It’s no secret that when it comes to durability and longevity, industrial mobile computers are far superior to their consumer-grade counterparts. However, not all industrial mobile computers are created equal. For end users in all vertical markets — from retail and hospitality to manufacturing and in between — maximizing any investment in technology means making sure the hardware includes these must-have features: ruggedness and connectivity options.
IP54 Rating
Ingress protection (IP) rating indicates the level to which industrial mobile computers are protected against infiltration by dust and liquids. IP ratings are expressed as two-digit numbers, with the first digit referring to protection against dust and the second referring to protection against liquids. The rating scale for the first ranges from 0 (no protection) to 6 (total protection), and the rating scale for the second digit ranges from 0 (no protection) to 8 (protection against damage from submersion, at depth and under pressure).
Different levels of protection are necessary for different types of applications. Rugged industrial mobile computers used in retail, hospitality, manufacturing, and similar environments should have an IP54 rating. The number “5” specifies that the devices are protected against dust and that their design will only allow limited ingress of dust particles. The number “4” indicates that they are protected against liquid that is dripped, sprayed, or splashed onto them.
An IP54-rated device is capable of being used in many commercial and industrial environments without being damaged by dust or an occasional spill that can occur in these settings.
Barcode Scanner and Wi-Fi
Leveraging industrial mobile computers for inventory management makes the process easier, faster, more productive, and less error-prone than paper-based methods. To be used for this application, however, they must feature barcode scanners. Look for a mobile computer that can read both 1D and 2D barcodes efficiently — even at some distance or when barcodes are damaged.
Industrial mobile computers used for barcode scanning, as well as applications including mobile POS, picking, and accessing business applications on the warehouse or manufacturing floor, also need reliable Wi-Fi connectivity so they can be used anywhere in your facility to capture data.
Whether used in POS, hospitality, manufacturing, or other applications, industrial mobile computers offer a long-lasting tool for increasing productivity and operating efficiencies. Choosing these devices carefully, and limiting the final selection to those with the three must-have features discussed here, is the safest bet when implementing the technology and reaping its rewards.
For more information about the industrial mobile computer options Touch Dynamic offers, download our 2017 Product Catalog.
