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As smartphones and tablets become slimmer and sleeker, the same cannot be said for industrial mobile computing, which relies on durability and ruggedization to be a cost-effective technology. Everyone from technicians to medical workers and couriers rely on mobile handhelds that are designed for the working life. It’s more important that they work effectively after […]
As smartphones and tablets become slimmer and sleeker, the same cannot be said for industrial mobile computing, which relies on durability and ruggedization to be a cost-effective technology. Everyone from technicians to medical workers and couriers rely on mobile handhelds that are designed for the working life. It’s more important that they work effectively after being dropped or impacted, in freezing conditions or during exposure to heat, getting dirty, or even if someone uses an ordinary pen instead of a stylus to sign for the package. These working devices require tougher, more durable touch screens to last; if you’re manufacturing or reselling mobile computing devices for industrial use, you need to find a supplier that can provide durability and customizability at an affordable price. First, you should know what kind of new technologies are on the market and which are going to fit your clients’ demands.
Manufacturers like A D Metro offer three types of touch screens for industrial mobile computing purposes that fulfill different requirements and budgets, and here is how they stack up:
Ultra Resistive – Industrial PDAs are constantly put into stressful, extreme environments where heavy impact, fluctuating temperatures, abrasion, and contact with chemicals are all a possibility. In addition, they need to be operated by finger or with a gloved hand and the glass surface needs to be impervious in order to last. The Ultra Resistive touch screen developed by A D Metro is made with a borosilicate glass surface rather than the polyethylene typically found in this kind of technology to achieve greater durability at an economical price. The borosilicate glass surface means that it is waterproof and able to withstand heavy impacts without damage to the sensor. Even after repeated scoring or impact such as you might see with vandalism, the sensor will continue to function normally.
Standard Resistive – Using a polyethylene surface, this is a durable resistive option for industrial purposes that’s been used for decades and can be operated by finger, stylus, or glove, has a low power consumption, comes with EMI shielding, but will not stand up to some of the most extreme conditions.
Projective Capacitive – PCAP from A D Metro uses a patented group controller for multi-touch, durable glass screens that significantly reduces design and inventory costs. It allows OEMs to make multi-touch products like industrial PDAs compatible with major operating systems to market faster than theywould without a common controller, especially important as more industrial clients want to move away from Windows and toward Android, a transition that has been considerably slower in industry than in the consumer market.
A new generation of mobile computing devices for manufacturing may be on the horizon asIoT (Internet of Things) begins to drive greater connectivity between manufacturing tools for data collection and analysis. To accommodate these changes, new devices will likely need to offer better optics and multi-touch to keep up with data analysis requirements without compromising on ruggedness. To prepare for these changes, start working with an innovative supplier of touch screen technology today.
