DESIGN A RELIABLE CONTROL PANEL

How to protect you HMI from environmental influences?

There is no standard or common understanding of a harsh environment, each market is demanding in its own way and every application has its own unique conditions it needs to be able to handle. Therefore, each custom project requires an environmental study to establish the external factors that the solution will have to withstand.

Usually, the first factor to look at is if it is meant for inside or outside use.

When the application is meant for outside use, the common factors to consider are weather conditions, like rain, mud, temperatures and UV exposure, and potential for vandalism.

However, inside usage doesn’t automatically mean a relatively safe environment with dust as the biggest concern as there could be a need for frequent cleaning or even a washdown with pressured water, like they do in food processing industry when cleaning production lines.

It is important to consider all possibilities of wear and tear. It can be easier to notice the common ones, like dust, water, salt, mud, vibration, shock, and chemicals, but it is important to dig deeper and find the not so obvious factors, like abrasion, sweat, sun cream and electromagnetic radiation.

APEM has its own testing lab, where we can determine the level of IP , IK , perform lifecycles and provide support for qualifying to standards , like safety and EMC.

Furthermore, over the years we have accumulated experience in various markets and what to consider for their equipment and machinery. Learn more by clicking below.