The post Senior Flexonics Pathway – Computer Enclosure appeared first on ITSENCLOSURES.
]]>COMPANY SYNOPSIS:
In business since 1902, Senior Flexonics Pathway (SFP) has two locations in the United States: New Braunfels, Texas and Lewiston, Maine. According to SFPathway.com, the company has been a pioneer in delivering solutions to movements in high pressure and temperature process equipment. Senior Flexonics provides custom designed expansion joints, dampers, and HVAC for piping and ducting applications.
HOW DID THEY FIND ITSENCLOSURES:
When researching stand-up enclosures for their plant, Senior Flexonics Pathway found ITSENCLOSURES on the Internet. While at ITSENCLOSURES.com, SFP reached out to the ITS sales department via the online chat tool. Originally, SFP was interested in a unit that could house a touchscreen monitor. After receiving a follow-up email from ITSENCLOSURES, Patrick Miller, the IT Manager, requested pricing on a stand-up enclosure and decided against deploying a touchscreen.
PROJECT:
Senior Flexonics Pathway was in search of a mobile inventory computer enclosure for its workers. SFP wanted to save employees from walking to different parts of the plant to perform tasks. According to Patrick Miller, IT Manager at Senior Flexonics Pathway, SFP wanted to provide employees with the equipment to take inventory, print, labels and scan barcodes at the point of where the work is actually being done, on the manufacturing floor.
CHALLENGES:
Senior Flexonics sought an all-in-one solution that would allow all of their complex systems to work together in one enclosure. SFP’s manufacturing environment is quite harsh, and required a heavy duty NEMA 12 enclosure solution.
SOLUTION:
Senior Flexonics Pathway purchased a number of IceStation TITAN (IS603027-12) computer enclosure workstations. The freestanding enclosure solution consisted of 24” extension sliding shelf brackets and a hinged printer door. The added accessories were installed for the barcode printers that are used throughout the workday. The hinged printer door makes it simple to retrieve labels and the sliding shelf brackets create an efficient way to change the media and load additional labels. In order to regulate the temperature inside of the enclosure, a 200 CFM filtered fan system, with thermostat, was installed.
INSTALLATION DATE:
Senior Flexonics purchased the NEMA 12 computer enclosures in the spring of 2015 to be installed in the New Braunfels, TX and Lewiston, ME locations. The units are deployed in key areas of the production floor, including the Metal Bellows manufacturing area, Parts Distribution, and Burn Table work centers.
SUMMARY OF PROJECT:
Mr. Miller summed up the success of the project, “The products that Senior Flexonics Pathway makes [are] in some of the harshest environments in the world. IceStation computer enclosures were a perfect fit for our company! ITSENCLOSURES products are rugged and well designed. [The TITANS] have given our shop employees the ability to access internal system applications and to speed up the processing of part issues.” He continued, “The flexibility has been a definite plus, as the IceStation [units] have been really easy to adapt to our specific needs. We have a wireless computer inside of the unit, along with a wireless barcode printer. Our employees are able to do part issues, print barcodes labels, check drawings, review hotlists, welding procedures, and to clock in and out of jobs.”
“We’ve tested other stand-alone units, and IceStation has been an exceptional addition to our facility!”
ADDITIONAL PRODUCT INFORMATION:
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Let us know how we can best assist you! Contact an ‘ITSENCLOSURES expert’ at 1-800-423-9911 -OR- send us an email: info@itsenclosures.com
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]]>The post Puratos Corporation – Computer Enclosures appeared first on ITSENCLOSURES.
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COMPANY SYNOPSIS:
Puratos is an international company, which has been in business for almost 100 years, dating back to its original founding in Brussels, Belgium. The American corporate headquarters are in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, with additional locations in New Jersey, Oregon, Wisconsin, California, Florida, and Washington. Specializing in desserts and the like, Puratos is a premium supplier of products that compliment baking, pastry, and chocolate products. According to the Puratos website, “Products and services are available in more than 100 countries around the world, and in many cases actually produced there by our subsidiaries. Clients are artisans, industry, retailers and food service.”
HOW DID PURATOS FIND ITSENCLOSURES:
In January of 2014, Puratos was in the initial stages of planning a merger of two of its plants and required heavy-duty computer enclosures to house vital electronics. After searching online for pc and printer enclosures, Puratos found ITSENCLOSURES and reached out for initial enclosure options and ballpark pricing. After engaging with Puratos, ITSENCLOSURES made the decision to travel to New Jersey to evaluate the project in person.
PROJECT:
The Puratos location in Pennsauken, New Jersey was in the process of merging two manufacturing plants and were determined to upgrade their enclosure equipment. They desired a freestanding enclosure to house a barcode printer, computer, keyboard, scanner, mouse, and a wide screen monitor. Puratos was also interested in ITSENCLOSURES’ line of flat panel monitor enclosures, which can be bolted to a wall, pedestal, or arm.
CHALLENGES:
ITSENCLOSURES toured the Puratos plant in February of 2014 to assess the challenges and assist with the development of a viable solution. Part of the plan required computer enclosures to protect against dust and dirt, while another plan required stainless steel to withstand a wash-down environment. One of the biggest challenges: Puratos is a food production company and must maintain the utmost cleanliness throughout the factory.
SOLUTION:
After visiting the plant, ITSENCLOSURES made the recommendation to deploy the NEMA 12 IceStation TITAN freestanding enclosure in areas that did not require a heavy washdown. Each Puratos enclosure houses a barcode printer, computer, and a wide screen format monitor. ITSENCLOSURES also provided a side mounted enclosure to house a hand-held barcode scanner, installed on the right side of the cabinet. An industrial, heavy-duty keyboard/hula point combo mounts to the sloped work surface.
The second solution involved a customized stainless steel operator interface enclosure, which mounts to existing swing arms already installed throughout the plant. ITSENCLOSURES provided custom, flat topped IO28268-4X monitor enclosures with touchscreen cutouts. The touchscreen cutout was factory installed in the IO28 door at ITSENCLOSURES prior to shipping. Previously, Puratos purchased a competitor’s NEMA 4X enclosure that required an ‘in the field’ modification to install the panel mount touchscreen. ITSENCLOSURES’ solution was, therefore, more efficient and saved Puratos money in the long run.
SUMMARY OF PROJECT:
The expansion project took place for most of 2014 and continued into 2015-2016. A second phase of the project (Spring of 2015) included stainless steel IO292813-4X flat panel monitor enclosures (accommodating up to a 25” widescreen monitor), which mount directly to the wall.
JT Spangler, CEO and Owner of ITSENCLOSURES, was pleased with the outcome of the project, “I enjoy the opportunity to visit a plant for a firsthand look at the operation and discuss a solution for specific needs. Puratos is an outstanding company to work with and we enjoyed watching everything come together. This project adds another successful installation to the ITSENCLOSURES portfolio!”
ADDITIONAL PRODUCT INFORMATION:
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Let us know how we can best assist you! Contact an ‘ITSENCLOSURES expert’ at 1-800-423-9911 -OR- send us an email: info@itsenclosures.com
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]]>The post Engineered Software Products – Printer Enclosure appeared first on ITSENCLOSURES.
]]>COMPANY SYNOPSIS:
Engineered Software Products (ESP) began operation over 29 years ago as a traditional control systems integrator providing PLC, HMI, and plant floor information management solutions. Ten years ago, ESP expanded its capabilities and added engineered power solutions to its provisions, referred to as a turnkey electrical package, providing: Portable Prefabricated Electrical Building (eHouse), Electrical Equipment – Power Distribution and Motor Control, Automation System – PLC, HMI, Data Management, Electrical Engineering Services – Electrical Design and Automation Programming
ESP’s directive, as a technology partner, has been to develop automation strategies, for client’s plants, which are current with today’s ever-changing technology. The primary goal for each plant is to provide an expandable open architecture control system, which is cost effective and consistent with corporate standards. To achieve this goal, ESP has been instrumental in assisting its clients in establishing key standards, as they relate to the PLC/HMI automation and power distribution/motor control systems. Throughout the years, ESP has provided control systems to a variety of industries, including Aggregates, Cement, Chemical, Food & Beverage, Pulp & Paper, Traffic Control, Wastewater, and Wood Pellets.
HOW DID ESP FIND ITSENCLOSURES:
Engineered Software Products (ESP) scoured the Internet in search of rugged, industrial, computer and printer enclosures and discovered ITSENCLOSURES. After researching and reviewing the ITSENCLOSURES website, ESP located the IceStation product line, which was exactly what they were looking for in an computer and printer enclosure product.
PRINTER ENCLOSURE PROJECT:
ESP provides turnkey electrical buildings and elevated control towers. They required an enclosure to fit under a countertop in control rooms. A computer and printer enclosure was needed to protect PC and printer equipment and be deployed by Greenfield plants mostly in the aggregate, mining and cement industries.
CHALLENGES:
ESP desired a computer and printer enclosure which could protect against extremely dusty, dirty environments, and provide security and stability against vibrations from plant equipment.
PRINTER ENCLOSURE SOLUTION:
ESP chose the NEMA 12 IceStation IS362626 computer and printer enclosure, which includes 2 adjustable, vented shelves, lockable front and rear doors, industrial-grade swivel castors, and a tool-free rear split panel. These benefits were the ultimate reason why ESP decided to utilize the IS362626-12 computer and printer enclosure. According to Jeff Patenaude, Principal at Engineered Software Products Inc., the IS36-12 is a good fit, because it is “dustproof, has rubber bushings on its shelves to protect against vibration, has a convenient gland plate for easy cable entry, and [industrial] castors for ease of use.”
SUMMARY OF PROJECT:
ESP continues to deploy many of the IS362626-12 computer and printer enclosures at various plants and locations across the United States. Jeff Patenaude is very pleased with the staff at ITSENCLOSURES and with the heavy-duty products, “ITSENCLOSURES has been a reliable supplier that delivers a quality product on time, every time.”
ADDITIONAL PRODUCT INFORMATION
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Let us know how we can best assist you! Contact an ‘ITSENCLOSURES expert’ at 1-800-423-9911 -OR- send us an email: info@itsenclosures.com
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]]>The post 3 Reasons to Add Cooling to Computer Enclosures appeared first on ITSENCLOSURES.
]]>Why Proper Thermal Management Helps:
- Prolongs the Life of Electronics
The average lifetime of a computer is approximately 3-5 years. According to AZ Central (USA Today Network), the lifespan is “gauged by a variety of factors including environmental conditions, usage patterns, and computing needs. Many computers will last far longer than this, and possibly a decade or more if properly maintained.” In general, computers and electronics will not survive – on their own – in a hot, dusty manufacturing facility, if not protected inside of a pc enclosure. Furthermore, electronics – installed within the sealed computer enclosure– may also need thermal management to survive. When electronics are used daily, it is good business to maximize their life cycle. If a printer is overheated, then the media may not print properly and if a computer is overheated, it may shut down completely. By keeping electronics running at optimal temperatures, production will never need to slow down.
Reduces Costly Downtime
If electronics are housed in an computer enclosure, which is in a hot industrial environment, high ambient temperatures will slowly damage a computer or other electronic devices. If the inside of an enclosure is cool and humidity is removed, the equipment will not overheat and will continue to operate at a peak performance. If the computer or printer is needed for everyday tasks, then it must be WORKING(!)… plain and simple. According to the article, The Cost of IT Downtime, Michael Copeland writes, “Because there are so many differences in how businesses operate, downtime, at the low end, can be as much as $140,000 per hour, $300,000 per hour on average, and as much as $540,000 per hour at the higher end… Downtime is extremely expensive, and in ways that can make or break the success of your organization.” Time is money!
- Cuts Down on Replacements
Utilizing the same computer enclosure equipment for many years will offer a strong return on investment for businesses. To put it into perspective, the average computer can cost upwards of $800 to $1,200 (if not more), a replacement thermal transfer printer can run from $400 to thousands of dollars, and even standard LCD monitors are a few hundred dollars. Obviously, to save man-hours and money, a company does not want to constantly be swapping out its essential equipment. Plus, replacement products will take a long time to configure, and oftentimes replacements are in short supply – just adding to downtime and lost profits. The learning curve for brand-new equipment is also costly, as it takes time for employees to learn the latest computer system, printer, or other peripheral.
To determine the correct thermal management for an computer enclosure, it is always useful to perform the proper research, so that the electronics being housed are appropriately protected. Companies will often offer a website form to fill out, so that a buyer can purchase the appropriate equipment.
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This formula can also be useful for picking the right thermal management:
(watts x 3.413) + (1.25 x area in square feet x ∆T temperature difference in degrees F) = BTU/hr.
Watts = The total heat load inside the enclosure (the sum of all heat-producing equipment)
Area = Total exposed surface area of the enclosure expressed in square feet
∆T = The difference in temperature between the maximum expected degrees Fahrenheit temperature outside the enclosure and the maximum degrees Fahrenheit temperature allowed inside of the enclosure
HAVE QUESTIONS? LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN BEST ASSIST YOU! CONTACT AN ‘ITSENCLOSURES EXPERT’ AT 1-800-423-9911 -or- SEND US AN EMAIL: INFO@ITSENCLOSURES.COM
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]]>The post Industrial Computer Enclosures vs. Industrial Computers appeared first on ITSENCLOSURES.
]]>Extreme temperature fluctuations, dust, dirt, grease and splashing fluids are threatening for expensive electronics. Prior to implementing electronics on the plant floor, the system designer has the option of specifying an industrially hardened computer or an aptly sealed industrial computer enclosure to be used with a desktop computer. Either solution can perform splendidly, but, over time, the choice between the two will be an investment decision that will balance lifetime costs, operational stability, and versatility.
In general, the initial purchase price of an industrial computer will be much higher than the cost of a less expensive general-purpose industrial computer enclosure. It is important to understand the differences between the two solutions.
After either system is deployed into production, the first consideration comes into play during a hardware failure. Although the industrial-grade computer should provide significant longevity than a general-purpose PC, it is an electronic device and, over time, electronics will fail.
Industrial PCs can often be difficult to repair. The computer’s sealed design may warrant a service technician to provide repair work or worst-case scenario, require the unit to be sent back to the manufacturer for repair. Regardless, the end user will face production downtime, which is always costly. In addition, industrial computers are usually proprietary and difficult to upgrade. However, without an industrial computer enclosure, the computer has no protection against tampering with controls or misuse.
Protecting a computer in a NEMA-rated industrial computer enclosure can offer more flexibility. In the event of a computer failure, it will be far less expensive to replace a general-purpose computer vs. an industrial computer, and of course general purpose computers are available either in company inventory or a ‘day away’ from today’s electronic marketplace.
If the technology requires a change two to three years after the system has been implemented, utilizing a industrial computer enclosure will provide greater versatility. A PC enclosure allows the system integrator to easily swap out an older computer with a brand-new computer. A computer enclosure is lockable and will provide the peace of mind that the system is secured.
Many companies do not calculate how much a computer and related hardware will cost in terms of downtime and production loss. The proper computer enclosure will help extend the lifetime of electronics and reduce downtime, while offering a cost-effective alternative to industrial computers.
HAVE QUESTIONS? LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN BEST ASSIST YOU! CONTACT AN ‘ITSENCLOSURES EXPERT’ AT 1-800-423-9911 -or- SEND US AN EMAIL: INFO@ITSENCLOSURES.COM
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