Publication date: 26 January 2010
All notebook Commercial-grade computers are relatively inexpensive, but high failure rates when used outside the office can undermine the business case for mobile working; one of the most powerful trends affecting modern organisations. For a higher initial purchase price, a rugged handheld, tablet or notebook computer can offer a higher return on investment.
Mobile working has been adopted enthusiastically by individuals and organisations. Modern lifestyles benefit from the flexibility available, and enterprises as well as government agencies see it as a way to increase productivity and improve service delivery. There are also opportunities to trim overhead costs such as premises. Industry and technology analysts predict that as many as one billion people worldwide, including around three-quarters of the workforce in countries such as the UK and USA, will be working in this way by 2012.
Among the most important enablers for this dramatic shift, advances in mobile computing give field-based workers the resources necessary to complete more of their work at the point of presence, without having to return to the office.
When operated outside the relatively benign office environment, however, mobile devices can encounter hazards that they are not equipped to survive, such as drops, liquid spills or falling objects. Since these are the three major causes of damage to notebook PCs, a rugged PC, which is inherently better able to withstand such events than standard commercial-grade equipment, can offer an advantageous investment for some types of mobile workers – particularly those whose roles involve visiting construction sites, extensive outdoor work, or intensive travelling.
Rugged notebook PCs have design features aimed specifically at enabling the device to operate in a variety of harsh environments. Units tend to be visibly different from commercial PCs, with a metal-alloy case often including shock-absorbing features to minimise impact damage at corners or other areas. A lack of air vents, which collect dust and dirt and provide an entry point for moisture, is another giveaway sign; the machines tend to be designed for fanless operation to eliminate this potential weakness.
Internal features can include shock-resistant mountings for sensitive components such as the Hard-Disk Drive (HDD), and also for the display. In some cases, a solid-state disk may be specified, which has no moving parts and is therefore inherently more resilient to shock and vibration.
Another technique to improve resistance to shock is to specify a screen having LED backlights. As well as eliminating the relatively fragile CCFL fluorescent units of conventional screens this also contributes to lower overall power consumption, allowing a typical rugged machine to operate for longer in the field without needing to be recharged. In addition, some rugged units make provision for easy replacement of the battery while on the move. This allows the user to swap to a spare, fully charged battery if necessary and so continue working even if it is not practical to recharge the PC from a wall socket.
Among the types of rugged machines available, semi-rugged notebooks such as the Twinhead Durabook, Panasonic Toughbook™ or similar series from Getac and General Dynamics are appreciably tougher than commercial-grade computers but have limited protection against dust or water ingress. They are usually certified to some, but not all, MIL-STD810F standards. Most semi-rugged computers are protected, although not sealed, against dust.
Fully rugged PCs, on the other hand, meet the MIL-STD810F tests for drops, vibration, immersion and temperature extremes, resulting in a broader operating envelope. Some examples include rugged tablet PCs such as the Steatite SRT840 and notebooks including the Getac A790 and Toughbook CF30. Features such as sealed ports allow most fully rugged computers to achieve a high Ingress Protection (IP) rating against incursion by dust and water. Fully rugged computers tend to be rated at least to IP54 or higher, and may be able to survive temporary immersion.
It is worth noting that, although rugged PCs are rated to MIL-STD810F, these standards have gained acceptance in industries beyond the military for their methods of objectively determining whether a device is able to withstand potentially destructive elements. Hence the added toughness implicit in MIL-STD810F approval delivers benefits in numerous sectors such as manufacturing, construction, chemicals and mobile communications, as well as organisations such as local authorities.
This extra ability to operate reliably throughout a harsh working life comes at a purchase-price premium; a rugged notebook PC will typically sell for around four or five times the price of an ordinary commercial equivalent. However, purchasers should consider the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) throughout the lifetime of the equipment.
The TCO for a commercial-grade notebook, when used under conditions that it cannot physically withstand, can rise significantly if frequent repair or replacement is required. However, even these high costs do not reflect the full impact of equipment failures at the organisational level. The cost of downtime while the user is unable to carry out his or her full duties can accumulate quickly. The time to load existing tools or data onto a new replacement machine also compromises productivity. In addition, the true costs of the permanent loss of any documents or data, resulting from equipment failure, must also be considered.Buyers of equipment such as handheld, tablet or notebook PCs for mobile workers should investigate the likely TCO associated with commercial and rugged equipment before committing to a purchase. Researchers regularly analyse markets for rugged and commercial mobile computing. The Venture Development Corporation’s annual Total Cost of Ownership Models (www.vdcresearch.com) is one example. VDC has found that some 25% of commercial-grade computers fail in the first year of use, in a normal office environment; when used in any scenario other than an office, this rate increases dramatically.
Without considering any opportunity costs, the purchase and repair costs in the first year generally show a slight advantage for the commercial-grade product. However, rugged computers display a clear TCO advantage in the three-to-five year useful lifetime that most workhorse devices are expected to achieve.
After factoring-in opportunity costs, however, an even more persuasive argument emerges. Mobile working has become successful by presenting a sound business case based on increased productivity. Rugged computers, which achieve significantly higher uptime than their commercial counterparts, deliver a greater return on investment throughout their entire lifetime.
Steatite Limited is a group company of Solid State PLC. Steatite is divided into product divisions: Wordsworth Technology, Steatite Rugged, Steatite Battery and ICP, together offering a range of complementary products and systems that range from, industrial computer equipment, batteries, components, timing and frequency products, embedded solutions, and a full range of rugged notebook computers and PDAs.
In addition, Steatite has specialist industry skills in Oil and Gas, Oceanography, Satellite systems, Telecommunications, Medical, Government, Security and Military applications. Dedicated in-house teams support customers by designing, building and supplying the most advanced range of components and systems tailored to their application needs supported by the reassurance of first class quality standards’Based in Redditch, Worcestershire, UK, Steatite employs 43 people and has an annual turnover of £8.9 million.
For more information visit the Steatite web site at: http://www.steatite-rugged.co.uk/
