Some locations, however, are not suitable environments for standard IT hardware and often this means that using devices in these areas is prohibitive. Wash down locations such as food-processing plants are one such location. In these areas, any hardware needs waterproofing.

Armagard’s computer, monitor and printer enclosures enable the use of standard hardware in all sorts of environments. In wet and wash down locations, these PC enclosures provide protection from water and liquids with stainless steel enclosures ensuring no corrosion.

The enclosures also maintain stable temperatures enabling use even in chillers, freezers and hot houses.

Waterproof computer keyboards and mouse pointing devices provide the input devices, and these two can withstand liquids, splashes and wash down.

Screens used for communication can also be protected with LCD enclosures, which come in a wide range of sizes and can accommodate nearly any make and model of standard TV device. Ideal for digital signage in industrial, manufacturing or factory environments, LCD enclosures also provide an inexpensive method outdoor digital signage.

Medical Equipment

In hospitals, clinics, dentists and other medical environments, the need to clean equipment is essential to reduce the spread of hospital-acquired infections. A computer keyboard and mouse can easily spread infection because different users often use the same equipment; a keyboard and mouse can harbour more germs than a toilet seat so a solution is essential.

Most computer keyboards and mouse systems can’t be cleaned effectively; however, Armagard’s range of medical keyboard and mouse devices are designed to limit bacterial build-up and can be washed clean with both water and anti-bacterial solutions.

Washable and medical keyboards are now an essential part of infection control in many medical locations.

Waterproof Products from Armagard is a post from: Armagard

Technology has advanced exponentially over the last two decades, and Armagard have had to ensure their products match the ever-changing face of modern technologies. One of the biggest changes over the last decade or so has been the rise of the flat screen television.

Few people still use CRT monitors and TVs with LCD and plasmas now being ubiquitous in both consumer and commercial uses. For this reason, Armagard began producing their LCD enclosure range, designed to accommodate these modern screens, and come in all the major screen sizes.

LCD enclosures are incredibly popular, primarily because of the rise of outdoor digital signage and the increase in use of information screens, but all sorts of other enclosures exist in Armagard’s range too.

Computer enclosures are still a common requirement in some locations such as factory floors and industrial units. While industrial computers can operate in harsh environments, they often don’t provide enough flexibility and cooperation with IT systems already used around the office, which is why so many people turn to standard PCs and house them in an Armagard enclosure.

Printer’s too, struggle to operate in locations outside of offices and home environments, and have traditionally been unable to work in location where temperatures are close to zero. Armagard’s printer enclosure range not only allows printer use in dusty and wet environments, but heated printer enclosures mean even chillers and freezer locations can use printers.

Security is another reason people turn to an Armagard enclosure. Computer safes and anti-vandal LCD enclosures help protect valuable assets from theft and abuse.

Armagard Computer Enclosure

Armagard Computer Safe

Armagard Printer Enclosure

Types of Armagard Enclosure is a post from: Armagard

Controlling infection throughout hospitals is an important aspect of good clinical management and many measures have been introduced to limit the spread and protect the vulnerable in our hospital wards.

Spread of infection

Barrier creams and enforced hand washing are only part of the story in helping to eliminate hospital acquired infections as there are other measures that need to be considered too. Preventing the spread of infection is not just about keeping the wards clean.

Commonly, in modern healthcare settings, the computer is just as prevalent a tool as the stethoscope.

Computers, and in particular keyboards and the computer mouse, are key harbourers of germs. In fact, there are more germs on the average computer keyboard and mouse than there are on a toilet seat. And as computers are commonly used by more than one person these germs can spread from staff member to staff member.

Medical Keyboards and Washable Computer Mouse

Most computer equipment is difficult, if not impossible to clean too. The design of most keyboards and mice means there are too many nooks and crannies for bacteria and pathogens to linger. They are also vulnerable to water which can affect their operation.

Washable and medical keyboards and computer mice are now available; and are proving incredibly helpful in the fight against hospital acquired infections. Medical keyboards are not only manufactured from easy to clean and bacteria resistant silicone but also they are designed to prevent pathogens from being able to linger under the keys.

The same is true of medical mice. These are also washable and manufactured from the same bacteria resistant silicone – you can even get wireless and washable mice.

Infection Control – Importance of Washable Keyboards and Mouse in Medical Settings is a post from: Armagard

Protecting devices, whether it is a computer, touch screen, printer or LCD TV requires creating a total environment where the optimum conditions that the device can operate in.

These protective environments often come in the guise of protective enclosures. LCD enclosures, industrial computer enclosures and enclosures for printers and touch screens house conventional, off-the-shelf devices that fit snugly into the enclosures.

These computer, printer or LCD enclosures are usually manufactured from mild or stainless steel. Stainless steel is more-often-than-not used in food manufacturing or washdown areas as it is none corrosive and can withstand repeated hose down or cleaning.

Inside every enclosure, whether it’s a computer enclosure or a display or printer enclosure, should contain air flow systems. Cool air is required by nearly every electronic device to help prevent overheating and transport heat away. Normally airflow of a computer of LCD comes via an air vent which allows air from the outside to run through the device.

However, with devices operating in wet or outdoor locations then it is not feasible to have an open vent to the outside as water can seep through. Specially designed plenum chambers that allow air and not water through are often used to counter this problem.

Heating elements are also used inside enclosures as are air condition systems for use in extremely hot environments.

Other hazards such as direct sunlight damaging an LCD screen can be countered too using anti-glass or even an air curtain (cool hair blown across the screen to prevent hotspots).]

Enclosures are built to current guidance advice such as those issued by the EU or the National Electrical Manufacturers Association so IP65 and NEMA 4 enclosures are not hard to find.

But perhaps the biggest advantage of using enclosures rather than specific outdoor or weatherproof devices is they house standard equipment and more often than not this means that the combined cost of say a display device plus the outdoor LCD enclosure is often a lot less than a specific outdoor TV. The same can also be said for industrial computers versus computer enclosures and also printer enclosures.

The Manufacturing of Protective Environments…Part 2 is a post from: Armagard

Ensuring a computer will continue to function could even be mission critical so it is vital that any of the hazards located in the areas where the computer will be working are identified so that they can be countered. Her are some of the elements contained in industrial areas and how they are bets protected against:

Dust

In many production and manufacturing facilities, there is often quite large amounts of dust. Dust is often created from manufacturing processes but it will also contain a wide variety of other materials including metals and other conductive elements. Dust can penetrate electrical systems and cause short circuits and it can also block up filters and cause over-insulation, a primary cause of failure in computer systems.

Protecting against dust can be quite complicated as most computer systems need fresh air to help dispel heat, sealing off the dust can be problematic. One solution that many industrial computer enclosures employ is to ensure there is positive pressure inside the enclosure keeping the dust outside and allowing airflow within the enclosure.

Liquids

Liquids, particularly water, are commonplace in some factory areas, especially in food production where water is liberally used to hose down areas for hygiene reasons. Water is also problematic to defend against for similar reasons to dust.

Water can have an even more damaging effect on equipment if it penetrates an enclosure which is why printer and computer enclosures that are used in washdown areas use plenum chambers which are air vents that don’t allow water access.

How to Create the Perfect Environment for Protecting Equipment in Industrial Areas is a post from: Armagard

There is much more to protecting computers, printer, TV and touch screens in hazardous and harmful environments than just enclosing the device in a metal box. Industrial areas, outside locations and unmanned locales provide different hazards and potential problems for any electrical equipment.

In industrial areas the amount of airborne particles and liquids can be extremely high. Not only are industrial locations extremely dusty in many manufacturing and processing facilities, water and liquids are used constantly to clean and wash down surfaces.

So whether it’s a computer, a printer, an LCD screen or a touchscreen and it is to be used in an industrial area it has o be protected from a wide variety of hazards. Whatever device is used, the enclosure that protects it must be dustproof to stop airborne particles getting inside the electronics and causing havoc.

Furthermore, if water is used, even in small quantities the computer enclosure (or printer/ LCD enclosure) needs to be waterproof too. Indeed, some industries, particularly food processing, water is used very liberally so any computer enclosure of LCD enclosure needs to be completely water tight.

When it comes to outdoor use, there are other considerations to be taken into account. Of course, waterproofing is vital for any device that is to be kept in the open air, but also the device needs to be protected from the unwanted attention of vandals or thieves, especially in unmanned areas. For this purpose they need to be solidly built and be strong enough to withstand a heavy impact.

Creating a Protective Environment for Computers, Printers and LCD Screens is a post from: Armagard

Industrial PC’s has to operate in extreme conditions and has to be resilient to them all which could include:

Dust – will block filters and drives of a conventional computer, over-insulate which causes over-heating and even short circuit conventional equipment. In some areas dust can form potentially explosive clouds meaning any electrical device not only has to be protected from the dust but the dust has to be protected from any potential sparks from the device.

Water – used in many industrial processes, particularly in food production, where all equipment has to be able to cope with being washed down (often with a high pressure hose/jet wash).

Extreme temperatures – some industrial PCs have to operate in freezers or chillers where they are expected to function at minus 30 centigrade. Whilst some computers are tasked to operate near furnaces or other processes where temperatures can rise extremely high.

Heavy impacts/vibrations – industrial areas can be physically hazardous too with fork-lifts zipping about and heavy machinery moving around. Any computer operating in these needs to cope with heavy impacts or the vibrations caused by industrial processes.

Conventional computers are now frequently being used in industrial areas thanks mainly to the protection offered by industrial computer enclosures. These computer cabinets offer all the protection of an industrial PC, defending against dust, water, temperatures and heavy impacts etc but with the added flexibility of a standard PC allowing the device to be upgraded/repaired at will.

A Guide to Industrial Computing – Protecting the Processor is a post from: Armagard

Yet, in some environments such as food manufacturing, water is everywhere. It is used to wash down areas and keep everything clean so any electronic device, such as a computer, touch screen or printer, has to be able to withstand not just water splashes but also wash down and even jet washing.

Industrial computer enclosures, printer enclosures and touch screen enclosures have all been designed with the same waterproofing technology to allow their use in wash down areas. And European guidelines have even been produced that indicate the protection these enclosures can offer in such conditions. The IP65 and IP66 monikers are what to look out for when sourcing such a product.

The same technology is also utilised outdoors with a recent interpretation being the LCD enclosure. These waterproof display cabinets allow outdoor digital signage protecting the enclosed LCD (or plasma) from the weather.

LCD enclosures are ideal for factory floors and industrial areas too as they can be jet-washed and hosed down allowing their use in any type of wet room.

Challenging Technology – Part Three – Keeping Dry is a post from: Armagard

Digital signage seems to be the next media revolution with LCD’s now finding their way almost everywhere with LCD’s now seen on concourses, colleges, schools, high streets, retail units, airports, railway stations, hospitals, factories and pharmacies.

One of the main challenges of this new advertising and information sector is protecting the LCD screens. For indoor use this is normally just ensuring the screen can withstand a good thump and is secured in unmanned areas.

However, when the digital signage is placed outdoors then it is important to protect the screen from the elements. Wind, rain, sleet, snow and bright sunlight will not only damage the LCD but could permanently disable it.

It is essential therefore that all outdoor digital signage is adequately protected from the elements. Transflexive screens or optical bonding can protect the image quality from the sun but to protect the LCD itself it has to be sealed form the rain. Waterproof LCDs are available but these are fairly expensive and not very flexible.

Waterproof LCD enclosures are a less rigid alternative. These devices not only protect from the wind and rain but also can assist in cooling and heating allowing the LCD to be used in hot and cool areas.

Most outdoor digital signage enclosures are designed to European IP 65 which denoted the protection against water ingress. An IP 65 enclosure is adequately protected from the rain and can even be used in wash room scenarios.

Digital Signage Protection – Using LCD Outdoors is a post from: Armagard

It is no surprise that most manufacturing processes are now controlled by an industrial computer of some kind. These industrial standard PC’s are highly expensive however and do offer certain drawbacks when it comes to upgrade or repair.

Often production downtime can be lost if an industrial PC breaks down as a specialist engineer will have to be called out of the industrial computer will have to be returned to the supplier. If there is no spare then this could cause a crippling amount of lost production and the cost of the industrial computers often means many industrial PC users cannot justify the expense of keeping an industrial PC as a spare.

Fortunately industrial PC enclosures are far less expensive but far more flexible. They contain standard desktop or tower PC but are protected by industrial dustproof &/or waterproof PC cabinets.  Not only are industrial PC enclosures less expensive than industrial computers but if anything goes wrong then it takes but minutes to open the door and replace the enclosed PC ensuring there is no loss of production or costly downtime.

Industrial Computer Vs Industrial Computer Enclosure is a post from: Armagard