There are several factors to consider when an existing panel mount monitor has failed and it is out of warranty. Most users opt to replace the display since many manufacturers will charge more and take longer to repair the monitor when compared to buying new. Much of the reason is due to the declining cost of LCD’s over the past several years. Therefore, it is wise to consider all the factors in total cost of ownership when selecting a monitor for a new project.
Hope Industrial Systems’ new USB KVM Extender uses a single CATx cable to extend VGA video and USB signals for touch screens, keyboards, mice, and any other USB 1.1 compliant device up to 300 m (1000′).
Often our customers find it critical to be able to see their HMI screens or access their systems’ controls at any given time. By default, most operating systems are designed to put the monitor or touch screen to sleep after 10 minutes. While allowing the display to sleep is recommended to extend its lifespan and conserve power, some customers find it important to be able to access their system at a moment’s notice. It is important to note that no Hope Industrial displays put themselves to sleep; they only revert to power saving (sleep) mode when they are not receiving a video signal, or have been specifically instructed to do so by the host operating system.
Connecting electronic equipment on the factory floor is an important aspect of any control system. There are several options for connecting data and power to monitors and other devices. Regarding the cables themselves, there are options in cable quality, shielding, terminations, etc. There are also decisions that affect their appearance and how they are protected and sealed.
Hope Industrial Systems’ Windows-based customers find UltraMon a useful application for managing multiple monitor environments. There are a few features that are particularly beneficial and effective for improved efficiency of customers’ work environments.
Last summer, we released our line of industrial Thin Client Enclosures, which we designed to protect any industrial or desktop-grade small form factor PC or thin client device from the rigors of an industrial environment.
Our new industrial keyboard, featured in the “New Product prototype: Industrial Keyboard” sneak preview back in March, is now shipping. The Industrial Wall Mount Folding Keyboard mounts to any vertical surface and is designed to be used with our Panel Mount Monitors. The keyboard folds up or down for convenient storage and has two different typing positions.
One of the first things customers usually say when entering our trade show stall is “Wow, the stainless steel looks great!” We do go to great lengths to make sure things look good, but most of our effort is spent ensuring that our Stainless Steel NEMA 4X products meet the functional anti-corrosive needs of our customers. Equipment used in the food/beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries must be highly resistant to water, cleaning/sterilization, and other industrial chemicals.
Did you know that NEMA does not require independent testing of monitor enclosures to assure compliance? Because of this, many industrial monitor manufacturers actually “self-certify” their products as being NEMA-rated or IP-sealed, leaving the customer at the mercy of whatever testing methods the manufacturer has decided to use.
Most KVM Extenders transmit keyboard, video and mouse data over CAT5 cable, which is of course generally used for digital network applications. KVM Extender manufacturers choose this cable because it is cheap, readily available, and most industrial users are used to working with it. CAT5 cable is great stuff for all these reasons but has one significant shortcoming: it can be susceptible to EMI (ElectroMagnetic Interference) in electrically noisy environments.