How to choose the right industrial keyboard
How to choose the right industrial keypad? There are a lot of factors that affect its final appearance. Before buying a industrial keyboard, there are some key factors to consider that will help you choose the best device to meet your needs. Check out what issues you need to pay attention to before buying a keyboard:
Where will the keyboard be used?
Industrial keyboards are designed and built to mainly operate in extreme industrial conditions. When deciding on a keyboard, it is important to determine where it will be used and how it will be used. If it will work in high-risk environments where there is a possibility of explosion, for example, the keypad will be tested to meet industry standards. In hygienic environments such as medicine or food production, industrial keypads are designed to withstand cleaning with disinfectants and water.
When selecting a device, the following elements should be considered:
decide if you need numbers, letters, function keys. The standard keyboard has 101 or 102 keys, but industrial keyboards can be configured with a variable number of keys, depending on your needs.
decide where the keyboard will be placed. Is it to be integrated into the system or standalone. For example, you can choose between VESA and AMPS mounting, front panel integration or cabinet mounting.
based on the environment, consider whether the keyboard must be vandal-proof, waterproof, explosion-proof, shock and vibration-proof, or chemical-resistant
how the user will interact with the keyboard. Should it be a trackball, touchpad, joystick or pointing button?
What protective standards are needed?
they are very durable, almost indestructible, often made of steel and waterproof, and are designed for outdoor use, such as in kiosks and public terminals such as ticket machines, ATMs, etc.
you need to know the working conditions and environment to choose the right protection level (IP level). The first digit indicates protection against contact with solid objects the second digit indicates protection against the ingress of water and/or dust. Industrial keypads are generally IP65 or IP68 rated.
The two-digit IK designation indicates the mechanical protection index against impact energy, given in joules. It indicates the equivalent of the fall of a mass of a specified weight from a specified height.
refer to the protection of people working in explosion-sensitive environments. Among other things, there are industrial monitors that meet ATEX standards for use in explosive atmospheres.
this is a military standard that indicates the durability of a device. This standard indicates the extent to which a product is suited to environmental conditions.
also a military standard and indicates electromagnetic compatibility.
What type of keyboard mounting is required?
these closed or enclosed keyboards are configured for office applications. Desktop keyboards often use a tilted case or folding legs to tilt the keyboard surface toward the operator.
these are built-in keypads that allow for easy integration on the top or front surface of a control panel or device, such as a machine control panel.
Keyboards with optimized dimensions for ideal integration into shelves or drawers to access video, keyboard and touchpad functions through a single workstation and manage one or more servers.
this version without frame or housing is designed to be integrated into a machine or kiosk.
What is the best pointing device based on usage?
Industrial keyboards can have an integrated pointing device that replaces the mouse:
it allows for more precise cursor control and is useful for both right- and left-handed users. The trackball also has the advantage of being user-friendly for those using it with work gloves.
moves the cursor with a simple swipe across the surface.
is a force-sensing pointing device that measures the pressure exerted on a sensor cell with a variable value. The technology can be used in thin and flexible applications.
In this type of system, the operator moves a moving part (joystick) to control cursor movement. Single- or multi-axis joysticks are available, depending on the complexity of the application.
What connector is required?
Connectors refer to the physical connections used for data transmission and electrical connections. The choice of connector depends on the computer or terminal to which you intend to connect the keyboard and what ports are available on it. You can choose from:
A connector used to connect a keyboard and/or mouse before the advent of USB. With this connector, it is necessary to connect the device to the computer before turning it on, otherwise the keyboard/mouse will not work.
It is the most universal and widespread connector technology.
There are two main technologies Wi-Fi; and a wireless keyboard that works via Bluetooth through a receiver connected to a USB port.
enables you to connect devices compatible with this standard (hard drive, DVD drive, etc.) to the motherboard. It defines the data transfer format, as well as the format of the cable.
uses a method known as multiplexing, which involves connecting a large number of ECUs to the same cable (bus), which then communicate individually, thus avoiding the use of too many cables (depending on the application). The CAN (Controller Area Network) data bus is a serial system bus that is widely used in many industries, including the automotive industry.
What type of keys and technology is available?
when a key is pressed, a switch is activated, which sends a signal to the processor. Its advantages are speed, ease of use, individually replaceable keys in case one stops working.Disadvantages, more expensive and noisier than membrane keyboards.
these are made of several layers of polyester. An industrial keyboard of this type has a visible layer and an invisible layer, which contains circuits made of silver and/or conductive carbon by screen printing. Industrial keyboards can be flat (simple and inexpensive), or have metal pads or dome switches to create a tactile effect.The advantages of these keyboards are that they are easy to personalize and cheaper than mechanical keyboards. Disadvantages include a shorter lifespan and slower operation than mechanical keyboards.
We distinguish between capacitive touch (which responds to a change in the electromagnetic field when a finger is touched) and resistive touch (two layers that come into contact when a finger is pressed, causing current to flow). The disadvantage of capacitive touch is that you have to press the keys with bare fingers, making it impossible to wear gloves while working.
they rely on applying a mechanical charge to certain crystal elements, such as quartz or Rochelle salts, to produce electrical charges. The advantages of this type of keypads are very high durability, so they can be used near water and have a long life.
At CONSTEEL electronics we have industrial keypads with a high IP rating, which are detrended specifically for use in harsh industrial environments. Depending on your environmental needs, you can find keypads with the following enclosures in our store:
If you already know what to look for and how to look for it check out our entire range of industrial keypads.
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