Specifications

Design
Computer components must work together to produce the
results you need. Even a computer with the highest-quality
components won’t thrive in an industrial environment
unless it has been designed with specific factors in mind.
Allen-Bradley computer products are designed with:
• Resistance to mechanical shock and vibration (hard drives
are shock-mounted, components are placed in the most
stable locations)
• Resistance to higher temperatures (maximizing the flow
of air through the unit, utilizing internal fans when
necessary)
• Higher corrosive resistance on critical components
• Integrated components to eliminate exposing critical
components to environmental hazards (integrated power
supplies, integrated displays and touchscreens)
• Factory enclosures in mind (panel mounting, rack
mounting) to resist environmental hazards such as dust,
smoke, or dripping water
• Maintenance friendly (reduced Mean Time To Repair with
no special tools and easy repair access)
• Consistent component availability, selecting long-life parts
that are available long after office grade parts have
become obsolete
Industrial design is critical when your computer products
are running your mission-critical applications on the
factory floor.
Lower Total Cost of Ownership
Some may say that despite the higher specifications and
ruggedness of an industrial computer, the cost is still too
high when compared to white box computers.
In an effort to lower costs, some industrial companies
believe that they can use their computer products as
“disposable.” They plan to use office-grade products until
they break down and then just get new cheap ones to
replace them.
While this might work where the environment is controlled
much like an office, it is a shortsighted plan in more
industrial environments. These companies are opting for
lower initial cost instead of lower total cost of ownership.
The initial cost of purchasing the office-grade computer or
monitor will be lower, but consider the additional costs of
using a white-box product in a rugged environment:
• The purchase price of replacement units when office-
grade computers fail
• Higher maintenance costs and maintenance resources
required because each computer has to be individually
installed with the unique drivers for that computer
• Higher Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) when an additional
enclosure has to be breached before a device can be
repaired
• Productivity losses and down-time on the factory floor
while computer products are replaced
• Additional enclosure costs or cooling costs required to
keep an office-grade computer or monitor running
including strapping the computer down or providing
system-wide shock mounting
• Equipment performance problems with magnetic
interference or emissions, decreased worker productivity
because of poor equipment performance
• Reduced visibility of displays since the brightness is
decreased when the monitor is behind another piece of
glass or acrylic composite unless the manufacturer
installed this protective cover. Also moiré patterns appear
with mismatched display protection can cause severe
operator eye strain.
• Software and training resources required if you are forced
to upgrade because the manufacturer has ceased
production of the current model of office-grade computer.
• Multiple driver support due to inconsistent component
selection
• Complex mounting since office grade computers have
no standard enclosure dimensions
A rugged product will provide significantly lower total cost
of ownership for industrial users because it runs longer,
performs better, and requires less maintenance and
training.
Testing and Certification
Office-grade computers, monitors, and peripherals are
tested and certified for office environments. Allen-Bradley
products are tested and certified for the industrial
environments you require.
Office-Grade Certifications:
• UL Listed
• CE Mark - Information Systems
• FCC Class B
Industrial Certifications:
• UL 1950 Recognized Component
• CE Mark - Industrial Levels
• FCC Class A
• NEMA rated enclosure seals (NEMA 4, 12, 4X)
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