mini pc

Ports Ports Ports!

The Tangent E2 industrial mini PC is a literal lightweight at 4.6lbs and a petite 7.28″ x 7.75″ x 2.26″ frame, so it is shocking that there are over 21 input/output ports packed into it. Not only are they plentify, some are brightly colored for ease of use in the dark. Why in the world would one need that? For the many in-vehicle applications this like mini PC can offer, of course! From news vans, to stretch limos, to mobile clinics, the E2 can provide the computing power of a PC several times larger than it with the same reliability and performance. A limousine needs to be able to run both video and audio throughout its cavernous cabin while maintaining a sleek presentation that’s free of cables. A mobile clinic needs assured uptime and application speed to enter patient data.

A big consideration for in-vehicle computers is shock and vibration. Your standard off-the-shelf PC will clatter itself to death in a shaky car. Tangent’s industrial grade mini PCs have shock and vibration protection built into the enclosure and all the internals are purpose built to reduce movement. A solid state hard drive and the unique fanless casing ensure that there is no moving parts to break apart during operation. With stability precautions secured, the industrial PC can wow with its other capabilities. Two video ports provide for dual work monitors or flip-down entertainment monitors. Internet connectivity is achieved via an optional Intel wireless and bluetooth module and 2 wired LAN ports. Four USB ports offer connectivity for most any peripheral and the mic in/line out ports cover all the audio line needs. For serial components needing a solid and reliable connection, there are four DB9 Serial RS232 COM ports.

These industrial mini computers are no lightweight in terms of capability and utility. It’s a good thing that they are so durable and low maintenance. With their diminutive size, it’s easy tuck them away in tight vehicle cabin spaces without a worry about damage or having to fish them out for regular repairs. And with the varying types of power that can be encountered in a vehicle, Tangent made sure that the E-series mini PCs can be plugged into a wide range of voltages starting as low as 9 VDC and as high as 48 VDC. It really feels like they thought about all the variables involved with in-car computer applications and challenges.

A Solid Standard for Cleanliness

A Solid Standard for Cleanliness

 

We’ve mentioned ISO standards in the past regarding safety metrics  for electrical components like PCs, but did you know that the International Organization for Standards has published well over twenty thousand standards? Their work covers almost every industry, and every aspect of technology and manufacturing, providing guidance and rating descriptions for each product, service or system they assess. That sounds both amazing and like overkill at the same time, but it certainly makes sense to have a stringent rating system available when trying to determine the quality, cleanliness, or safety of something before utilizing it. This is especially highlighted in highly sensitive areas that require strictly controlled work environments.

Controlling contamination is essential in many manufacturing and research activities, and so effective clean rooms are of paramount importance to those companies. As you may have guessed, the ISO has a series of standards dedicated to clean rooms, defining practices and procedures required to manage the risk of contamination. The ISO rating of a clean room can determine a great deal about how trustworthy and accurate the work being done inside is. But a clean room contains much more than just a secured enclosure. Specialized equipment, including computers, must also be secured to ensure they don’t diminish the quality of contaminate control and affect it’s rating.

Specialized mini PCs like the Tangent Rugged O were especially designed with these requirements in mind. The Rugged O mini PC’s innovative design allows for a fanless operation which means there are no moving parts or ventilation slots to circulate or collect dust contaminants. This  passive cooling technology allows heat from the CPU to transfer directly to the mini PC’s stainless steel housing, and ensures a reliable and noiseless function. The mini PC’s diminutive size and mounting bracket give it the flexibility to be affixed to most any surface. All the ports on the case are threaded and sealed to keep the internals protected and the outside environment clean. The mini PC’s stainless steel case in minimal in appearance for a good reason. The fewer grooves and edges on a PC, the fewer places for dirt and dust to collect. That’s not the end of the case’s features either. The Rugged O mini PC is IP65 certified and IP67 compliant. This IP rating ensures total protection from dust and provides waterproof reliability of up to a thirty-minute submersion. This means it’s also capable of withstanding industrial-grade cleaning solutions and thorough cleaning which is a common occurrence within clean rooms.

So how does an industrial mini PC of this caliber help bolster the ISO rating of a clean room? The ISO 14644 standard specifies air cleanliness in terms of the concentration of airborne particles in the clean rooms. The use and maintenance of a Tangent mini PC that has no fan, is sealed, is waterproof and can withstand corrosion is solid evidence of a concerted effort to conform to the ISO standards since it greatly reduces the potential presence of airborne particles. The standard for clean rooms has 16 different detailed parts to it, so it is of the utmost importance that the equipment deployed to a clean zone can meet the requirements to achieve a good rating and demonstrate the room’s efficacy.