I want to focus on five value-added products that I believe are of major benefit to IT users and Industrial Engineers. These products directly interface with your Industrial PC, enabling data acquisition and data transmission to occur throughout your facility. All products mentioned are manufactured for use in Industrial Automation and will create a better user experience by providing best in breed solutions that integrate with your platform. The five products I’d like to address are Monitors & Displays, Ethernet Switches, Barcode Scanners, I/O Modules and Printers.
Five Value-Added Products Available to IT Users & Test Engineers:
- Monitors & Displays: There are numerous Advantech, iKey & Elo Monitors and Displays available, depending on your application requirements. They range from Flat Panel Monitors with touch and non touch capability to Panel PCs, Touch Panel Computers, Industrial Panel PCs and Widescreen multi-touch HMI. There are also all-in-one solutions configured with SCADA software for those that require a fully packaged solution. Available HMI display sizes range from 3.5” to 21.5”, depending on specification requirements, space restrictions and panel cut-out dimensions. There are also multiple PC displays with multiple I/O configurations available for those that require an interface to their PLC. Some of the applications where I see the most use are SCADA, Test & Measurement and Monitoring & Control.
- Ethernet Switches: By selecting the appropriate Industrial Ethernet Switch, users can increase range of communications and reduce the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF).Available interfaces include FE LAN, GbE LAN, Fiber and Copper. These switches are also provided in Managed, Unmanaged, ProView, EN50155 and Power over Ethernet (PoE) versions. Their multiple port configurations, robust design, Din-Rail mounting capability and 12-24V DC power input make them a suitable solution for any Industrial application. I have utilized Advantech Ethernet switches with our solutions deployments and find them to be very beneficial when utilized with Remote I/O, Monitoring & Control and SCADA systems.
- Barcode Scanners: I have found Honeywell and Zebra barcode scanners to work best for industrial applications. Zebra offers a great 1D laser scanner for low-light condition scanning. If there is plenty of light, you can utilize a Honeywell 1D corded or cordless imager. For applications where the scanner is used with the tester, a fixed-mount 2D imager seems to work best. For the areas of your factory or facility where a rugged, durable solution with a great drop specification is required, you can use an Industrial 1D/2D corded/ cordless option to get the job done.
- I/O Modules: For RS-485 and Ethernet communications with Analog and Digital I/O, Advantech’s ADAM Remote I/O modules are a great product to
work with. They provide a utility for easy configuration and protocols include Modbus TCP, TCP/IP, UDP, HTTP and DHCP. There are different mixtures of I/O to fit your needs and they will also support XML, HTML 5 and Java Script web language. Some areas where I have seen great success are with customers in manufacturing, energy, hospitality, education, mass transit, government and healthcare. - Printers: Zebra tabletop industrial printers have been the best value-add for most industrial users. They not only withstand the harshest of conditions but accommodate the high daily volume of labels some customers require. Traceability and asset tracking and two areas where these printers are beneficial but they also play a large part for labeling orders, components, spare parts and discards. The printers are available in Direct Thermal and Thermal Transfer depending on the shelf life required and label sizes vary from under one inch for PCBs to 8” for larger products. Label types also vary from paper, to polyester, polypropylene and Mylar. If RFID is where you are headed, there is also a diverse offering of printers and passive or active tags to accommodate your product, any distribution or end user requirements and the facility they will be tracked in.
Take a look at the visual below to see how each peripheral product can aid IT users and test engineers while directly interfacing with your Industrial PC.
About the Author:
It is my hope that the information provided has been useful to any IT professional or Test Engineer that has come across this. My intent has always been to provide a fully configured and operational solution that accommodates the integration of any peripherals and I/O you may require. There’s a lot more going on than what I have talked about and if you would like to further discuss your application and how L-Tron can be beneficial to you, please feel free to contact me at 800-830-9523, x 126 or via email at jeremy.miller@l-tron.com.