Industrial-Grade Computer

Industrial Computers For Dusty Environments

January 20, 2020January 20, 2020 Michelle

While some industrial spaces restrict the amount of dust circulating throughout the facility, the matter of the fact is that most industrial facilities harbor dust and other pollutants. While workers can easily avoid this dust, their industrial computers may not be as lucky. Typical industrial computers require outside air be brought into the case in order to cool off the delicate central processing units (CPUs), normally via a fan based cooling system. Without proper cooling, CPUs can overheat, rendering the entire industrial computer useless.

However, the very same system that preserves the integrity of the CPU can actually cause long term harm as well. Fan based cooling systems excel in environments where air is filtered on a regular basis, such as in offices or at home, but falter when used in dusty environments. CPUs are cooled when their fans pass cool air through what is known as a heat sink, which appears as a metal comb elongated so that it’s teeth are inches wide. Typically, heat transfers from the CPU to the teeth of the heat sink, where cool air circulated by the fan removes the heat from the heat sink to the outside of the case.

In a dusty environment, the air brought in by the industrial computer’s fan slowly builds up along the channels between the heat sink’s teeth. Overtime, the heatsink’s channels begin to be impassable to fresh air, and the heatsink has no way of expelling heat. The heatsink continuously heats up, and eventually the excess heat begins damaging the CPU.

Fanless Computers: Working Where Others Can’t

Fanless computers are an elegant solution to this conundrum, circulating no air throughout the body of the industrial computer. Without a fan, no dust builds up in the industrial computer and it remains functional even in the dustiest of environments. Fanless computers function in the same way traditional industrial computers operate, except that they feature a passive cooling system.

This passive cooling system is just as, if not more, reliable than fan based cooling systems without opening up the industrial computer to the dusty environment it exists in. The industrial PC fanless solution solves one of the biggest problems for industrial computers, opening them up to a wider range of use.

Industrial PC Fanless Solution: Rugged Mini E3

The Rugged Mini E3 Is One Industrial PC Fanless Solution

Without a fan, the Rugged Mini E3 from Tangent makes full use of the industrial PC fanless solution. Capable of working environments where temperatures can reach up to a scorching 158°F, the Rugged Mini E3 is one fanless computer that proves fans are not necessary to maintain proper cooling. With up to 32 gigabytes of RAM and a 6th Intel processor, the Rugged Mini E3 fanless computer can easily handle any industrial program you throw at it.

Industrial PC Fanless Solution: Rugged Mini S

The Rugged Mini S Is One Industrial PC Fanless Solution

Proving that industrial computing power does not have to be limited to a desk, the Rugged Mini S from Tangent is built to be used on the go. As an in-vehicle computer, the Rugged Mini S is capable of utilizing a wide range of voltages starting as low as 9 VDC and up to 28 VDC. With this kind of versatility, the Rugged Mini S fanless computer is the perfect companion for nearly every worker in a vehicle. With built-in Wifi and Bluetooth, the Rugged Mini S is capable of being used anywhere in a facility, and especially while on the move.

Industrial PC Fanless Solution: Rugged Mini G

The Rugged Mini G Is One Industrial PC Fanless Solution

Whether it’s in a mill, foundry, or factory, the Rugged Mini G Fanless Computer from Tangent is ready to excel. With an operating temperature range of 14° to 131°F, the Rugged Mini G is capable of handling life in facilities with wide fluctuations in temperature with ease. This fanless computer comes with either Wall Mount, VESA 75/100, or DIN Rail mounting systems, making it a flexible addition to your industrial computer fleet.

Industrial PC Fanless Solutions: The Right Choice

While every facility has its own unique needs, there is not a single one that won’t benefit from the introduction of fanless computers. With fanless computers, your industrial computers can operate longer with less maintenance and perform in environments where their fan based peers simply cannot.

High Performance Industrial PCs by Tangent

Panel Computer- Industrial Panel Computer

January 13, 2020January 23, 2020 Michelle

When it comes to the industrial sector, having the right industrial computer for the job is crucial to maintaining a productive facility. That’s why at Tangent, we thoroughly examine every possible role that our high performance industrial computers can play in a facility and design them accordingly. At Tangent, we examine industry trends and needs in order to maintain and improve the broadest possible lineup of industrial computers.

While all of Tangent’s industrial computers are designed to last for years in rugged environments, there are features and options that make each individual industrial PC unique. Here are some of Tangent’s top high performance industrial computers that are built for high performance and productivity in the most rugged environments.

VITA KW Line

The VITA KW line of high performance industrial computers from Tangent features three different sizes for every industrial need. These all-in-one industrial PCs come in 15, 19, and 22 inch wide models, ensuring that there is a VITA KW for every workstation regardless of available space. Featuring Intel 6th Generation processing units, the VITA KW line has enough power to handle bulky industrial software with ease. Not only can these industrial computers withstand the most intensive industrial software, but they can also handle some of the harshest industrial environments. With a fanless cooling system, the VITA KW can operate in environments where dust, metal shavings, and other pollutants are a fact of life without needing to be regularly cleaned. With an IP65 rated water resistant front panel, these industrial computers are built to withstand any and all environments.

S Series

If your facility handles liquids that have the potential to leak out at any time, then the S Series of high performance industrial computers from Tangent is the solution for you. The S Series was built for liquid handling facilities, allowing workers to operate their industrial computer in any part of the facility regardless of its proximity to liquids. The S Series is IP69K certified waterproof, able to withstand both dust and liquid intrusion to the highest degree possible. This allows workers to use these industrial computers anywhere in a liquid handling facility, or with wet hands without consequence. With flexible mounting options, the S Series of industrial computers is truly built to operate anywhere in a liquid handling facility.

V474

VITA 474 Industrial PC — VITA 474 Industrial Computer

When multitasking is more than just a buzzword, the V474 industrial computer from Tangent is the way to go. With 32 gigabytes of RAM, the V474 is capable of handling multiple industrial programs at once. Whether it’s solidworks, warehouse management software, or simply dozens of web browser tabs, the V474 is capable of handling them all simultaneously. With multiple I/O ports of various typing, this high performance industrial computer can also serve to monitor multiple lines of production at once. Not only is the V474 industrial computer a versatile multitasker, but it can withstand temperatures of up to 122ºF with ease.

F15

F15 Industrial PC From Tangent — F15 Industrial Computer

Blending the flexibility of an industrial computer tablet with the robustness of a standard industrial PC, the F15 industrial computer from Tangent is the perfect in-vehicle computer. With both VESA and M8 heavy-duty screw mounting systems, the F15 high performance industrial computer is capable of being mounted on nearly every industrial vehicle. Featuring 10 programmable function keys, the F15 is capable of being operated by vehicle drivers with one hand without distracting them from driving. Built-in Wifi enables the F15 to stay connected to your facility’s network regardless of where the industrial PC is mounted. Workers need not worry about accidentally parking their forklift in an area with liquid exposure, as every panel of the F15 is IP65 rated water resistant and will not be damaged.

R14

R14 Industrial Computer Tablet From Tangent — R14 Industrial PC Tablet

Powerful computing does not have to be limited to mounted industrial computers; the R14 industrial PC tablet from Tangent proves this with a powerful Intel 8th generation quad core processor. The R14 high performance industrial PC tablet makes no sacrifices in the power department in order to be portable, with some of the latest Kaby Lake R SoC integrated CPU architecture and a powerful nVidia Geforce GTX 1050 graphics card. The R14 is perfect for workers who are constantly on the move, but whose job requires constant access to powerful industrial programs. Blending power and portability, the R14 allows on-the-move workers the flexibility to multitask across a wide range of programs with its 32 gigabytes of RAM. With a lightweight and rugged Magnesium chassis, the R14 high performance industrial PC tablet is easily carried and can withstand the occasional accidental drop without damage.

P13

P13 Industrial Computer Tablet From Tangent — P13 Industrial Computer Tablet

When working with large files, it can be frustrating to wait long periods of time as the data transfers from one industrial PC to another. The P13 industrial PC tablet from Tangent elegantly solves this dilemma by being both a high performance industrial PC tablet and mounted computer. With standard VESA mounting, the P13 industrial PC tablet can be quickly and easily transformed into a workstation PC. On the move, the P13 has hot-swap battery technology allowing for nearly 24/7 use. Simply plug in a charged battery, use the P13 for up to six hours, then simply replace the exhausted battery with a freshly charged one for another six hours of industrial use.

R10

High temperature resistance does not have to be limited to just mounted industrial PCs, the R10 industrial PC tablet from Tangent can withstand high temperatures while also being mobile. The R10 high performance industrial PC tablet is perfect for workers in environments where temperatures can vary widely. Being able to withstand temperatures of up to 104°F, the R10 is capable of being a worker’s goto industrial PC tablet for working on the move. With up to a 480 gigabyte solid state drive (SSD), the R10 promotes computing, being able to write and retrieve data in its storage far faster than traditional computers. When the speed of its SSD is combined with the functionality of its programmable function keys, the R10 industrial PC tablet is the fastest way for workers to respond to workplace emergencies.

P10

P10 Industrial Computer Tablet From Tangent — P10 Industrial PC Tablet

While all of Tangent’s industrial PCs have a satisfactory amount of I/O ports, the P10 industrial PC tablet has a near excessive amount of them. With 12 I/O ports of various typing, the P10 is perfect for situations where multiple peripherals are in use at once. To complement this wide range of I/O ports, the P10 also has a VGA port for a second monitor. This allows the P10 high performance industrial PC tablet to take full advantage of its I/O ports by giving the P10 enough screen space for every input. With all these I/O ports, the P10 can quickly become a jungle of cables. Anticipating this, Tangent has designed the P10’s docking system with an advanced cable management system that turns the jungle of cables into a neat garden.

High Performance Industrial Computers: Every Occasion, Every Use

With such a wide variety of high performance industrial computers, there is sure to be one that solves a problem in your facility. High performance industrial PCs from Tangent are purpose built to serve workers in every field when traditional commercial grade computers simply will not do.

Industrial Computers Help Electric Vehicles

Electric Vehicle Usage On The Rise

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020 Michelle

The use of electric cars is quickly becoming commonplace around the globe, with the adoption of such vehicles being seen in nearly every industrialized country. In 2018 alone, the amount of electric vehicles in use nearly doubled from the previous year to 5.1 million according to the International Energy Agency, an autonomous intergovernmental organization.

With such a meteoric rise in the consumer use of such vehicles, we cannot discount their viability in the industrial space. Electric vehicles are not only better for the environment, but also better for the productivity of the industrial sector. Integrating electric cars and electric vehicles into your industrial or warehouse space can lead to boosts in productivity and worker health.

Electric Vehicles: Not Just For Commuters

When one thinks about electric vehicles, thoughts gravitate towards the big name electric car companies that are seemingly always in the headlines. While these companies are making great strides in the mileage range and cost of consumer electric vehicles, other companies have been innovating electric vehicles for industrial use under the radar. In fact, many industrial vehicles—from forklifts to personnel carriers— have electric vehicle variants ready for use.

touchscreen industrial computer — F15 Touchscreen Industrial Computer

These vehicles are less noisy, and more versatile than their combustion engine counterparts. The lack of a noisy combustion engine makes these vehicles the perfect platform for mobile working. When paired with touchscreen industrial computers with programmable function keys, electric vehicles become the ultimate mobile workstation. Allowing for one hand use, touchscreen industrial computers plug directly into your electric vehicle and connect directly to your warehouse management system or network.

Better For The Environment, Margins, And Workers

Everyone knows that electric cars are better for the environment, but as an added bonus they are also better for margins. The cost to operate electric vehicles is half the price of combustion engine vehicles, according to the U.S. Department Of Energy, owing in part to the relatively stable price of electricity compared to oil-based fuels. Electric vehicles can take out the worry about how fluctuations in the global oil supply will affect your operating expenses, cutting travel costs in half and normalizing your budget—all while giving you the peace of mind knowing that your company has made a small step towards a greener future.

In addition, electric vehicles are safer to operate than their older combustion engine relatives. Electric cars are favored by consumers not only for their low operating cost and environmental impact, but also their lack of dangerous fume exhaust. Prolonged exposure to exhaust such as carbon monoxide can lead to serious health complications, including heart problems and brain damage. Fumes spit out by traditional industrial vehicles can slowly cause these health problems for your workers, leading to increased medical expenses or worse. Electric vehicles offer a safe, promising alternative to a workplace problem damaging the environment, margins, and workers.

Electric Vehicles: The Future, Today

Electric vehicles are poised to take over the transportation sector, and industrial vehicles are no exception to this. When upgrading your fleet to include electric vehicles, make sure your workers get the most out of this investment by equipping them with touchscreen industrial computers.

Will Automation Take Over Manufacturing?

November 18, 2019November 18, 2019 Michelle

It’s a both awe-inspiring, and terrifying prospect: a fully automated factory. While there are debates surrounding the use of such facilities, a fully automated facility is still some time away. Scott Anderson, director of Amazon Robotics Fulfillment recently said in an interview with Reuters that the technology needed to automate an entire Amazon facility was still at least a decade away. Until then, the prospect of automating every aspect of a manufacturing facility remains just as unlikely as occurring. However, this does not mean that there aren’t ways of upgrading your facility with automation technology, and increasing efficiency and reducing cost in the process.

Industrial grade computers are the backbone of any modern-day manufacturing facility, and rightly so. Industrial grade computers serve as a bridge between automation and good old fashioned labor, allowing for workers to finish jobs that used to take hours in just minutes. Just like how Email reduced the waiting time for correspondence from days to seconds, industrial-grade computers have exponentially increased worker productivity. Their use in quickening tasks extends beyond operating as workstations; industrial grade computers can help turn your facility into a smart facility.

Creating Networks

One of the rising uses of industrial grade computers is the creation of facility wide networks. These networks can be used to monitor sensors, change up the production line, and even provide real time reports on errors and issues. Industrial grade computers, like the Rugged Mini C from Tangent, feature up to eight ethernet ports for connectivity. These ethernet ports can each handle up to 2.5 GT/s of data transfer, allowing the Mini C to easily communicate information from one end of the facility to the other with lightning speed. The Mini C’s small form factor, less than that of a cereal box, combined with flexible mounting options allows this industrial grade computer to be placed anywhere and everywhere.

Going Where Workers Can’t

While it would be nice to have a worker perform real time analysis of site that’s underwater, freezing cold, or freezing hot 24/7, this simply just is not possible. That’s where industrial grade computers like the Rugged Mini O from Tangent come in. The Rugged Mini O is IP69K certified water and dust proof, allowing for it to be used in situations where workers simply cannot be. This IP69K rating is complemented by an extreme operating temperature range of -40°F to 185°F. This industrial grade computer can be mounted in locations where other computers simply could not, and become a vital part of your industrial grade computer network.

Staying Safe And Secure

With every new leap in automation technology, there is an equal leap in the ability of phishers and hackers to hijack your facility. These hackers may be benign malevolent, but either way keeping them out of your facility is a top priority. As more components of your facility become automated, it is important to keep the software of each individual device up to date. This can help reduce the likelihood of hackers being able to find backdoors into your systems. Industrial grade computers like the Rugged Mini E3 from Tangent come equipped with a trusted platform module from Infineon. This security module can help beef up the security protocols of your network by employing cryptography and encryption algorithms to protect the integrity and authenticity of embedded devices and systems.

Automation: It’s On The Way

While automation is nowhere near ready for full deployment, it is on the horizon. Keeping your facility up to date with the latest industrial grade computers can help bridge the gap between modern-day labor and the future of automation.

Maintain Your Legacy Equipment Longer With Industrial Grade Computers

November 12, 2019November 12, 2019 Michelle

It’s a big world out there, full of not only people — but competition. Each and every day, technology is advancing in all fields, with industrial fields being no exception. While it may be nice to think that one can always stay at the forefront of industrial technology, doing so would be extremely cost-prohibitive. That’s one of the main reasons why legacy equipment is so common in the industrial sector: new equipment can cost a small fortune while your legacy equipment hums away without issue. While using legacy equipment is common practice, there are cost-effective ways of “upgrading” this equipment and gaining the upper hand over competition in the process.

Optimize Readouts

Whether your legacy equipment is ten or twenty years old, industrial grade computers can serve as well overdue upgrade without breaking the bank. Older legacy equipment may not seem as though it can benefit from co-mingling with industrial grade computers, but this could not be further from the truth. Industrial grade computers, like the Tangent S Series can become a natural extension of legacy equipment. When hooked up to a video camera, the S Series industrial grade computer panel can serve as a remote access interface to perform readouts on equipment. If hooked up to sensors and other equipment, the S Series can be used to remotely control features of the legacy equipment from the comfort of an office. With sixteen gigabytes of RAM, the S Series can handle multiple video camera inputs at once, becoming a hub for viewing your legacy equipment.

Network Sensors

Speaking of hubs, creating a sensor network around your facility can help mitigate rising problems before they have a chance to affect production. Many forms of legacy equipment produced in the last twenty years have input/output ports in the form of ethernet ports. With an industrial grade computer like the Rugged Mini C from Tangent, these ethernet ports can be hijacked to turn the equipment into a makeshift sensor network. The Rugged Mini C can be customized to have up to eight ethernet ports compared to most commercial grade computer’s singular port. This allows the Mini C to read information from multiple legacy equipment at once, and with the proper IT magic, spoof a program to act as a brain for the equipment.

Customization Options

There’s no one size fits all solution to updating your legacy equipment. Many forms of updating legacy equipment amount to jury-rigging a customized solution for every situation. That’s why having a large selection of customization options for your industrial grade computers is so important, as these choices allow you to create custom solutions that are the best for each problem. Take the Rugged Mini E3 for instance, which is an industrial-grade computer that can be customized to have up to thirty two gigabytes of RAM, allowing it to run a plethora of programs simultaneously. Or the R14 Industrial Grade Computer tablet, which can serve as a mobile industrial-grade computer for workers who are constantly on the move. For every situation, there’s an industrial-grade computer that can be customized to thrive in.