Washdown Food Production Software Display Enclosures For Rossdown Farms

Rossdown Farms & Natural Foods supplies high-quality poultry produce across western Canada. The company wanted to ceiling mount 70" washdown food production software displays on its shop floor. The screens would need to withstand intensive nightly jet washing, so it set out to find a protective enclosure up to the job.

The company was impressed with Armagard's in-house testing, industry certifications and competitor-beating prices, so it chose Armagard's IP65 TV enclosure to protect the screens.

The result? Reliable, hygienic food processing displays that boost productivity and protect uptime.

Find out how Armagard's IP65 enclosure overcame the challenges of this food processing environment.

About Rossdown Farms & Natural Foods

Rossdown Farms & Natural Foods is based in British Columbia, Canada. The company was born out of four generations of poultry farmers. It now supplies organic and antibiotic-free poultry to retailers and restaurants across the country.

The Challenge: A Washdown Environment With Strict Hygiene Standards

Rossdown Farms wanted to install 70" screens above its production line so it could show the latest software from Redzone.

Redzone KPI software boosts productivity, improves employee engagement and saves money. The returns could be huge if the company could find a washdown TV enclosure up to the job.

However, the installation presented several challenges:

1. The screens had to work reliably in a hygienic location. This meant withstanding intensive cleaning with high-pressure jets.
   The company already used touch screen workstations on its production lines, but operators covered these over before cleaning because they didn't trust them to withstand pressure washing. This was a time-consuming process that they didn't want to repeat with their washdown food production software displays.
2. The content on the screens needed to stay clear. The food processing floor was a cool, high-humidity environment that could cause screen fogging. Any protective enclosure would need to keep the screens clear and easy to read.
3. The screens needed to run 24/7, without overheating and with maximum longevity.
4. Any protective enclosure needed to cost-effectively accommodate a 70" monitor. Rossdown Farms found that enclosures in this size were typically a custom option, which made them more expensive.

The Solution: Armagard's IP65 Monitor Enclosure

Rossdown farms choose Armagard's specialised food manufacturing digital signage cabinet to protect its 70" washdown food production software displays.

Daryl Classen, systems administrator at Rossdown Farms, explains how the company came to choose Armagard:

"There aren't many options for putting a large monitor on a production floor, especially if it gets a nightly washdown with high-pressure jets.
We looked at several enclosure manufacturers, but Armagard was the only one that tested its products against jet washing. This gave us the confidence to trust Armagard when other manufacturers could only give vague assurances that they couldn't back up.
When other companies couldn't even beat Armagard on price, Armagard became the obvious choice for our needs."

Armagard's in-house testing is an important part of its manufacturing ethos, and it makes the company stand out from competitors who can't offer the same peace of mind.

Armagard tests its enclosures to IP and NEMA standards in a dedicated water testing chamber. The company also tests operating temperatures and environmental controls in a purpose-built freezer/heater unit.

This allows Armagard to provide industry-leading warranties, and it gave Rossdown Farms the confidence to use Armagard enclosures for its washdown food production software displays.

Hygiene was also an important factor. The waterproof LCD enclosure is made from 316 stainless steel, which is corrosion resistant, easy to clean and inherently antibacterial.

This helps the company meet hygiene standards and carry out easy nightly cleaning. There's no need to cover the washdown food production software displays during jet washing, which saves operators time and hassle — a big win for a business with strict deadlines.

The enclosure deals with screen fogging thanks to its internal climate controls. A built-in heater negates the temperature difference between the screen and the surrounding air, and an air curtain continually moves air across the display.

Daryl Classen reports:

"There's no condensation at all. The image stays nice and clear, so we couldn't be happier. Other vendors don't include these features and can't guarantee a fog-free screen."

The washdown digital signage cabinet also dealt with the third challenge, allowing the screens to run continuously day and night.

A controller board operates the enclosure's internal heating and cooling functions. This means users can set and forget the climate controls. Automatic heating and cooling maintain a safe, energy-efficient operating temperature that maximises screen lifespan.

In terms of screen size, Armagard makes enclosures for screens up to 86" as standard. Accommodating Rossdown Farms' 70" washdown food production software displays was no problem. This kept the price down compared to other manufacturers, who could only provide this size in a custom option.

A range of other features made the washdown TV enclosure the ideal choice for Rossdown Farms:

• Versatile mounting: Allows installation in the best location on the shop floor — on the wall, on a stand or from the ceiling.
• VESA compatibility: Allows Rossdown Farms to use a VESA-ready screen from virtually any manufacturer.
• Shatterproof window: The polycarbonate window is 20x stronger than glass. In the unlikely event of a breakage, it won't shatter into tiny pieces, which protects the production line from contamination.

Daryl Classen sums up the benefits of Armagard's displays for hygienic applications:

"Armagard enclosures are exactly what a food production facility needs. They stop water ingress, don't fog up, and they're tested in-house."

The Outcome: Shop-Floor TVs That Boost Productivity And Save Money

Armagard's manufacturing information display allows Rossdown Farms to use 70" screens on its food processing floor.

This means the company can use and display Redzone's manufacturing software wherever it needs to. This boosts productivity, improves employee engagement and saves money, so the enclosures should deliver an excellent ROI.

The IP65 enclosures also speed up cleaning processes. Operators can directly jet wash the washdown food production software displays without covering them up — that's valuable time saved at the end of each day.

Rossdown Farms can rest assured that its enclosures are clean and will also benefit from the enclosures' 10-year lifespan and low total cost of ownership. Quick and easy access means the company can replace or upgrade the screens at any time, without a specialist engineer. This saves time and money and makes the enclosures a great long-term investment.

About Armagard

Over 100,000 Armagard enclosures protect screens and IT equipment in 53 countries. Previous customers include some of the biggest food brands in Europe and North America:

• Cargill
• Tyson Foods
• Del Monte
• Florette
• Nestlé

Washdown food production software displays are available in a range of sizes from 17" to 86". Choose from slimline or standard versions, with operating temperatures of -30°C to 55°C depending on model.

As well as the IP65 TV cabinet, Armagard manufactures an IP69K food production software TV enclosure. This protects a screen in the harshest locations from high-pressure, high-temperature jets and steam cleaning.

Armagard also manufactures 316 stainless-steel PC enclosures, which let businesses use computers in washdown locations. Combine these with washdown printer enclosures to get complete IT workstations for your shop floor.

Armagard has over 30 years' experience protecting screens and IT equipment in harsh environments for businesses all over the world. You get expert advice, industry-leading warranties and lifetime customer support.

Get In Touch To Discuss Washdown Food Production Software Displays For Your Business

Boost productivity, improve shop-floor communication and protect uptime with Armagard enclosures on your manufacturing floor.

Get in touch for a no-obligation chat about using washdown TV enclosures in your business.

Call +44 (0)121 608 7226 or fill in a contact form to request more information.