Ruggerdised Computers
A rugged (or ruggerdised) computer is a computer specifically designed to reliably operate in harsh usage environments and conditions, such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures and wet or dusty conditions. There primary design focus is for the type of rough use typified by these conditions. Vehicle mounted environments (e.g. public safety vehicles or utility trucks) are well suited for rugged computers as the vibration and jolts inherent there would cause failures in typical portable computers.
Rugged mobile computers are used in the field by varied industries including emergency services, military, logistics, postal, courier, local council etc. They are also used in mining and petroleum drilling operations where vibration, heat, and dust would destroy ordinary computers.
International standards of ruggerdised computers
Ruggerdised PC's typically conform to a number of international standards:-
IP (Ingress Protection)
This is a standard centred on the amount of solids and liquids that can be withstood by a device. It's a dual number standard, the first number that's quoted represents solids and the second number denotes liquids. It's reported on a device specification as IP nn. for example, IP 33.
MIL-STD 810
MIL-STD is actually a series of specifications set down by the US Department of Defence. You may see it quoted as MIL-STD 810F-F being the most recent incarnation of the standard. It covers testing against a wide range of different types of conditions including variances in pressure and temperature, rain, humidity, fungus, fog, sand, dust, acceleration, shock and gunfire.
IS (Intrinsic Safety)
This is a measure of a laptop's ability to withstand various materials. Like IP, the capabilities of different machines are identified by their ability to withstand a range of hazards.
Many businesses may not have exacting operating conditions but may still require some level of ruggerisedisation such as for use in warehouses, public areas or even to add an extra level of protection to help protect against falls, fluid spills etc. Many off the shelf PC, PDA etc can be ruggerised to fulfil such a need.
A typical ruggerised PO would have the casing made from a tough hardwearing material such as thick magnesium. Thick rubber pads would also feature for extra reinforcement. In addition such devices may well also incorporate some level of protection against ingress of liquids. However, custom ruggerised units would normally be completely sealed to prevent dust, dirt, liquids from entering the interior of the device.
There is a wide range of ruggerdised computers including
- Lenovo ThinkPad's
- Panasonic Toughbook 7 series
- Hypersonic Apache
- Itronix
- Ergo
- Terrralogic
Ruggerdised computers make the ideal choice for tough environments. Talk to MailSure today, to find how we can fulfil your hardware requirements.