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Portable PCs are tough enough for industry

A Captec product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 18, 2006

With the launch of its ThorPac range of portable PCs, Captec reckons it has shattered the myth that the expandability of an in-field computing device has to be proportional to its portability.

With the launch of its ThorPac range of portable PCs, Fareham-based Captec reckons it has shattered the myth that the expandability of an in-field computing device has to be proportional to its portability.

The ThorPac range not only offers compatibility with a wide range of industry standard communications, but users can also add up to three PCI cards increasing its functionality for a wide diversity of applications.

All this is achieved by a unit housed in a rugged, chemically resistive resin transportation case that, thanks to clever thermal management, can be totally sealed against the ingress of dust, dirt and water.

Incorporating all the basic functionality of a powerful, dedicated computing platform, the ThorPac range is rated to IP67 (closed) and IP50 (open).

However, the company also offers a version rated to IP65 (open) that is especially suited to engineers working out in the field who do not have the luxury of an even vaguely clean operating environment.

Indeed, one application - where it is being used for vandalism prevention on the UK's rail infrastructure - sees it being buried in the ground for weeks at a time, and another has it sitting by the side of drain holes used in the survey of drainage pipes.

Internally, the ThorPac houses a variable storage capacity 2.5in hard disk drive that, thanks to anti-vibration dampers, is capable of operating in moving vehicles or near high-vibration machinery.

256Mbyte memory is standard with up to 2Gbyte as an option.

Dependant very much on the application, CPUs range from a 1GHz Pentium III up to 2 or 3GHz Pentium 4 or 4M - all of which are capable of running industry standard operating systems such as Windows, Linux and other related client-side applications.

The units offer a 12 or 15in, 1024 x 768 high-brightness display that sits behind a tough, replaceable 3mm-thick polycarbonate window - giving it added protection against abrasion, chemicals and accidental impacts.

User input is via a sealed QWERTY keyboard and integral glide mouse and, as well as its PCI card expansion slots, the ThorPac provides many standard connections including USB, serial and Ethernet/LAN.

The larger model allows further expandability with the option of the addition of customer application specific electronics in a separate bay.

The smaller model measures only 380 x 270 x 180mm and weighing just 7kg.

The ThorPac range will offer many field engineers the power and functional expandability that they need - and that is often lacking in other portable equipment.

And with its range of options, engineers are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing a unit that matches their exact needs - for now and the future.

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