We have all already seen, in an image of a construction site covered in the news, a field operator holding an astonishing tablet with a robust appearance, as if it had been covered in a shell. This is a hardened tablet, also called an industrial tablet. It differs from general public tablets , intended for domestic use.
What is a rugged tablet used for?
On the other hand, the hardened tablet is specially designed to withstand environments deemed difficult , even extreme. As a result, it is made from solid, industrial quality components.
It is suitable for professional use in mobility, and allows you to embed interfaces for business applications, production monitoring, data collection, etc.
Today, it supports many professionals from all sectors of activity (transport, energy, construction, health, chemistry, agri-food, etc.) and has become an essential tool.
The differences relate to several aspects which we will detail (robustness, screen brightness, waterproofing, processor and operating system, connectivity, price).
Robustness
Robustness is the first and most visible difference criterion.
For a consumer tablet, manufacturers take into consideration the concern for lightness and pleasant design .
In the professional world, the risk of damage to equipment is more serious. It can have an impact on production capacity. For these reasons, a good rugged tablet must have a reinforced chassis for intensive use in difficult conditions. They meet solidity standards to withstand falls of 1 meter 20, or even 2 meters for some.
Most are also resistant to strong vibrations, thanks to anti-shock technology . Another characteristic, highly sought after on the industrial tablet, is resistance to extreme temperatures . It remains operational at temperatures between -20°C and +60°C, while a domestic tablet operates between 0°C and 35°C.
The American military standard MIL-STD-810 is generally taken into account in the design of rugged tablets, because its specifications meet criteria for the robustness of computer hardware. We can cite some tests, such as:
- High temperature (method 501)
- Low temperature (method 502)
- Thermal shock (method 503)
- Humidity (method 504)
- Resistance to salt spray (method 509)
- Vibration resistance (method 514)
- Impact resistance (method 516)
- Cannon firing (method 519)
Screen brightness
Since industrial tablets can be used in external environments, a very special care has been taken to the brightness of the screen. It is a question of keeping a visible screen, despite a situation of high light ( Super High Brightness ), for field operators likely to work in full sun. The finesse of the light intensity setting is also studied for night use , in order to maintain a certain discretion, despite a screen that sparkles the night.
The tightness
Waterproofing is another important criterion, which distinguishes industrial tablets from general public tablets, often without this option. The hardened tablets must, on the contrary, resist any risk of splashes or projections of liquids of all kinds, especially in an environment where chemicals are handled. The tightness also helps protect industrial tablets, potentially put to the test by dust of all kinds.
Therefore, it is not uncommon for industrial tablets to comply with specific standards. Compliance with the IP68 standard, for example, guarantees resistance to dust and immersion for a maximum duration of 30 minutes to less than a meter deep.
Connectors
Connectors is another distinctive element. The general public tablets generally only need a USB or USB-C port, an audio port to connect a helmet and/or a microphone, and a micro SD card reader. Still in a concern to meet aesthetic considerations, we see more and more the port used to recharge the device, make double use with the traditional audio port, which is purely deleted.
The industrial tablet offers more sophisticated connective possibilities, to meet the different needs of professionals. To the elements mentioned above, can be added, as needed, a serial port, an Ethernet port, a mini PCIE slot to receive extensions (GPS, 4G, etc.), an RFID player, an NFC reader, a barcode reader, etc.
The objective is to simplify the interdependence of different tools (printers, external readers, keyboards, networks, etc.).
The processor and the operating system
Rugged tablets are, for the most part, equipped with Intel Core or Intel Atom processors , to meet increased performance requirements. Windows operating system in professional environments, while home tablets operate more under Android and iOS. But this reality is starting to be contradicted, with the rise of the Android operating system.
Good to know : If you are looking for a powerful rugged tablet, we recommend that you choose it with an Intel core I5 or I7 processor !
The price
The price difference between a rugged tablet and a consumer tablet is naturally proportional to the differences in performance. You have to pay between €300 and €1000 to buy a consumer tablet, and invest between € 700 and €3000 to purchase a rugged tablet , depending on business needs.
It is indeed an investment, because an industrial tablet is designed to last. Indeed, if we are interested in the total cost of ownership (TCO), which reflects the life cycle cost of a product, the choice of a rugged tablet is a wise purchase. It is amortized over time , whereas over a period of 5 years, a consumer tablet should probably be replaced 2 or 3 times, for intense use in a professional environment.
Useful object for entertainment, the great strength of the tablet is its mobility. She knew how to conquer the professional world by adapting to the specific conditions of this environment.
The hardened tablet is thus more solid, more efficient, durable, and necessarily also more expensive..
