Industrial PCs in stainless steel housing for the hygienic environment

This is the core competence of the FORSIS industrial PC series in stainless steel housing.

They must be tight and of high quality. The basic material is stainless steel, depending on the application, you can choose between V2A and V4A.

You can also choose to edit the surface. We offer brushed surfaces as standard. But glass bead blasting for a matt surface is also possible.

But the quality shows in the details. What do the weld seams look like, how have they been ground, where are the gap dimensions.

We have the stainless steel housings for our industrial PCs manufactured exclusively in Germany. It is important to us to be able to intervene in the production process of our suppliers at any time and to demand the necessary quality.

The cable feed into the industrial PC is the decisive technical approach as to whether an industrial PC can cope with the environmental conditions of food production. The expectations are clearly formulated from the many discussions with our customers:

• In the event of a fault, the industrial PC must be able to be replaced quickly.
• Cable assembly should be avoided 
• The cable feed must be adaptable to local conditions
• Service must also be possible for untrained personnel

FORSIS approach

• All industrial PCs in stainless steel housings offer the customer the familiar standard PC interfaces
• These plug connections are always protected in a cassette on the inside 
• Depending on the device type, the connections can be on the bottom or on the back of the housing
• The protection class only occurs with the corresponding cover plates with the cable bushings.
  Products from the companies RITTAL, ICOTEC, Pflitsch and of course the classic PG screw connection are offered.
  With these cable bushings, there is no work on the cable. The guarantee of your end devices remains.
  Cutting and soldering is only necessary for PG screw connections.
• These cover plates are screwed all the way around, are easy to change and always remain at the workplace
• Easy and quick exchange is guaranteed.

The consensus is definitely touch screen. But this is the lowest common denominator. The discussion of which touch screen technology is best for typing in these difficult conditions is dividing our users. Because of this, we at FORSIS consistently offer both touch screen technologies in different product lines. The advantages briefly presented again.

Working with gloves is also possible with the capacitive Multi Touch. However, the touch controller, which regulates the field strength, must be matched to the glove. There are also limits. So-called "ghost inputs", i.e. if the touch screen is overly sensitive, must be avoided.

Features of industrial PCs in a stainless steel housing with capacitive touch technology

• Multi Touch
• optimal relationship between space and operation
• The smooth, gapless surface offers no point of contact for dirt
• The degree of protection achieved is IP69
• The glass surface should be covered with a protective film when used directly in the food environment
• Ultimately it's about the function of gesture control 

The resistive touch screen technology came directly after the matrix touch and that was a long time ago. To this day, however, we continue to use this technology in the food environment. The industrial PCs in stainless steel housing are almost indestructible. If the forklift is not driving into the device, the device will not fail.

Features of industrial PCs in stainless steel housing with resistive touch technology</p >

• Single Touch
• Can be operated with gloves, styluses, pens, etc. - no problem
• Calibration-proof and insensitive to surface moisture
• The front pane is covered with plastic film, which is part of the touch screen, creating a laminated glass effect, i.e. no glass splinters in the event of breakage
• Protection IP67
• USB interface, driver support necessary

Applies to all devices
The distance between the active touch screen surface and the outer edge of the device is extremely small.
Thus, the overall dimensions of the housing have been reduced to the essentials and you get an optimal relationship between space requirements and use.

FORSIS relies primarily on the processor families from INTEL. Exact insights and comparisons can be found here in the detailed article.

Currently, however, the 11th generation is clearly set.
The processor was developed by Intel® against the background of the next great industrial revolution (Industry 4.0 or the Internet of Things).
In the coming years, this performance will also be essential for industrial PCs in the area of data acquisition and the visualization of information for employees in the company.

Integrated barcode reader - hands-free reading also in the food environment

The accessory components must also be adapted to the environmental conditions of the respective place of use. It is therefore possible to install additional barcode readers in almost all FORSIS devices. Here, normal barcode readers often reach their limits due to their protection class. There are of course exceptions, but these are often expensive.

However, the problem with the charging and transmission station then arises again. The direct integration of a 2D barcode reading head into the EXPERT SBC series solves these problems. No additional protective measure for the barcode reader is required. The voltage connection is solved via USB, as is the direct data transfer.

But the big advantage is that you have both hands free for your work. It's best to try it yourself.

Non-contact readers RFID Reader - Identify the employee

An RFID reader can be integrated directly into the device. The contactless reading processes are offered: LEGIC© (advant), hitag© and mifare© (DESFire).
The position of the RFID reader can be coordinated with the customer based on the place of use or ergonomics. It is usual on the underside of the device, but it is also possible on the side.

WLAN connection with IP69 - communication even in difficult environments

When using the FORSIS EXPERT series, our MIMO standard antenna with IP65 protection class or commercially available rod antennas are sometimes not sufficient. The flat roof mounting antenna has decisive advantages:

• It is unobtrusive and therefore not a target for damage
• The planar antenna is absolutely waterproof when installed - IP69
• Their diameter is 80 mm and a bore of 16.2 mm is sufficient
• Upgrading existing devices is always possible
• The antenna is flame-retardant according to ECE-R 118

Function buttons

Freely assignable function buttons can also be installed in the EXPERT series. Of course, always with protection class IP65.
Up to eight buttons are possible. These can be booked completely freely. This makes it easy to communicate recurring entries.
Various configurations/assignments are offered: scan code, text mode and key combination

In order to enable the optimal cleaning of all operating equipment in a hygiene-sensitive environment this work step is already planned during the design phase pay attention.
The necessary distance for the "gloved hand" is also included. The EXPERT devices are easy to clean due to their degree of protection and their mechanical attachment. The table mount and the wall mount are ideal for mounting at a distance. This means that there is no gap that cannot be cleaned quickly and safely

Not only the industrial PC, protected by the stainless steel housing, has to withstand the environmental conditions, but the entire data acquisition solution has to be suitable. By this we mean, for example, the mounting variants, mobile and stationary workstations, accessories, cleaning options, etc.

The standard mounting for all FORSIS EXPERT series are the table mounts for mounting on work surfaces, sloping surfaces and mobile work trolleys. A greatly shortened version of the table mount is also available for mounting on walls, columns, etc. - the wall mount. Due to the shortened side arms, the device is extremely close to the wall and does not hinder the workflow. The viewing angle to the LCD is always optimally adjustable to the respective user.

The attachment points are attached to the side of the device itself in the form of closed M8 nuts. A pivotability of the device is thus optimally given. The cable routing is separate from the bracket. This has the advantage that you can first mount the device securely and then make the plug connections in peace and quiet. Stainless steel handles made of solid material are used for locking.

Direct mounting on the pipe system is also possible. You can find everything exactly here.

Rittal offers something here, as does the Rose company.