What Are IP Rated Tablet Enclosures?

As tablet kiosks become more affordable and accessible for different industries, traditional kiosks such as car park pay machines are being replaced by cost-effective tablet kiosks.

By utilising a modular system, tablet kiosks are easy to service, clean and maintain, creating an ideal solution. But by requiring them to perform outside, tablet kiosks have to meet a new set of requirements.

Tablets are traditionally manufactured as a consumer product, which rarely requires a waterproof, and weatherproof design. This level of protection is recognised through an IP rating.

What is an IP Rating?

An IP (Ingress Protection) rating is an international classification for the level of resistance electrical equipment has to moisture and foreign bodies such as dust, tools and fingers etc.

The IP rating consists traditionally of two digits, rating from 1 being the lowest to 9:

1.The first digit refers to the level of protection users have against moving parts of the equipment, and also the level that the equipment is protected against solid foreign bodies intruding into the enclosure e.g. dust. These digits start at 1 meaning there is no special protection in place and rate to 7 being totally dust tight

2.The second digit refers to the level of protection the equipment has against the entry of moisture, from slight contact, to full submersion.These digits start at 1 meaning there is no protection to 9 meaning the device is protected from prolonged submersion under pressure.

For example, the iPhone 7 has an IP rating of 67. The 6 means that the phone is fully enclosed and no dust can penetrate the enclosure reaching the internals. The 7 means that the phone can be taken down to 1 metre of submersion for 30 minutes.

When do you require an IP rated tablet kiosk?

An IP rated tablet enclosure is important for volatile environments and is entirely down to the end user to determine the level of protection. Outside enclosures with covering would require an iP protection of around 55*, but enclosures which have complete exposure to the elements would require an IP67 to IP69 dependent on the environment.

An IP rated tablet kiosk could be suitable for solutions such as outdoor ordering kiosks, car parking payment machines and access control. In some instances, the IP rating required would be considerably less than others, but this is determined by the environmental hazards.

When you don’t need them

If a tablet enclosure is under cover or inside, it’s highly unlikely that you will require an IP rated enclosure, however, that is entirely at the judgement of the customer.

Tablet Enclosures and IP Ratings

When considering an IP rated tablet enclosure, look first at using an IP rated tablet which are readily available on the market. This ensures the coverage of the touch screen has been factored into the design of the tablet and will not affect screen sensitivity. If you want to enclose a non IP rated tablet for use in an outdoor environment then an additional water resistant screen needs to be included in the design of the tablet enclosure. This may negatively affect the sensitivity of the touch screen and is not recommended.

 

Our tablet enclosures are primarily designed for internal use and at present we do not provide an IP rated tablet enclosure. However, we have worked with a client to integrate IP rated tablets within our standard enclosures, which have worked successfully.

If you have a project that involves tablet kiosks being used outdoors then talk to one of expert account managers today.

*this is just a guide