Category Archives: atex

Rating Systems for Industrial Computers

Industrial computers are designed to protect against harmful elements from penetrating the enclosure to the computer and damaging the system. To help consumers select the right industrial PC with the correct computer enclosure, rating systems have been designed by both Europe and USA. Guide to IP Ratings The European system, known as ingress protection (IP), […]

Challenging Technology – Part Four – Dealing With Dust

One of the main reasons industrial computer enclosures or factory LCD enclosures are used is to protect against dust. Dust is not just a pain for housewives doing the spring cleaning; dust can have all sorts of adverse effects. Breathing in dust can be extremely dangerous, even innocuous substances can bad not just for your […]

Waterproof and Dustproof Computer Protection

IP65 is the European standard that governs the protective capabilities of an electrical enclosure.  IP stands for ‘Ingress Protection ‘and the two-digit number represents the amount of protection afforded by  dust particles (first digit) and water (second digit). An IP 65 enclosure is the standard enclosure suited for a wash down environment making it a […]

Protecting Computers from Airborne Debris

Most computer administrators are aware of the problems dust can cause to computers and other electrical equipment. Even in the relatively dust-free environments of our offices and homes dust will permeate a computer enclosure and congregate inside forming so called ‘dust bunnies.’ In most environments a (very) careful vacuum of the inside of a computer […]

Industrial Computer Enclosure – A Buyers’ Guide (part 3)

Other considerations in choosing an industrial computer enclosure for a specific location are the possibility of extreme temperatures. In some industrial areas machinery and processes generate excess heat which is why many industrial computer enclosures are fitted with additional cooling systems. Some enclosures are even installed in ovens and other hot rooms. If the location […]

Rugged Computer Options

Using a computer outside of an office environment can cause all sorts of issues. Offices are quite sterile areas and idea for computing. Taking a computer out of this environment can cause untold problems. Dust is one of the main aggravating factors for computers, it has a habit of  blocking filters, over insulating the machine […]

PC Protection for Industrial Applications

Industrial areas such as manufacturing and processing plants, warehouses and factory floors are as much dependent on modern IT systems as are offices. Printers, monitors, computers, touchscreens and digital signage are all used to control, inform and monitor industrial processes. Unfortunately however, many of the areas this equipment has to work in are not suitable […]

Dust and IP54 Protection

Dust is prevalent in many workplaces. It is not necessarily a lack of good housekeeping that can cause a build up of dust but processes in industrial applications in particular generate lots of dust. Dust has terrible consequences for people’s health but it can also have other hidden dangers as well as being highly damaging […]

Industrial Computer – Reasons for Failure

An industrial computer is just the same as a conventional PC, only they are designed and built to withstand many of the harsh elements of industrial environments. Industrial areas contain many of things that computers and other sensitive electrical items struggle to cope with. Water is prevalent in many industrial areas particularly those that process […]

Industrial Computer: Potential Explosive Atmospheres: ATEX

Computers really haven’t been with us long but in the space of two decades they permeated every aspect of our lives. Our offices, homes, cars and even mobile phones contain as much computing power than that was available when the United States put a man on the moon. Its no surprise to find that computers […]