How to Protect Production KPI Displays in Food Manufacturing
Key Takeaways
Deploying digital signage cabinets on busy shop floors gives operators reliable, real-time access to KPIs, OEE dashboards, MES systems and other essential workplace software. Continued visibility and communication of key metrics allows operators to make informed decisions, maintain productivity, and improve efficiency and the production line.
Manufacturing KPI dashboard enclosures protect factory displays from everyday food production hazards. Their moisture and dust resistant qualities prevent screens from becoming damaged by organic food matter, daily sanitation cycles and physical impacts, significantly increasing equipment lifespan.
With high levels of corrosion resistance, food-grade 316 stainless steel display cabinets are suitable for regular hygienic cleaning. This helps maintain crucial sanitation standards that reduce the risk of contaminants halting production.
Digital KPI display cabinets are designed to work in temperatures from -30°C to 35°C. They support nearly every type of VESA-compatible screen, giving you the freedom to deploy any display in demanding conditions.
Manufacturing KPI dashboard enclosures ensure visibility of key performance metrics in demanding food production environments.
Monitor crucial performance metrics in real time. Production KPI display enclosures allow plant managers to safely deploy OEE dashboards, MES systems and connected workplace software in busy, time-critical food manufacturing environments.
Continued visibility of equipment and operations gives frontline staff a full picture of production performance, ensuring that efficiency is maintained and appropriate remedial action is taken to rectify issues that may result in expensive line stoppages.
Read on to discover how our KPI screen enclosures can help vital production processes run smoothly, increasing uptime by shielding essential performance monitors from the harmful, productivity-sapping hazards of the food manufacturing environment.
Why do Food Manufacturing Digital Displays Need Protecting?
Lack of clarity over equipment and process efficiency can lead to costly delays on food production lines, where downtime is often measured in seconds. This makes the installation of digital KPIs and OEE dashboards vitally important for plant managers and frontline operatives alike.
Production display cabinets defend these dashboards against the numerous hazards that can obscure screen visibility and cause sudden equipment failure in busy food environments. They are a vital shop floor addition that reduces the risk of displays becoming difficult to see or experiencing irreparable damage, limiting the chances of decreased output, safety issues and wasted ingredients.
Protect display screens from moisture, food contaminants and physical impacts with the IP66 stainless steel monitor.
Organic Food Residues
Food manufacturing floors contain a range of airborne dusts and powders that can damage display frontages and internal components. Placing an unprotected screen in this type of setting is not only unsanitary but impractical, as organic food matter will stick to it with ease, making key performance indicators impossible to view.
When left to settle within unguarded displays, moisture-absorbing particulates found in baking and milling facilities, such as starch, flour dust and cocoa powder, can form a damp paste on enclosed circuit boards. This can create voltage fluctuations that can cause screens to flicker or break. The ingress of these particulates also traps heat that would normally dissipate into the air, eventually resulting in component failure.
The airborne mists and fats found in meat and poultry production create similar issues, slowly corroding internal copper traces and aluminium heatsinks to the point where backlights burn out, screens dim and displays cease to function.
Washdown Processes
Equipment found in hygienic food production settings requires daily washdown to maintain high sanitation standards. Unprotected KPI displays that are subjected to these types of intensive cleaning cycles will be instantly destroyed, removing operator oversight of line performance and forcing plant managers to spend money on replacements.
Outside of high-power washdowns, when environmental moisture penetrates key screen components, such as LCD diffusion layers, controller boards and microchips, the resultant discolouration and component burnout can lead to unplanned production halts and reduced throughput, alongside the time and cost involved in maintenance tasks or new hardware installation.
Extreme Temperatures
Manufacturing displays deployed in food production settings are expected to perform reliably in demanding conditions. If screens fail in these kinds of environments, this can have a devastating impact on production efficiency.
In sub-zero or severe temperatures (0°C to -20°C+), LCD screens’ internal liquid crystals can thicken or freeze, causing slow response times, glass breakage and gradual display failure. High-humidity environments can create similar hardware performance issues, such as when moisture ingress causes screens to fog and become unreadable.
When display visibility is impacted, plants risk losing thousands of pounds per hour if issues go undetected.
Physical Impacts
Food production facilities feature a range of tools and plant machinery that can threaten the longevity of factory floor displays. Shocks, vibrations and collisions caused by proximity to heavy-duty equipment or accidental contact with moving vehicles are common causes of equipment damage that can bring production lines to a halt.
Unprotected KPI monitors deployed in these areas are at considerable risk of breakages, which often require considerable time and money to rectify.
Why Food Production KPI Dashboard Enclosures are the Most Reliable Form of Display Protection
Production displays for hygienic applications ensure performance metrics remain fully visible on busy shop floors. They are designed to protect enclosed hardware from dangerous contaminants, rigorous cleaning regimes and physical damage, which improves line uptime considerably.
These protective enclosures are trusted by leading food manufacturers across the world, including Kellogg’s, Nestlé and Mars, who rely on them to ensure operators maintain a clear, uninterrupted view of production line performance metrics at all times.
316 Stainless Steel
The IP66 stainless steel monitor enclosure is bacteria- and corrosion-resistant.
Armagard KPI dashboard enclosures are made from food-grade 316 stainless steel, which has significant advantages over the lower-grade 304 stainless steel used in less intense food production settings.
Because it features 2-3% molybdenum, it is non-corrosive and able to resist pitting (small, deep holes in surface material created by exposure to harsh acids and chlorides). This stops enclosures from harbouring bacteria, which produces a biofilm that can defend itself against chemical washdowns. Bacterial growth jeopardises food safety and eventually leads to batch contamination.
Installing 316 stainless steel TV enclosures in food processing environments is the best way to safeguard against the emergence of this harmful contaminant. This helps you preserve hygiene standards while lowering the risk of product recalls, factory shutdowns and total equipment replacement.
IP Rated
Rated to IP54, IP56, IP66 or IP69K, our stainless steel display enclosures provide varying levels of protection against the ingress of moisture, food dusts and other solid objects. IP66 and IP69K rated enclosures are the most suitable options for food-based environments, with dust and waterproof gasket seals keeping critical KPI displays protected and functioning across all areas of the production line.
A shatterproof window makes key performance indicators readily available to operators without the need to open the enclosure and expose hardware to production hazards. Its sturdy polycarbonate design is 20 times stronger than glass and will not shard upon impact, minimising the risk of foreign objects causing line stoppages in the event of a breakage.
Operational in All Conditions
The production display’s automatic climate controls keep enclosed production KPI displays performing in temperatures from -30°C to 35°C. This means that screens are fully protected in cold food processing environments where digital shop floor dashboards are vital for operations.
The controller board manages internal heating and cooling, enabling equipment uptime and operator access to essential information on chilled assembly lines or in meat, seafood and poultry production.
What KPI Production Displays Do I Have to Choose From?
We offer food manufacturing KPI dashboards in a selection of sizes and designs to suit all requirements. Every model supports VESA-compatible screens and can be mounted on a wall, ceiling or floor stand for optimal visibility.
The manufacturing information display shields screens in a range of sizes, from 24" to 86".
Food Manufacturing Digital Signage Cabinet: The perfect choice for larger displays. The Food Manufacturing Digital Signage Cabinet is designed to house 55" screens, with IP54, IP56, or IP66 options available.
Manufacturing Information Display: Protect 42/43" screens from heavy washdown and contaminant threat. The Manufacturing Information Display allows the safe installation of digital message boards in any hygienic processing environment.
IP66 Stainless Steel Monitor: The IP66 Stainless Steel Monitor enclosure offers complete dust and moisture protection for 24" displays. Deploy essential KPI dashboards in high-risk food environments to safeguard against environmental hazards.
Display Enclosure for QAD Redzone Manufacturing Software: Give your staff the tools to become a connected workforce. The Display Enclosure for QAD Redzone lets you position key performance indicators on the factory floor while maintaining screen performance in harsh conditions.
By choosing Armagard, you will benefit from working with a company that has over 30 years of industry experience. Our protective enclosures are used by the likes of Heinz, Nestle and Florette to ensure their food-based operations run at peak efficiency.
Our KPI display enclosures:
Ensure easy access: Secured by dual key-operated locks, our cabinets can be opened by any authorised operative. This makes access, maintenance and replacements much simpler, removing the need for a dedicated engineer.
Support most commercially available screens: Almost any existing VESA screen can be housed within one of our production display enclosures. Compatibility with most standard off-the-shelf commercial models allows you to deploy an existing screen instead of purchasing a new one.
Provide lower total cost of ownership (TCO): Enjoy significant savings over time. KPI dashboard enclosures are less expensive than purpose-built waterproof screens and can protect successive equipment for up to a decade.
Have an industry-leading warranty: All our production display solutions include a five-year guarantee on mechanical hardware, giving you peace of mind over the longevity of your investment.
Contact us today to discover how we can help protect a vital production KPI display in your food manufacturing environment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Our enclosures support the display of many popular connected workforce and manufacturing platforms, including QAD Redzone, Poka, Augmentir, TeepTrak and more.
The cost of your enclosure depends on your chosen model, IP rating and environmental control features. Speak to an account manager for further details.
Our IP66 and IP69K rated display cabinets are designed to withstand chemical washdowns in food production settings. IP66 cabinets resist high-pressure jet washes while those with an IP69K rating are safe for high-pressure, high-temperature cleaning.
Depending on model, our SDS enclosures can protect displays in conditions from -30°C to 35°C. IP69K cabinets are suitable for carrying out high-temperature washdown and thermal sanitation procedures.
316 stainless steel provides reliable protection from the many hazards of the food production environment. Featuring a non-porous surface and 2-3% molybdenum, it offers a high level of resistance to acids, chlorides and harsh chemicals, and cannot be penetrated by harmful contaminants. These hygienic, corrosion-resistant qualities ensure that enclosures made from this material can withstand regular daily washdowns and dangerous biological hazards.
Our hygienic industrial displays can be installed on walls or floor stands. Choose the option that best suits the needs of your production environment.
Lead times vary by specification and demand. Get in touch to discover our latest delivery estimate before placing your order.
All KPI dashboard enclosures are expected to last for a minimum of 10 years. They are also supported by an unrivalled five-year warranty, which offers protection on all mechanical hardware.
Yes. We manufacture IP rated enclosures that safeguard a range of critical electronic hardware in food processing environments. IP65 tablet enclosures offer instant touchscreen access to KPI and OEE performance data while printer enclosures make it easy to print labels directly on the factory floor. View our complete IP65 waterproof PC enclosure range to explore reliable computer protection solutions suitable for washdown settings.
Yes. We offer routine international shipping across mainland Europe. Orders for North America are shipped from Chicago via UPS or FedEx on a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) basis, inclusive of duties and import charges. We may also be able to deliver to other worldwide destinations on request.
