Self order or checkout kiosks have been around for many years.

In the last couple of years, self order kiosks have become more of a conversation piece for many differing reasons. Some people love them for the simple convenience that they offer and the ability to customize an order. Other people dislike them, because they take away human interaction and, if someone is not familiar with how they work, it may take longer to place an order. In this blog, we will show you four thought-provoking elements of a kiosk to consider.

Hardware performance and functionality, in general, does not vary much between companies, but there are many options and price points available. 

Generally speaking, there are two types of power: clean and dirty.

Clean electricity is any electrical power that is free from any noise, voltage spikes, and/or drops.

How will cables be managed and inserted into a computer enclosure? 

In an industrial or manufacturing environment, a great deal of planning goes into designing a heavy-duty enclosure system for electronics. One very important step that can be overlooked, during the design stage, is how power and/or network cables will enter a NEMA 4 or NEMA 4X enclosure. By definition, NEMA 4 and NEMA 4X enclosures are waterproof (rain, sleet, snow, splashing water, hose directed fluids) and will not include a traditional split panel for running cables into the enclosure. Most enclosure manufacturers offer a sealed cable entry gland that will maintain the NEMA seal and provide a clean, safe way for cabling to reach the electronics. 

Many options exist and differ depending on a customer’s specific application.

Millions and millions of people visit quick service restaurants each and every day.

For example, did you know that McDonald’s feeds 68 million people every day, and sells more than 75 burgers every second? That is a lot of people and sandwiches! We are not even counting Arby’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, KFC, In-N-Out Burger, Taco Bell, and Hardy’s. These staggering stats are even more reason to consider installing digital menu boards at quick service restaurants. Digital signage provides a platform to deliver compelling content to entice customers to purchase specific items. This process is beneficial to the restaurant owner/operator, because sales of higher profit margin menu items and limited time offers (LTO’s) can dramatically increase profits. Quick service restaurants (QSR) can deliver unique content and make changes to the existing menu items - with the click of a button - from a regional or national operations center. Digital menus are an invaluable tool for the trendy, relevant QSR operator. According to the article, ‘The digital signage market grows exponentially as expansion activities edges up according to new research report‘, digital signage is an important tool for all QSRs to use, “Digital signage is changing the way businesses and organizations communicate in public places. It satisfies the demand for immediacy & relevance. it offers significant advantages over conventional signage & posters, which have to be designed and printed well in advance.”

When searching for electrical enclosure suppliers on the web, many results will be found. 

So, how do you know which company to contact for your electrical enclosure needs? Which company can make your job a lot easier and stress-free? For example, should you seek an electrical enclosure manufacturer that will customize cutouts on cabinets? The option for enclosure cutouts can be made in-house once the product is delivered, but what are the advantages of sourcing these custom features, through the manufacturer, at the time of purchase?

When planning for a computer enclosure deployment in a manufacturing setting, there are several things to consider and patiently research. 

The following 6 tips will help system integrators plan for a successful computer enclosure deployment:

There is no better time for restaurants to invest in digital menu boards.

Static signage will soon be rendered passé, because digital menu boards allow various, revolutionary options for restaurants, including quick price changes and the flexibility to provide real time nutritional and caloric information to customers. Ever changing nutritional information may accompany the menu items displayed on the screen and enable customers to make informed, healthy ordering decisions.

It comes as no surprise that heat has the tendency to ruin electronics! 

Proper cooling can increase the overall life of electronics and reduce capital expenses. Simply put, any type of thermal management will help a computer system run more smoothly. As a rule of thumb, the life expectancy of electronics is cut in half for every 18°F that they operate above room temperature. System integrators should always be aware that operating electronics in high or extremely elevated temperatures can void most manufacturer warranties. Thus, the correct thermal management is critical for a computer enclosure deployment in a manufacturing setting. 

Many factors affect the temperatures that electronics are exposed to on the inside of a pc enclosure. In the blog, ‘Could High Humidity be Hurting Your Electronics?,’ the author notes that “electronics are more delicate than you may think, and are susceptible to damage in high-humidity environments. It is important to keep relative humidity between 40-60% to keep electronics running efficiently.” Therefore, it is imperative to consider not only the electronics heat output, but also the environmental factors that will cause the ambient air temperature to be high.

The following are some examples of potential sources of heat: 

• Power Supplies

• Controllers, Drives, or Servers

• Computers

• Printers (Barcode or Desktop)

• Solar Gain Heat

• Ovens

• Foundry Equipment

Electronics, which are more powerful and robust than average off-the-shelf products, will most likely have a higher heat output. Because we live in a world where faster is better and processing capacity is extremely important, more powerful systems are being designed at a rapid pace. Powerful electronics will generate more heat and, as a result, will require some form of cooling, like a filtered fan system or air conditioner.

What are Common Consequences of Damaging Heat?

Kiosks (large and small) have been popping up at banks, malls, and restaurants for years now and it seems that the digital signage trend will be everywhere you look in the very near future.