Heavy Industrial application

[sderrick]

Hi,

I'm designing an embedded data acquisition unit that will be operated outside on a large piece of industrial equipment. The unit will be in a NEMA 4X enclosure but the door will be open with a rain shield when in use. The operator will need to see the display day or night.

I'm considering the CFAG320240CX-TFH-T or CFAG320240CX-YYH-T, both positive displays which I hear are the best for sunlight readable. Does that sound best?

The display would be back mounted. Do you have any bezels that are moisture resistant? If not any body have any recommendations on how to mount the LCD to protect it against the occasional rain or mud splatter?

thanks,

Scott Derrick

Crystalfontz LCD Blog

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[CF Tech]

Couple of quick questions:

Is temperature range a factor?

How many are you going to build?

How much of an factor is cost?

Are there other controls in the box?

What I am thinking of is having a "fake front" in the NEMA box. You would mount the display and other controls to this fake front, in kind of a "splash resistant" manner, then the main lid would be closed over the fake front.

In this case, the fake front could be simply constructed:

(the door of the NEMA case)

A sub-chassis of rowder coated sheet metal, with silk-screened instructions, legends, logo, etc. This "sub chassis" would have standoffs pressed in to hold the display, and perhaps some other electronics that need to be in the case.

Gasket between this chassis and a "plexiglas" or tempered glass window.

The window. For low cost, something like 0.030 HP-92 Lexan or Marnot polycarbonate could be used. For ultimate toughness, use some tempered glass.

The display. Its mounting hardware would compress the gasket slightly.

Whatever other electronics you need.

(the back of the NEMA case)

Please remember the white LEDs have a limited lifetime. Either shut them off when the box is closed (or there have been no key presses for some time), or just use the yellow version.

 

[sderrick]

Answers to questions.

Is temperature range a factor?

Yes, we need the wide range at least -20 to 70C

How many are you going to build?

Initially two, a test article and prototype. Then at least 10, then by market demand

How much of an factor is cost?

Well, yes and no. Reliability and doing the job are bigger factors than cost, but cost is always a factor.

Are there other controls in the box?

Yes, industrial NEMA 4X keyboard, USB ports, some switches. Possibly a writing input device, I saw a widget in your software library that will capture one short line of writing, if the limitation is the widget and not the screen I would write my own widget that could accept a larger area, then we wouldn't need a separate input device.

What I am thinking of is having a "fake front" in the NEMA box. You would mount the display and other controls to this fake front, in kind of a "splash resistant" manner, then the main lid would be closed over the fake front.

yes that is exactly the design at this time. The Box will be closed when the rig is not being used. Open when it is. The sub panel will be installed to maintain a NEMA 3 rating for whats behind the panel, SBC, LCD, etc... There would be cut outs for the LCD, USB, switches etc..


Gasket between this chassis and a "plexiglas" or tempered glass window.

The window. For low cost, something like 0.030 HP-92 Lexan or Marnot polycarbonate could be used. For ultimate toughness, use some tempered glass.

Would it necessary to mount the LCD behind glass? That would defeat the hand writing input capability.

Please remember the white LEDs have a limited lifetime. Either shut them off when the box is closed (or there have been no key presses for some time), or just use the yellow version.

We'll just use the yellow if that will extend the lifetime. Are they both as readable in Sunlight?

thanks for the quick response..

Scott

 

[CF Tech]

Sounds like you areon track.

Sorry, I did not notice you has the touch screen ones. No glass is needed.

Any of our positive mode displays (dark dots on a light background) are sunlight readable.

 

[sderrick]

Sorry, I did not notice you has the touch screen ones. No glass is needed.

I think I mixed that up with a competitor product we are evaluating along with the Crystalfontz products. Do you guys make touch screen enabled LCD's?

I couldn't find a reference anywhere?


Scott