Touch foil allows users a smooth ‘touch experience’ on large format LCDs and transforms non-conductive surfaces into interactive surfaces.

Traditionally, touchscreen foil is applied to an LCD enclosures’ glass window and transforms a standard commercial grade LCD into an interactive LCD. Sensors, combined with a flexible foil, are adhered to curved or flat surfaces to enable a unique user experience. According to the visualplanet website, “Touch foil is constructed of two clear, micron-thin laminated plastic sheets with an embedded mega-thin grid of sensing wires that lead to an electronic controller. When the glass is touched, the location is identified through the glass on the touch foil’s wire grid and communicated via the controller to the computer to carry out the action on the screen – just like using a mouse.”

A presell digital board can be one of the most influential sales tools for a Quick Service Restaurant!

The most important communication tool in a QSR’s drive-thru is the main menu board.  However, a presell board can be one of the most influential sales tools for the restaurant. The presell board is the first advertising message the customer will see in the que line. If the que line is 2-3 cars deep, a customer might be starting at the presell board – this means that it can be very influential. Therefore, in a drive-thru, a digital presell message will not only impact a check average, but can also shape the customer’s entire experience. The content strategy plays an integral part in the restaurant’s success with the digital menu board program.

Dust-tight, waterproof enclosures protect a computer, monitor, printer, and various other peripherals from harsh elements, like splashing fluids, dust, dirt, and fibers in the air.

However, while the enclosure is keeping materials from entering, it is also preventing heat from exiting the cabinet. The build-up of heat - inside of the enclosure - can slowly damage electronics that are being protected from the exterior environment.

Thermal management will keep the overall heat load to a minimum by removing excess heat. A filter fan system generally keeps electronics cool in ambient temperatures below 90°F. Filters will ensure particulate matter is kept outside of the enclosure, away from important electronics. Depending on the installation environment, there are a few choices available for filter fan systems. What are the differences between outdoor and indoor filter fan systems?

In 2010, new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regulations were put into place regarding accessible design for disabled Americans.

These changes particularly impact how digital signage can be installed in public places. Installations may include self-service kiosks, LCD enclosures, and video walls, just to name a few. These types of digital signage need to adhere to the proposed guidelines for ADA compliance. Ultimately, it just makes good business sense that a digital signage message is reachable and viewable to all users of the system. For example, one of the guidelines require a non-glare finish and 70% contrast between the sign background and lettering.

For the purpose of this blog, we will only address items associated with installing digital signage enclosures. For more helpful information on creating ADA friendly content, reference Kiosk Marketplace’s article “Meeting the ADA Compliance Challenge.” 

Options to deploy digital signage are virtually limitless for college campuses. 

From digital menu boards to advertisements at the book store to upcoming special events, indoor digital signage has become more of a need - versus a want - in the last ten years. What about outdoor digital signage? Robust electronics, easier to use content drivers, lower costs of ownership, and more solutions available on the market have educational institutions turning to outdoor digital signage to maximize their messages to students, faculty, and visitors.

It’s not just a box… 

When deploying a computer enclosure in a dusty, dirty, or wash down environment, the tower, monitor, and printer are installed inside of the enclosure. What about the keyboard and mouse?

It is probably no surprise that a standard desktop keyboard or mouse will not perform well ‘out in the elements.’ If deployed in a rugged location, a standard keyboard and mouse will likely fail within a short period of time. They are not meant to be wet and reside in a dirty environment. When using a keyboard or mouse in a harsh, manufacturing factory, a NEMA rated industrial device should be utilized to eliminate downtime.

“The global mobile thermal printer market posted a 7% growth from 2014 to 2015 and is expected to increase to $509 million by 2020, according to a new report by VDC Research”

Zebra barcode printers are becoming more and more commonplace in manufacturing and industrial fields. Companies require barcode printers to print labels for shipments or product tags. Although it is always beneficial to have thermal label printers on the factory floor, these expensive printers cannot be exposed to dust, dirt, or splashing non-corrosive fluids. A dust-free printer enclosure is the perfect solution for protecting a barcode printer from harsh particles and elements. When researching a viable solution, what should the enclosure include in order to be functional?

When planning an outdoor digital signage project, there are a number of considerations that need to be addressed.

It is common for customers to overlook pertinent questions, because they simply do not know the answers. By ignoring some of the basic fundamentals of outdoor digital signs, necessary building blocks can be left behind. These blocks are often the vital elements that lead to a successful digital project.

In a perfect world, system integrators deploying computer enclosures in harsh, manufacturing environments would possess an excellent understanding of thermal management and its many intricacies.

In a realistic world, most users of the system know very little about the implications of subjecting electronics, concealed in a dust and dirt tight enclosure, in a warm environment. Making an informed decision - for the appropriate level of heating and cooling - will help maximize the lifetime of the electronics and reduce downtime on an assembly line. However, determining the proper thermal management does require a clear understanding of cooling parameters and knowledge of the operating environment.