to shield almost all elements from heat damage. These intentional design elements ensure longevity of the equipment and fire prevention in particularly ignition-prone environments.

• Purged and Pressure-Controlled
  Hazardous computers must function even in potentially explosive environments. Purge systems help them do this by keeping flammable gasses away from live electrical components that could ignite the explosive atmosphere. More specifically, the purge system maintains a positive pressure inside the computer enclosure so that the flammable atmosphere surrounding the enclosure does not enter the enclosure and possibly get ignited by the electrical components inside.

There are three types of purge systems that are used in hazardous computers. Types X and Y purge controls work the same way  by maintain positive pressure in the unit. Type X is automatic and allows equipment rated for ordinary locations to be placed in Division 1 areas, while Type Y is manual and allows equipment rated for Division 2 or non-incendive to be placed in Division 1 areas.

The last purge control is Type Z, which can bring the equipment into Division 2. It does this by feeding a continuous flow of compressed air or inert gas through the enclosure to purge hazardous gases. Type Z focuses on the outflow of air to purge the enclosure and then maintain positive pressure to prevent hazardous gasses from entering the enclosure.

• NEMA 4X Enclosures
  Many of our hazardous computers at Daisy are contained within NEMA 4X rated enclosures. These plastic and metal enclosures meet very strict requirements to ensure that they can properly protect the computer itself from dust, water damage, ice damage and even corrosion. This ensures that the hazardous computer operates well in both indoor and outdoor applications.

• Water Resistance
  All hazardous computers are required to have an IP56 rated shield. This means submersion or exposure to a spray of water will not result in any harmful quantities of water entering the machine. All hazardous computers must possess this resistance to water, as many computers will produce a spark when put in contact with water. Such a spark would be devastating in a Class I, Division 1 environment.

• Highly Regulated Parts
  Parts for hazardous computers have to meet very specific and strict rules and cannot be altered once they are approved. Particularly scrutinized are switches and other energy components with any potential for creating a spark. Though this results in a much longer design process for creating a hazardous computer, it results in compliant and extremely reliable computers.

Hazardous computers have these safety features so they can safely operate in the rigorous environments common in the pharmaceutical, food processing and chemical industries. By having a hazardous computer in these work environments, companies are limiting the threat in their facilities and employees.

Hazardous computers are also helpful in the oil and gas industry, where explosion-prone materials abound and small explosions happen on a semi-regular basis. In any of these industries, hazardous computers are favored both for their safety and their resistance to shock, corrosive materials and extreme temperatures. Request a quote on our hazardous computers today!

Important Facts about Water Resistant Computers & Monitors

Waterproof computers and monitors are essential in many applications – including manufacturing, oil and gas exploration and even US Navy and Coastguard sites. Whether you work on the production floor, in oil pipeline or on a naval ship, waterproof computer monitors are critical as they protect your data and keep your systems operational.

In the end, waterproof PCs and displays are types of rugged equipment necessary to maintain productivity in the most demanding and harshest environments. At Daisy, we’ve manufactured waterproof industrial PCs and monitors for more than 35 years to meet the growing demands of our customers rugged environments. We focus on manufacturing durable and reliable waterproof computers that are still budget-friendly and affordable.

WATERPROOF COMPUTERS ON THE JOB: BUILT FOR DEMANDING APPLICATIONS

Daisy specializes in both designing and manufacturing waterproof PCs – part of our line of rugged and hazardous computers. You might be wondering what makes them both rugged and waterproof?

Our waterproof computers are housed in NEMA4X/IP66 enclosures, making them suitable for outdoor use. They have superior protection against wind and rain, dust, splashing water and corrosion.

Curious about the industries and companies that require waterproof computers and displays? You can find Daisy waterproof computer monitors in food and pharma manufacturing facilities, where frequent decontaminations are necessary.

You can also find Daisy’s waterproof PCs in offshore oil and gas operations, as well as pipeline facilities and refineries.. In these harsh environments, rugged waterproof computers need to withstand extreme weather and temperatures, as well as repeated exposure to harsh chemicals.

We also manufacture waterproof computer enclosures to military specifications for use in shipboard electronics, flight simulators and more. Meeting the requirements of MIL-STD and related standards requires our rugged waterproof monitors and computers to be extensively tested for durability and performance.

Ruggedability and Affordability of Rugged Waterproof Computers

At Daisy, we thoroughly test our waterproof computers and displays to ensure the ruggedability meets military standards, as well as certified for ISO, IECEx, FM, CE, ITAR and a wide range of other bodies.

In fact, we pride ourselves on matching both ruggedability and affordability when designing and manufacturing rugged computers, displays and keyboards. Daisy’s rugged PCs are built to the highest standards of quality control. Most importantly, these rugged computer solutions can be configured to any of our systems to meet your specific needs.

You can learn more about how a rugged waterproof computer and display can help improve workflow and productivity in your industry by giving our team of expert design engineers and sales professionals a call. They are extremely knowledge and have decades of experience matching customers with right rugged computer, monitor or keyboard.

EXPLAINING THE NEMA RATING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICAL ENCLOSURES

Rating systems are very important for both Daisy Data as an industrial computer manufacturer and you as the end user. By assigning a rating to a category of computers or enclosures, we are able to easily identify the industrial computers and enclosures best suited for the hazardous environments we work in.

Here, we discuss the NEMA rating system that daisy uses to categorize its industrial computers and industrial displays. You can see the NEMA rating system in action by viewing Daisy Data’s complete list of NEMA rated industrial products.

Understanding the NEMA rating chart

To reiterate, the NEMA rating chart groups electrical enclosures by three levels:

1. Type of electrical enclosure
2. Application of the electrical enclosure (hazardous vs. Non-hazardous)
3. Environmental conditions the electrical enclosure protects against (when properly installed)

For our purposes at Daisy Data, we focus on manufacturing NEMA 1, NEMA 4, NEMA 4x rated industrial computers and displays.

Non-Hazardous Locations: NEMA Ratings 1-6, 11-13

For NEMA ratings 1-6, 11-13, specific characteristic of the enclosure are outlined. Of note, Type 1 describes electrical enclosures intended for general purpose, while Type 4 and Type 4x are more specific for enclosures to be used inside and outside that protect against dirt, water, ice and in some cases, corrosion.

• NEMA 1: indoor use only; protects personnel against hazardous parts; protects equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of falling dirt.
• NEMA 3: indoor or outdoor use; protects personnel against access to hazardous parts; protects equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of falling dirt and windblown dust; protects equipment from ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow); undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.
• NEMA 4: indoor or outdoor use; protects personnel against access to hazardous parts; protects equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of falling dirt and windblown dust; protects equipment from ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow, splashing water, and hose directed water); undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.
• NEMA 4X: indoor or outdoor use; protects personnel against access to hazardous parts; protects equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of windblown dust; protects equipment due to the ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow, splashing water, and hose directed water); additional protection against corrosion; undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.

Note: NEMA 3, NEMA 4 and NEMA 4x have only slight differences between them.

Hazardous Locations: NEMA Ratings 7-10

The hazardous location NEMA ratings 7-10 encompass four electrical enclosure types.

• NEMA 7: Explosion Proof; Indoor Use Only
• NEMA 8: Explosion Proof; Indoor or Outdoor Use Only
• NEMA 9: Dust Ignition Proof; Indoor Use
• NEMA 10: Meets Requirements of the Mine Health and Safety Act

It’s important to note that NEMA is not a regulatory agency, and compliance with NEMA enclosure ratings is strictly voluntary. It also does not perform any testing of electrical products.

Choosing the Right NEMA Rated Enclosure

As an industrial computer manufacturer, our industrial enclosures are assigned NEMA ratings to ensure that you as the end user are selecting the industrial computer enclosure that is right for your hazardous environment thus minimizing operating risk.

You can view Daisy Data’s complete list of NEMA rated industrial products. If you have questions about the NEMA rated products that you need for your hazardous work environment or are looking for a custom industrial computer enclosure, please contact our sales team directly.

Additional Questions People Ask

What is the NEMA standard?

NEMA stands for National Electrical Manufacturers Association, which defines standards used in North America for various grades of electrical enclosures typically used in industrial applications. Commonly known as the NEMA ratings or NEMA standards, the NEMA standards describe the hazardous environments that specific electrical enclosures best function in to reduce hazards and risks resulting from difficult working environments.

What are NEMA Ratings?

As explained above, NEMA ratings are standards for electrical enclosures most commonly used in industrial work environments. Each enclosure is rated to protect against personal access to hazardous parts and environmental condition (depending on the type of environment).

What do NEMA ratings mean?

Similar to the answers above, NEMA ratings are assigned to electrical enclosures based on the environmental risks they minimize to both the technology and the workers.

What is NEMA 4X rating?

In the post above, we walk you through the definitions of the NEMA ratings that our customers most commonly require for their rugged and hazardous work applications; NEMA 4X being the most common among our industrial computer enclosures.

NEMA 4X rated enclosures (and the industrial computers housed within them) are approved for both indoor and outdoor use. These industrial enclosures are designed to protect the computer inside the enclosure from dust, direct and indirect water, as well as corrosion and ice.

Custom Options For Rugged Computers

Your Customized Rugged Computers Checklist

There are many ways to customize rugged computers to best suite your needs. Daisy Data Displays (Daisy) is committed to provide unique, personalized design to meet our customers’ needs. We encourage you to discuss the custom capabilities with our experts to find the right fit.

As you are preparing to delve into custom options for your rugged computers, here are a few things to consider:

Do You Have Industry-Specific Compliances?

Consider the special environmental requirements and compliances you may have, such as those from the NRTL in hazardous scenarios or IECEx, NFPA 496 and ATEX standards.

What Are Your Hardware Needs?

Identify your hardware needs. Here are some things to consider:

• How many hard drives do you need?
• What power method will you use?
• What slots and ports do you need?
• What are the size requirements of your chassis?
• What redundancies do you require?
• Do you interface with other systems continuously such as barcode scanners?

Once you know the hardware elements that best suite your needs, Daisy will put together the right form factor for your business.

What Special Circumstances Does Your Application Experience?

List the specific environments and exposures your equipment may face, and make sure to consider whether you need to meet extremes in:

• Temperature
• Shock
• Vibration
• Salt, acids, alkaline and other elements
• Water exposure
• Impacts
• Others

Support for Other Equipment and Systems

Daisy can help you determine the requirements you need to integrate your PC with many of today’s modern IT systems. Sometimes it is as simple as securing the right ports and interface options. It may also require internal hardware or a need to come preinstalled with proprietary software so they can be deployed in the field right away.

Long-Term Use or Special Power Situations

Do you have a unique deployment that requires a longer use cycle or wants to minimize power consumption because your equipment is away from chargers for a long period of time?

At Daisy, we can help by engineering the right low-power solution or creating a custom multi-bay battery option that can charge and maintain your equipment in constant use for the long haul.

What Matters Most to You?

Each industry has one application that is either most common or most dangerous. Daisy offers customized rugged computers to address each problem. It can be as simple as placing commonly used ports in places that are easy to access or as complex as developing a casing that can withstand harsh environments but won’t block signals so your RFID scanner only needs a second to take a reading.

Our engineering experts have worked in your field, and that puts Daisy in the best position to create a custom solution for you. Learn why so many companies needing a unique product come to us to Make it Daisy.

Purchasing A Rugged computer

Your Starter Guide to Buying an Industrial Computer

If you need a computer that can last under extreme circumstances, this guide will help. It outlines the necessary steps to buying a rugged computer that is specific to your industry and needs.

Look for a Rugged Computer

First, only look at PCs that are considered “rugged” for both the display and internal components. The rugged designation is applied to the most durable computers . We build PCs for industrial settings, extreme environments and demanding applications, such as the military where mission-critical parts cannot fail or break.

If you operate in a harsh environment, always go rugged.

Identify Your Toughest Environments

The next step is to identify the nature of your toughest environments. We recommend basing it on the established Class, Division and Group ratings used commonly in the United States and Canada. Here’s a quick overview:

• Class I features flammable gasses and vapors in your environment.
• Class II includes exposure to combustible dust.
• Class III will be exposed to ignitable fibers.
• Division 1 environments have a high probability of experiencing dangerous reactions with explosives or ignitable mixtures, while Division 2 environments have a slightly lower probability.
• Groups designate that hazardous substances are present. A, B, C and D include Class I gasses while E, F and G signify that Class 2 and 3 dusts and fibers can be present.

Align Your Rugged PC with Your Common Inputs

You should make sure to align the rugged PCs with your existing equipment so it one design can work across teams, job sites and environments. Make sure to buy a model that is compatible with the inputs that are most common across your equipment.

Outdoor Use and Readability

If your workers are out in the field, make sure the model you buy meets all of the weather scenarios they face, such as extreme temperatures and/or the ability to handle significant shocks.

Your employees will also be happy to work with rugged PCs that have dimming capabilities and LED backlighting. They will have an easier time looking at the screen in both high and low light scenarios.

Unit Size

Unit size is important as well. You should strive to find a rugged PC with a large screen that is easily readable, yet a unit that is easy to hold or operate. In fact, many models can operate without keyboards and may be able to incorporate scanners and other equipment.

You may wonder why this is important. Remember that employees climbing ladders or balancing on beams are more at risk if they are required to transport a large PC that requires the use of both hands.

Next Steps

This is just a starting guide to buying a rugged computer. To learn more, see your rugged PC options here.

How Industrial Computers Can Save Your Business Money

Four of the Top Money-Saving Elements of Industrial Computers

Rugged computers provide a wide range of benefits to major companies and industrial partners across the globe. You will find that they not only have a lower lifetime cost because of savings on maintenance and their secure design. They also save you money in some unexpected ways – as described below.

1. Safety Improvements Save Money

Industrial computers provide real-time data about the process.  This type of data enables the management to make better decisions and increase productivity.  In some cases, the use of industrial computer and data collection will eliminate the need to warehouse the product while various quality control processes must occur, which translate to major cost saving.  SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) can distribute in real time.  Hence saving time and money.

2. Fast, Affordable Integration

Curious about another way industrial computers save money? They are designed to work with today’s leading operating systems and software, plus all of your industry’s specific software. This means you can bridge the data gap with minimal coding or work on the part of your IT staff.

Working with a partner like Daisy also ensures you get a workstation with the right plugs, cards, slots and support for the devices and expansion elements you need to get the job done.

3. Fewer Replacements

Industrial computers don’t often need to be replaced or repaired. They are designed to withstand impacts, exposure and other dangers in your industry. Rest assured knowing that thorough testing is done by ensuring every model can handle multiple forces and harsh environments.

Designs keep gunk out of everything, even the keyboard, so you won’t need to replace external or internal components except after years of service.

Industrial computers give your equipment a longer life cycle and reduced functional costs through their overall design. They require less maintenance because they are designed to prevent overheating or improper cooling.

4. Lower Power Consumption

Almost all rugged computers save money by operating in reduced-power and low-power modes. You save on electricity and other power costs, while giving your staff the equipment they need.

When you operate for extended hours, this battery-saving function will both reduce your electricity costs for powering the units and reduce the number of battery and power supply backups your employees need as they move about your job site.

Low power options are a double-saver, making industrial computers some of the best computers that save money.

Ready to learn more? Get a free quote today and see what rugged can do for

Industrial Benefits of Rugged Computers

Benefits of Rugged Computers for 5 Different Industries

Computers are on job sites everywhere, from cold and wet to hot and dusty. Daisy Data Displays (Daisy) deliver functionality and form that capitalize on the industrial benefits of rugged computers in some of the toughest and most physically rigorous environments.

Military

Military-grade laptops and rugged PCs are the epitome of tough. They operate in the field across multiple deployments and offer protection against a variety of liquids, extreme temperatures and large shocks. By making tough devices that are easy to read in any lighting scenario, our armed forces can ensure that orders are delivered and followed quickly, intel is delivered securely in the field and that maintenance costs are diminished even in dangerous zones.

Oil and Gas

Refineries reap the industrial benefits of rugged computers. Exposure to a wide range of harsh chemicals, rugged PCs operate through explosions, chemical exposure and extreme temperatures (both hot and cold). Rugged PCs allow workers to collect and monitor as needed without losing data or creating risks as employees are forced to work with inputs that are unfriendly to a single hand.

Pharmaceuticals

Harsh, corrosive chemicals are commonplace in pharmaceutical and food processing environments. Rugged PCs can withstand these elements and meet all requirements for hazardous safety. Daisy’s rugged PCs not only survive exposure, but they remain fully functional, preventing contamination or further problems. Rugged computers benefit these industries — and others — by also offering reduced-power options to minimize footprint and requirements on the go or on the line.

Construction

Construction sites and quarries are fast-moving endeavors with a significant amount of shock, vibration and debris. Rugged computers can withstand the abuse and still operate effectively. There is little risk of data loss, high maintenance costs or be stuck with a form factor that’s hard to use at any stage in the construction process.

Automotive

Industrial-strength, rugged computers find themselves on all sides of the automotive industry. Daisy’s rugged computers can be used in police cruisers where there’s always the chance of a pit maneuver, as well as streamlining the manufacturing process by working on the line.

Automotive PCs need to withstand the manufacturing process through crash testing, and while on the assembly line, they also need to be immune to the dust, oil, dirt, sparks and more that fly continuously. Robotic arms linked to rugged PCs are already improving workplace conditions by protecting workers. The double-win of increased productivity and safety is definitely a proud moment for any rugged PC maker.

Our models can handle all this and more. Now that you know how rugged computers benefit many industries, you can see why so many Make it Daisy!

Industrial & Rugged Computers Filtered by Industry – Daisy Data Displays

How Businesses Can Benefit From a Rugged Computer

In our experience, your business will surely benefit from rugged computers. Whether you quickly see the impact on cost, control, safety and power depends on the nature of your work and environment. This article provides more information about each potential area where you would benefit from a rugged PC.

DIY Benefits of Rugged Computers for Business

Two of the surprising ways that you can benefit from a rugged computer is the level of customization and capacity of its operating system. Industrial computers allow you to pick any support, vendor, software, platform or other station to integrate as long as you have the required hardware.

Simply choose the Daisy Data Displays (Daisy) hardware that can connect and protect your work the best, as well as the software from any vendor you want.

Long Life Cycles

The hardware’s long-term life cycle is one of the key benefits of rugged computers for businesses. The durable and specific use design requires fewer updates and software changes, resulting in less system-related concerns.

The hardware’s secure design also gives it a long lifespan. We design many models to have no moving parts, significantly reducing the wear on your computer. If there is a concern, your warranty on a standard PC is often voided if the PC casing is opened by someone other than a certified technician. Industrial warranties typically will allow for that kind of work.

This allows your team to work with fewer systems over their tenure. You will reduce training time and other elements thanks to one machine making it through the years.

Reduced Costs

Industrial machines have a secure design that withstands a multitude of forces and harsh environments. It also prevents dust and debris from getting into the casing and collecting near elements, which can disrupt heating and cooling. The intentional design thus requires less maintenance, increasing the overall life cycle of the terminal and decreasing both repair and replacement costs.

As you can see, rugged PCs are a smart investment because they are among the most reliable products on the market.

Low Power Use

Rugged computers also feature low-power functions, which can be another cost-saving measure. This is a significant benefit for any industry that operates either globally or for extended hours. Low-power options are among the most popular feature for military clients because they allow soldiers to use a system consistently and safely across their deployment.

Buyer’s Guide for Industrial and Rugged Embedded PCs

Do you need an Industrial or Rugged Computer?

Industrial computers are necessary for businesses that operate in demanding environments; one where significant wear and tear will require you to replace a consumer grade PC regularly. You will find industrial PCs to be extremely dependable, reliable and durable.

Industrial and rugged computers are designed for tough environments. Also known as rugged computers, they consist of a ruggedized system that performs in a variety of team environments – ranging from industrial to hazardous to military and naval applications. Industrial PCs can handle the toughest conditions, including but not limited to:

• Prolonged Exposure to Outdoor Elements
  • Extreme Cold and Hot Temperatures
  • Humidity
• Chemicals
• Shock and Vibration
• Dust and Grim
• Power Surges

They are designed to handle anything from industrial to hazardous to military applications because the design of the housing protects the internal components from damage when hit by moving objects, rigorously shaken or dropped. You should also look for product supply roadmaps to ensure that the industrial computer you choose can run unmodified for many years, often for the life of the project or plant.

This guide will help you understand what to look for in an industrial computer, and also teach you how to choose an industrial computer. Let’s examine five questions to ask when purchasing an industrial computer.

1. What industries need an Industrial, Rugged or Hazardous Computers?

To meet the critical needs of the industrial environment, industrial computers provide exceptional protection and performance. They help you meet mission-critical tasks and applications because they maximize operations, minimize down time and withstand extremely difficult working conditions.

The most common industries that rely on industrial computers to run their operations are as follows:

• Automotive Industry —
  

  To survive in automotive manufacturing plants, your computing system must be powerful enough to meet your processing needs. It must also have the capabilities to adapt to evolving manufacturing practices.In today’s competitive environment, automotive industry decision-makers need complete control over a variety of disparate manufacturing processes and functions, which includes design, distribution, inventory control, and analysis function. Management can access these functions through industrial computers that are connected to critical functions on the factory floor, which simplifies operation tasks such as monitoring and process control. The automobile industry relies heavily on automation and robotics, which are linked to industrial computing devices.Industrial computing systems
  also handle much of the assembly tasks, which makes the environment safer and more reliable, and also increases productivity levels,
  even in the most unpredictable working conditions.

• Oil & Gas Industry — The oil and gas industry creates a serious
  

  challenge for the tools and equipment that are required to extract and process these critical resources. Major processes locate and identify viable oil or gas reservoirs, such as seismic data processing. These processes require the ability to process huge packets of data and adapt to the extreme environment. Industrial computers work well in this environment because they can withstand a variety of hazards. The ruggedness of the industrial computing equipment and devices ensures that systems can withstand exposure of heat, ingress of dust, exposure to liquid, and resistance to shock and vibration caused by sudden drops. The sturdy construction of industrial computers makes it possible to proceed uninterrupted even when dust, debris, water, oil and
  other elements are circulated.

• Pharmaceutical Industry — Pharmaceutical manufacturers need
  

  industrial computers to control critical processes and to determine the right compounds and mix rations, as well as to tighten production. You can also document the entire manufacturing process for medical or chemical production, where just a slight deviation or pollutant can lead to significant damage. These computers can help record production data, monitor production and simulate production processes. The design of the computer protects internal components against particles and other contaminants present in the manufacturing environment.

• Food and Beverage Industry — You must document each step of the
  

  process in the food and beverage industry, from incoming goods to delivery to the end-user. This includes activities such as the monitoring and trace-ability of substances used, the machines employed, packages printed and more. The computing devices you use must be constructed under rigorous hygiene conditions, designed to function in hot environments and cold.These industrial computers require numerous interfaces and slots to enable the connection of peripheral devices such as scales. They also require the proper seals, which allow them to come into direct contact with foodstuff. They should also be waterproof to withstand cleaning
  and the use of strong disinfectants and high pressure.

• Mining Industry — Technological advancements have made
  

  mining operations increasingly more sophisticated. Mining companies rely on industrial computers to guide tunneling machines and to dictate the speed, position and output. This results in a more streamlined, effective and cost-efficient operation. Given the nature of the environmental conditions in the mining industry, the inherent ruggedness of industrial computers more than meets the needs of mining operations without concern for system failure due to extreme fluctuations in temperature, humidity, moisture or dust particles.

• Transportation Industry — The transportation sector places a
  

  heavy reliance on industrial computing solutions to address a variety of needs and tasks. The processing capabilities of rugged computers facilitates the processing power needed for communication, collision avoidance, safety, lighting and location monitoring. The durability of industrial computing devices enables the equipment to withstand the constant stresses that result from an extreme environment and continuous exposure to shocks and vibrations.

• Aerospace Industry — Companies in the aerospace sector rely on
  

  industrial computers to combine multiple streams of science, engineering and business to navigate within Earth and outer space. These entities rely on industrial computers to meet a variety of needs in the commercial, military and industrial sector. Consequently, industrial computers have become the default computing device of choice. This type of computing equipment can withstand weather punishing temperatures that would normally affect electronic components. It can also withstand experiments that involve gas clouds, as well as function in outer space to process data.

• Manufacturing — Computers have been a staple on plant floors
  

  since the 1970. Technological advances have made processing and factory device automation smarter, and they provide the ability to measure, monitor and communicate their own conditions. In the past, manufacturing robots could only perform monotonous tasks, repeatedly. Today, cyber-physical concepts enable robots and their controllers to assess a situation and determine what operation to perform next.

• Power Generation — Connecting homes, businesses and machines to the electrical grid requires high-performance computing systems that are fast, flexible, scalable and rugged.
  

  Companies that generate and distribute electricity cannot afford to work with tools and devices that might compromise their operations. The unique environmental conditions of power stations demand industrial grade computing devices. Typically, power stations are located outdoors or in environments that can destroy unprotected electronic equipment and components. The remote locations of some power stations expose these components to some of the harshest elements possible. Power stations must be equipped with computers that can resist dirt, water, extreme thermal conditions, shock and vibration. The high standards and rugged features of industrial computers make them the best devices for these environments.

• 

  Military — Today’s armed forces depend on computers for everything from communication and education to purchasing supplies and safe-guarding secrets. While military computers do everything, they also need to go everywhere. Exposure to water, chemicals, sand and other harsh environments is inevitable. The military needs rugged computers that can stand up to whatever the armed forces put them through. They also need to take full advantage of today’s leading technology to keep our dedicated forces protected and able to tackle all challenges.

2. How to choose an Industrial Computer?

With an ever-expanding variety of industrial and rugged PCs on the market, which have different capabilities and levels of durability, the process of buying an industrial computer can quickly become overwhelming. You can easily find yourself inundated with a variety of rugged systems to choose from, making it difficult to identify the best rugged PC for your operational and work application demands.

Let’s start with something you might be most familiar with –identifying the processing speed and memory. This part is just like choosing your desktop for your home or office, even though the similarities between consumer grade PCs and rugged PCs end there.

Processor, RAM and Hard Drive

How powerful do you need your industrial computer to be? As we mentioned before, you want to first consider the processor, RAM and hard drive (aka the technical capabilities) for the computer you need.

• Microprocessor
• RAM
• Storage Media
• Interface Ports
• Performance

At Daisy, we use the latest Intel technology in our rugged PCs. Intel manufactures the most common processors on the market. Newer computers contain either a dual- or core-hard processor. Selecting a processor and the supporting chipset requires you to consider the raw number along with the i/o and memory requirements. If your system requires limited i/o or minimal i/o performance, you can choose a pentium processor. If your application requires multiple channels of x16 pcie, you can use a single xeon, but the dual intel xeon processors will provide optimal performance.

Not all microprocessors are compatible with every motherboard. The different motherboards have varying processor sockets, which allow for the assimilation of only matching processors types. Some motherboards have non-socketed on-board processors already assimilated, but make sure you’re familiar with the type of processor or on-board boards.

For industrial applications, the i/o requirements can exceed the standard usb, storage media and display connections. In addition, many applications require i/o add-in cards, which require a pci or pci connection to achieve the best performance. You must select a system with the right selection of slots. Many legacy i/o boards have only pci interface and cannot accommodate the newer systems.

The processing power must also consider the RAM, the hard drive size and the processor speed. The more RAM available, the faster the system operates and the more applications you can run simultaneously. The amount of hard drive space determines how much data you can store. A faster processor allows for faster operation of the applications. In most cases, faster processors perform better, but keep in mind that processor speeds vary depending on the brand. If you need to analyze the data or save data on your hard drive, the processing power will be a key determinant of performance.

The processor clock speed and memory size are important factors to consider when determining what to look for in an industrial computer. The required i/o performance and number of expansion ports are critical determining factors as well.

As you evaluate these items, remember that industrial applications have long-term operation requirements, so you should also consider the availability of long-term support.

Enclosure Types for Industrial Computers

Industrial and rugged computers are typically housed in a stainless steel, fully sealed to withstand the elements. In fact, many of the industrial computers designed at Daisy are enclosed in a NEMA 4 or 4X rated enclosure that are mostly intended for outdoor use because they have a superior level of protection from extreme environments. NEMA 4X also protect against corrosion, which is especially important when working in wet conditions.

Industrial computers are also available in NEMA 1 rated enclosures that are designed for indoor use only, protecting workers from hazardous parts and ingress of solid foreing objects (i.e. falling dirt).

Once you identify the enclosure type, consider whether you need a fully sealed, membrane keyboard and pointing device built into the computer. Some industries, such as food, pharmaceutical and chemical require KVM extenders to have on-site control of the computer while it is located up to 1.5km away from the worksite.

Special Design Features for Rugged Computers

Most rugged computers share similar design philosophies with a primary focus on providing a controlled environment that protects the installed components. Industrial computer manufacturers choose components for these devices based on their ability to withstand extreme variances in temperature. Common design features include:

• Heavier metal construction (i.e. stainless steel)
• Enclosed form factor and the ability to mount into the surrounding locale
• Additional cooling that includes air filtering
• Alternative cooling methods such as liquid, conduction and forced air
• Expansion card retention and support
• Enhanced EMI filtering and gasketing
• More robust controls and features
• Secured access to controls
• Watch-dog timers that reset the system in the event of a software lock-up
• Controlled access to control

In this vain, you may want to decide if you need one of the following special industrial computers for your application:

• Modular Industrial Computers —allow you to modify and adapt the industrial computer system to meet critical needs and expand to accommodate future applications. You can also upgrade individual parts without the need to invest in an entirely new industrial computer system. For example, an industrial modular system will allow you to install a new hard drive if you need more storage capacity or to combine data-acquisition equipment with a faster analog-to-digital convert for applications that require faster sampling.
• Fanless Industrial Computers have heat sink passive convection cooling, which allows for quiet operation in hazardous and rugged locations where you do not want a noisy CPU. You can purchase fanless rugged PCs that offer waterproof and wide-temperature range options for placement outdoors, next to heat generating equipment or in wet environments. These fanless rugged PCs are suitable for field bus employment, transportation automation controls, HD graphic processing, process control systems and more.

• Waterproof Hazardous Computers can function in the harshest environment. Some of the challenging conditions and elements these computers can endure include humidity, dirt, dust, bacteria, watery spray and cold temperatures. Such conditions would annihilate any regular computer. The system is composed of more than waterproof enclosures. It also includes industrial grade components designed to operate 24/7 in rugged, challenging conditions. Many companies in the food and beverage industry use waterproof computers in wash down areas because of their reliability and performance.

• Portable Industrial Computers are exactly as described – portable units that can be carried throughout the harsh environment or even mounted in different locations throughout the site. Taking a rugged computer on the go enables you to monitor the job site and/or collect critical data easily and on the go. Portable units can also easily be mounted in different locations.

 Mounting Devices & Industrial Accessories

Industrial accessories is a broad term to describe the many different products that will help you further customize your industrial computer for your work environment and personnel needs. This includes keyboards, pointing devices, keyboard-video-monitor (KVM) extenders and variable action buttons (VAB) to control the computers in different ways and locations.

It also includes mounting devices that let you mount (for a lack of better term) the industrial PC or industrial display in a manner that best suites your hazardous work environment. You can choose from flush mounts, panel mounts, pedestal mounts and wall mounts. These are the most common options as to placing the industrial workstation or industrial display in your work environment and allowing for easy access for your employees.

If you need a portable option, Daisy manufactures those as well!

3. How do industrial computers improve business productivity and efficiency?

Industrial computers are tough. You pay for their durable design, but it also means you are investing in a rugged computer that is going to last for a while (especially in harsh environments). We continue to emphasize that these rugged PCs optimize performance – but the question is, how do they increase productivity, efficiency and performance?

Industrial PCs, first and foremost, can make your work environment safer. They are designed to operate in environments where hazards may be present and can withstand drops, shock, vibrations and splashing.

To operate efficiently in harsh environments, they operate with minimal moving parts which ultimately reduces energy consumption; decreasing operational costs for this industrial technology.

Rugged PCs tough design also means they continue to operate when consumer grade computers typically crash. They reduce scrap materials, use less manual labor, identify potential malfunctions and improves processes.

We delve into this further below:

• Reduced Energy Consumption— Industrial computers can help decrease waste in energy consumption and material usage. They can also reduce rework, minimize scrap and reduce manual labor.
  
• Improved Machine Productivity— Manufacture are using industrial computers to help optimize shop floor performance. For example, Audi realized a significant increase in productivity by gathering data from machines and plants in real-time to reduce waste and minimize error during the production processes.Another example is BorgWarner Cooling System. They use industrial computers to collect and analyze operating data. Operators, at the floor level, can view dashboards and use the output to view downtime information or identify points of failure along the assembly line or deviations from the production goals. · Predictive maintenance — Downtime has a negative effect on the bottom line of any Many companies are implementing built-in sensors in manufacturing equipment, which link to industrial computers that can monitor usage patterns and provide output alerts to plant maintenance staff.
• Data Collection and Management- The right industrial computer. should use sophisticated data-gathering software to identify machines or processes that are not performing at peak levels. The real-time transparency of manufacturing data makes it easier for employees to work more productively and efficiently. It also aligns overall activity with production targets and other organizational goals.

4. What is the total cost of ownership for rugged computers?

You might think that the industrial computer industry started the Internet of Things (IoT); the growing trend of connecting machines that communicate with one another to the Internet to help companies improve performance, streamline processes and position their organizations to compete more effectively in a global marketplace.

In fact, Gartner published research showing that vertical specific business industries will increase spending on the Internet of Things based products from $393 Billion in 2014 to $3,010 Billion in 2020! Industrial, rugged and hazardous computers are a major portion of  where industries will continue to invest their financial resources to optimize performance and increase communication flow.

Industrial computers are considered investments because of the total cost of ownership. We cannot emphasize enough that when choosing the right rugged PC for your work application, these costs will be offset by increased productivity, performance and ultimately revenue. That said,

There is no doubt that industrial computers will make up a significant portion of your total upfront costs. We caution you that with ongoing pressure to lower expenses, we see more companies purchase systems that cannot withstand the harsh and demanding environments – requiring increased replacement costs and production downtime.

When analyzing the total cost of ownership for a rugged PC, we look at both tangible (hard) costs and intangible (soft) costs of these industrial computers. This lets you ascertain the true cost of ownership.

Hard Costs / Tangible Costs

• System, Hardware Acquisition & Deployment— when assessing different what to look for in an industrial computer industrial computers, you must investigate the range of standards and non-standard features, as well as how they affect price. In addition, consider the cost of components, such as network interface, hardware/software, storage and ram, required to carry out the essential functions of the application you design. Data shows that approximately 15% of the cost of it assets are used for the cost of hardware. Your evaluation must carefully consider cost versus performance, so you can accurately evaluate and compare systems.
• Cost — Industrial computer systems, if chosen correctly, are investments in operational flow. A system that costs less, but delivers sub-par performance, does not provide real value to the organization. It actually compromises critical tasks.
• Service & Technical Support — Support costs will vary depending on the complexity of your installation, and you must calculate the cost related to day-to-day ongoing operation. Most service contracts cover support, so you can directly compute the cost and make any necessary comparisons.

You will also need to determine the built-in cost of deployment, as well as the cost of documentation for the installation expense and ongoing operations. If you have more specialized rugged and hazardous hardware and software requirements, these items inherently cost more because of the service skills required, compared to a system with open standards and easily available components.  Support cost can consume as much as 70% to 85% of the total costs.

• Employee Training — TCO should also consider the cost of training staff to perform basic tasks on the new system.
• Maintenance — You should investigate the expense of updating software and hiring the people with the skills required to perform the include the expense of the operating system, application licenses, and associated costs needed to support the application and any intended functions.

• Scalability — Many companies will need to consider the cost of scalability, especially those computing in high-growth sectors. You should be able to scale up and scale out to manage increases in business activities, while at the same time controlling costs.

• System Integration — Other hard costs you must include in TCO include the integration of industrial computers with an existing infrastructure and the overall interoperability expense. An essential requirement of any industrial computer is the ease of integration with existing legacy systems where you already have a significant capital investment and may not be interested in a wholesale replacement.

Intangible/Soft Costs

Soft costs have a significant impact on your bottom line, but they can be more challenging to calculate and factor into your evaluation. They include:

• Upgrades/Add-Ons
• Operational costs
• Risk Mitigation
• Replacement Costs
• Device Failure & Downtime Expenses (including lost productivity)

If you can effectively deal with the range of costs associated with your industrial computer, you’re more likely to realize efficiency and cost saving over the life of the device.

 

5. What’s the Next Steps: Buying a Rugged Computer

Consider Daisy Data! Collaborate with an industrial computer provider that can help you determine what factors are the most important for your particular application. The best providers also offer tips for buying a rugged computer. If you have questions or would like to learn more about your rugged computer options, contact one of our representatives contact us today. We can also give you a quote request a quote  for the right rugged computer solution to meet your needs.

What Our Rugged Computers Can Withstand

A Look at Top Computer Risks and Hazards

At Daisy Data Displays(Daisy), we often hear customers ask what rugged computers can withstand and what makes a computer truly rugged. Instead of making a lot of claims, Daisy uses top industry specifications and certifications to demonstrate that our rugged computers can withstand temperatures of more than -30°C, falls from significant heights onto concrete, resistance to corrosive elements and even protections against combustible dusts.

Here are just a few of the specifications that we use to make sure computers are rugged and can thrive in rugged computer applications.

Drop Specifications

Drop specifications are among the most important element of what rugged computers can withstand. The typical rugged mobile computer can withstand a four-foot drop on concrete. Each unit will have its own specific drop rating and some can take larger drops because they’re built to withstand more rugged computer applications.

Handheld units will experience drop testing on all sides, as well as problem areas such as the display to ensure that they are properly rated for the field. Concrete is the industry standard and we use it for all ratings, so there is no confusion with hard surfaces that same ratings use.

IP Ratings

Ingress protection (IP) ratings are used for enclosures covering both solids and liquids penetrating the computer’s enclosure. The IEC-set standards use two numerals to indicate protection against solids and protection against liquids, respectively.

IP ratings should typically be 65 or above for any computer in an industrial setting or other rugged computer applications. Daisy uses proper IP certification to determine our ratings and are able to verify these across all of the rugged computers we provide.

MIL-STD/MIL-SPEC

The U.S. Department of Defense uses the MIL-STD and -SPEC specifications to provide guidelines for how each rugged computer and equipment should be created for its applications. The MIL-STD compliance is also used by many state governments when they look to buy equipment for emergency response services.

The MIL-STD 810(x) specification denotes vibration and shock protections, so it should be combined with IP ratings to determine protections against corrosive elements, temperatures, humidity and even more extreme settings such as salt fog.

NEMA

National Electrical Manufacturer Association (NEMA) ratings are standards that govern the environments in which electrical enclosures can be used. NEMA specifications are usually used for installed units, not mobile devices.

• NEMA 1

The NEMA Type 1 rating is designed for indoor enclosures that provide protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts. It also protects the equipment inside against falling dirt and other incidents of ingress of solid foreign objects.

• NEMA 4X

Operating in both indoor and outdoor situations, those with the NEMA 4X enclosure offer a more advanced protection against foreign objects, such as falling and windblown dust.  It also protects the equipment against the ingress of water, including rain, sleet, snow, hose-directed water and splashing water.  There is significant protection against corrosion, as well as shielding against the formatting of ice on the enclosure itself.

Learn a little more with these product ratings or contact us today to figure out what you need for your application.