Mr. Djemma, why should users in manufacturing be interested in tablets?

Alexander Djemaa: Panel PCs or even permanently installed IT solutions have been very popular to date. However, the use of these devices makes the respective user inflexible, as they are often very large and also permanently integrated. In the event of a power failure, these systems have no operational autonomy as there are usually no internal battery packs installed. Ease of operation and maintenance are very limited. In the event that the panel PC needs to be serviced, for example, the machine would be at a standstill until the replacement device is installed and wired. This would result in corresponding downtimes.

The tablet PC, on the other hand, can be replaced within a very short time by simply docking or undocking it. The devices can be changed easily and flexibly without restricting production operations. The lower purchase price of tablets and the total cost of ownership should also not be neglected.

However, due to the wide variety of problems in the production environment that cannot be effectively handled with a conventional tablet from the consumer sector, we recommend protected tablet PCs for many fields of application.

What requirements do the tablets have to meet in industrial use compared to conventional cusumer tablets?

Djemaa: That depends on the type of production and the area of application of the device. In the food industry, in metalworking or in the production of vehicles and machines, chips and dust are produced and liquids and sometimes chemicals are used. All these external influences damage a conventional tablet whose development process has not taken into account protection against shocks, vibrations and dust and limit the reliable operation of the device.

Industrial tablet PCs, on the other hand, are generally certified to at least IP65 and MIL STD 810G. Only when both standards are met do we speak of robust end devices, whose development incorporates these factors into design, component selection and production.

Logic Instrument even offers devices with a protection class of up to IP68, although the IP protection class IPx8 is not really necessary in an industrial environment. As resistance to vibrations and falls is also required in some cases, we have qualified devices with a drop height of 1.8 m.

In addition, extremely low working temperatures in the food industry of down to -20 °C and sometimes immensely high temperatures of up to +60 °C in other production environments mean that solid protection against cold or heat is required. A tablet with MIL-STD-810G qualification guarantees this safety. This standard is a military standard of the United States Army Development Test Command, which ensures that operational safety is guaranteed when exposed to environmental aspects such as shock, vibration, drops or extreme temperatures. As these tests are very meaningful, the industry usually accepts them as standard.

What specific requirements do the displays have to meet?

Djemaa: First of all, the display must be equipped with tempered glass. So that users can operate the touchscreen by touching it with their finger, it should be capacitive, i.e. it should create a capacitance between the finger and the touchscreen through the user's own body tension. A high touchscreen sensitivity ensures that the tablet can be operated even when wearing gloves made of rubber, leather or textile fabric. However, this is only guaranteed up to a certain thickness of the glove, depending on the material. Alternatively, gloves with metal fibers on the fingertips or a stylus could be used, although users are generally happy to do without these.

The display module, touchscreen and glass pane should be connected via optical bonding so that there is no air between the individual layers. This would restrict the viewing angle, sharpness and therefore readability. The luminosity of the display is also important in production, as this guarantees good readability in combination with today's bright lighting concepts in production buildings.

The robust Fieldbook K101 tablet from Logic Instrument with the Windows 10 Pro or Android 5.1 operating system is designed to support companies with their mobility solutions.

© Logic Instrument

What interfaces do tablets need in production?

Djemaa: There are two different areas of application here. For example, one interface is located directly on the machine, whereby an active docking station installed on the machine is usually used so that cabling is carried out directly via this. The tablet is then connected to DC-In, LAN and possibly USB via a docking connection, preferably with gold contacts (pogo connector). The advantage lies in the aforementioned ease of maintenance and flexibility of the solution.

However, if the devices are to be used in mobile applications, for example in the maintenance or programming of production machines, a native RS232 interface is often required for connection to a PLC. Depending on the size of the production plant, it is often necessary to access different parts of the machine with the computer. This is not possible with a permanently installed device.

The increasing use of WLAN in the production environment means that data security is becoming increasingly important. This is guaranteed by a remote connection and WPA encryption. If a WLAN network is not used and synchronization is necessary, the relevant service technician has an office docking station at his workstation to carry out the necessary synchronization via cable.

Docking stations manufactured by Logic Instrument can generally be modified and adapted to the customer's specific requirements. Our range extends from docking stations with protection against mechanical influences and light splash water protection to particularly robust stations that are IP65-certified.

How do you deal with security concerns when using tablets?

Djemaa: The simplest way is to allow the tablet PC to communicate with the machine or server via cable only. TPM chips are also installed in Logic Instrument tablets, which can implement hardware encryption together with Bitlockers (trade mark from Microsoft), for example. Additional security is provided by hardware encryption options from some software manufacturers as well as authentication using a smart card or fingerprint scanner.

What are the limits of tablet use in production?

Djemaa: Depending on the type of production, robust systems should be used. The interaction between the software and hardware manufacturer is crucial. The fact that tablets between 7 and 12.2 inches are generally offered can lead to a restriction in the ergonomics of the tablet in connection with the application, depending on the application. This can only be remedied by the software manufacturer by adapting the user interface to the selected display size of the system. Provided the requirements for use on a tablet are met, there are almost no limits to the use of tablet PCs.