Improving Dairy Manufacturing with High-Tech Stainless Steel IP66/69K Washdown Computers

The Challenge:

• The customer needs a washdown computer with a touchscreen to boost productivity and work with the customer's process management software.
• The Panel PC must withstand daily washdowns to meet strict hygiene rules and ensure food safety.
• The computer should be durable enough to handle harsh, often wet, and humid factory conditions and be cleaned frequently with water jets and cleaning agents.
• It should be an all-in-one system to simplify integration and maintenance and streamline tasks.
• Addressing the previous theft issues, it is imperative that this washdown computer is securely mounted. This measure ensures the safety of the equipment, preventing any potential loss or damage.

The Solution:

• C&T’s Stainless Steel SIO Series features an IP66/IP69K Washdown Touchscreen Computer with an Intel® Celeron® Processor J1900.
• With years of experience in designing and manufacturing industrial-grade computing solutions, C&T's advanced and rugged products are ideal and dependable for commercial and industrial uses.
• C&T's sales and engineering team offers expert advice and local support.

The Benefit:

• The IP66/69K Stainless Steel SIO Panel PC lets the customer fully integrate their process management software thanks to its inclusion of Windows 10 IoT and full touchscreen capabilities.
• The SIO Series' complete IP66/69K stainless steel design met the customer's strict hygiene standards.
• The SIO Series is easy to maintain as it's an all-in-one system made from durable materials and sealed enclosures.
• The optical bonding was very helpful for the customer's daily hot washdowns, and the IP66/69K seal added extra protection.
• The SIO Series includes a native feature to turn the touchscreen on or off, allowing customers to keep the device during intense, high-pressure washdowns.
• The customer could integrate the SIO Series into their system and securely mount it, solving previous theft issues.

Background

Maintaining a hygienic production environment is essential and a standard practice in food manufacturing, particularly in the dairy manufacturing sector. Like other food producers, this dairy manufacturer is committed to producing high-quality dairy products while adhering to the highest hygiene and safety standards. The customer faced challenges keeping their production environment clean and efficient, highlighting the need for advanced technological solutions. The customer's previous solution was an Android tablet in a disposable plastic bag, which was insufficient for meeting their hygiene standards. In this situation, C&T's solution perfectly fits their unique production needs, and they reached out to C&T's team for an industrial-grade panel PC with the following features:

• IP-Rating of 66/69K
• Compliance with hygiene standards
• Touchscreen interface to enhance productivity
• Resistance to harsh environments and chemical washdowns
• Easy maintenance for washdowns without causing downtime
• An all-in-one mounted system

The Challenge

The customer had several needs for their hardware solution to fit their system requirements. They needed a solution that could withstand intense washdowns needed for dairy production hygiene while also having a fully functional touchscreen. The system had to be very durable and reliable, handling frequent washdowns, water, cleaning agents, and dust without failing their requirements. C&T's ready-made solution, the IP66/IP69K Washdown Touchscreen Computer, perfectly met these needs without difficulty or modifications.
 

The Solution

The customer spent about four months looking into various alternatives, most of which were stainless steel IP69K systems, but none completely met their needs. Ultimately, C&T's IP66/IP69K Washdown Touchscreen Computer emerged as the best choice because of its rugged features that increased reliability and minimized unwanted downtime in their dairy equipment production facility.

The SIO Series not only met all the customer's specifications but also offered additional features. Demonstrating our commitment to swift service, C&T promptly provided an off-the-shelf unit for the customer to test. The customer's 20-person test team swiftly recognized the superiority of C&T's SIO Series for their requirements, leading to the widespread adoption of the IP66/IP69K Washdown Touchscreen Computer across their dairy production facility.
 

• IP-Rating of 66/69K
• Compliance with hygiene standards
• Touchscreen interface for better productivity
• Resistance to harsh environments and chemical washdowns
• Easy maintenance during washdowns without causing downtime
• An all-in-one mounted system

Additionally, the SIO Series didn't just meet the customer's stringent needs for their dairy production; it also offered extra features that exceeded their expectations:

• Optical bonding enhancement
• Ruggedized stainless steel pressure valve
• Native control to enable or disable the touchscreen
• Customized performance optimization
• Windows 10 IoT lockdown features
• Standardized display sizes

The Benefit

C&T's ready-to-use solution perfectly met the customer's requirement for an all-in-one stainless steel IP66/69K washdown touchscreen computer. The customer didn't have to give up any of their needs and also gained from unique rugged features that ensured ultimate reliability. With its IP66/69K rated stainless steel build, optical bonding display, pressure valve, and touchscreen on/off toggle, the SIO Series proved the best choice for the HMI factory application in dairy production. Its seamless integration and reliability allowed the customer to meet all their hygiene standards effectively while minimizing downtime in their dairy production operations.