The industrial environment is no longer an area defined solely by heavy machinery and industrial processes. These days, computers and technology play just as an important a role in factories as the heavy machinery does.
From controlling processes, relaying important information to operators to printing out despatch and stock information – technology increases production, reduces waste and generates efficiency.
But technology like computers, printers and displays face challenges in industrial locations that are not present in offices or homes where these devices are also commonly used.
A myriad of hostile elements can and do exist in these areas, and include:
• dust
• dirt
• liquid splashes
• wash down
• extreme heat
• sub zero temperatures
• excessive heat
• impacts
To counter these elements and environmental challenges there are several options. The first is to use solid state industrial computer equipment. This is not always possible as not all devices have industrial equivalents (such as printers) and even when they do they are highly expensive. However, enclosures have been designed to allow standard office equipment to be used in these areas:
Computer Enclosures
Designed to house standard office computers, industrial computer enclosures come in all sizes. The enclosure will prevent any hostile elements getting to the computer and provides the perfect working environment inside for the PC to operate in.
Equipped with industrial keyboards, or using touch screens, computer enclosures often house other computer equipment too, like monitors – although these can be separately catered for.
LCD and Monitor Enclosures
LCD enclosures house the flat panel displays so common these days. Almost any size LCD display can be housed in an LCD enclosure but even older CRT type displays can be catered for as a whole range of monitor enclosures are available too.
Printer Enclosures
Perhaps the most difficult device to protect in an industrial environment is the printer. The main problem with protecting printers is that there has to be access for the printed material to be removed.
Printer enclosures are often designed with flap and door mechanisms which allow the device to be totally protected and still permit access to the printer. Heated printer enclosures are available too and these allow standard printer devices to operate in sub-zero temperatures – which even industrial printers can’t manage to do.
