Product category:
PCs and Embedded Systems
News Release from: Dolch Computer Systems (UK) | Subject: SafeTTouch D2
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 19 November 2002
Touchscreen and workstation for
hazardous areas
The SafeTTouch D2 touchscreen display and workstation is designed to meet the needs of the oil and gas industry.
The SafeTTouch D2 touchscreen display and workstation is designed to meet the needs of the oil and gas industry, as well as other applications where potentially explosive or flammable atmospheric conditions are encountered Unlike some other workstations that require expensive, troublesome air purge systems, the Dolch SafeTTouch D2 is a cost-effective non-purge, non-incendive unit that is certified for use in all Class 1, Division 2 hazardous environments either indoors or outdoors or, when installed in a suitable enclosure, the units can be used in Class 1, Division 1 zones
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 3 Sep 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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The RuggedTouch is a robust touchscreen, while the RuggedTouch Plus combines the display features of the RuggedTouch with a rear-mounted computer.
SafeTTouch D2 devices have an operating temperature range of 0 to 40C, a non-operating temperature range of -25 to +60C, and they are unaffected by extreme humidity.
The units are fully sealed to IP66 and the casing and seals will prevent ingress by fumes, particulates, high-pressure chemical cleaning sprays, solvents, water, oil and other liquids.
15in (XGA) and 18in (SXGA) active matrix colour TFT LCD screens are offered and all versions are compatible with the Dolch fibre optic communications system that allows a host computer to be located a considerable distance away.
Further reading
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Dolch describes the SafeTTouch 4X as the ultimate touch screen display to withstand the extreme conditions faced by the food, drink and pharmaceutical industries.
Tiny-but-tough tag for industrial mobile micro PC
The VersaPAC micro industrial computer has been specifically developed for in-vehicle and onboard applications in the automotive and defence sectors.
Whereas conventional touchscreens can suffer and degrade in harsh environments, Dolch uses its own EnhancedInfrared technology that is immune to surface damage such as chips or scratches and carries a five-year guarantee.
Because the touchscreen system uses only harmless invisible infrared light beams, there are no overlays or potentially dangerous electric fields that are exposed to the hazardous environment.
A further benefit of the lack of overlays is that the image clarity from the bright, sharp, high-resolution active matrix colour TFT LCD screen is always 100%.
The versatile touchscreen can be operated by users wearing gloves or holding a stylus, and it maintains its calibration over time, never drifting or losing sensitivity.
Forced air circulation ensures that the SafeTTouch D2's electronics are maintained at the optimum temperature, with no risk of condensation forming despite the fully sealed housing.
Mounting options include a panel and pedestal configurations.
The SafeTTouch D2 is available as a touchscreen display or, in the form of the SafeTTouch D2 Plus, as a workstation with an integral 266MHz CPU and 256Mbyte of memory.
Either way, many users will wish to link the device to a remote computer.
The SafeTTouch D2 units incorporate a facility for using the Dolch RayFire digital fibre optic link.
This allows them to be mounted remotely from a host computer - up to 30km in extreme cases - with the added benefit of hot-swap capability.
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