Regarding "Data Collection Station Computer/Monitor Enclosures"

Angelo,
Here's another idea for you to ponder.
Blackbox sells "Station Extender Kits" that allow a PC-CPU to be up to 200
feet away from the monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
The idea being to have your shop floor PC's located in a protected office or
room on the edge of the shop floor and then run cables from each PC to the
shop floor to support the monitors, keyboards, and mousses.
I haven't research this in depth, just saw it in a catalog and was
intrigued. We already have our shop floor PC's setup.
Personal experience is that monitors last forever on a shop floor - they
just get dirty. Keyboards die when the dirt fills up the space between the
keys. You can get cheap plastic covers to protect them but my experience is
that they are a pain in the butt to type through. Mice seem to hold up
fairly well - you just have to clean them every so often. PC's on the other
hand do not like the dust.
Hence the idea of protecting the PC's by removing them from the shop floor.
Shop around, I've seen these extender kits in a number of catalogs and the
prices very greatly. Blackbox is usually a little on the pricey side of
the street. I'd also look for kits that use type-5 cable if you can. These
kits may be cheaper then buying enclosures.
Good Luck
Todd Anderson
From: Angelo Vitalone <avitalone@...
</post/vantage?protectID=243130020165158153112158163248249253188210091009077
027208211027205015143149>>
Date: Tue Aug 15, 2000 5:20am
Subject: Data Collection Station Computer/Monitor Enclosures


Our setup for vantage will include three data collection stations in our
production or shop area, which will use a touchscreen at each of the three
stations. We have not found a suitable vendor to buy such a unique item.
Does anyone have a suggestion as far as a vendor that could be of assistance
(A link to a web site would be very helpful). Obviously we could fabricated
the enclosures in house, but if we went down that route I would need a
vendor cut sheet and/or picture to help the design process.

Thank You