The customer required a custom industrial computing platform to enhance an earlier model while meeting constraints on physical dimensions to fit within the available space envelope. The solution needed to protect against particulate ingress common in tobacco production environments, optimize internal cabling for efficient connection/disconnect inside the machine, and provision for custom sensor connection interfaces.
Compliance with CE EMC emissions standards was essential, as was the ability to handle high data throughput from the continuous inspection processes. Additionally, the system had to be designed with future requirements in mind, to ensure machine interconnects could seamlessly adapt to hardware upgrades without needing to redesign internal wiring looms.
Captec designed and manufactured a highly customised compact computer enclosure, utilising inhouse metalwork design and engineering expertise to meet the customer’s strict space envelope constraints.
Integrated fan filters and gaskets were incorporated to guard against heavy dust ingress, ensuring reliable operation in hostile environments. A custom internal wiring PCB reduced internal cabling, protecting against disconnections, and presented interfaces in the most optimised way for integration in the machine. Whilst futureproofing the external interconnect from any internal motherboard upgrades.
Captec’s in-house EMC testing lab validated compliance to CE/FCC, delivering cost-effective assurance of meeting regulatory compliance. A dual LAN card was integrated to split network traffic, boost performance, and provide redundancy. To future-proof deployments, Captec implemented clone imaging, ensuring the efficiency and consistency of software builds and mitigating the impacts of future hardware updates.
Captec delivered a robust, high-performance computing solution through its full end-to-end design and engineering, backed by its lifecycle support capabilities. By consolidating the supply chain, Captec improved quality, reliability, and product availability while also simplifying procurement for the customer. Reduced lead
times and design for production efficiency accelerated the delivery schedule, giving the customer a faster route to market.
Lifecycle costs were significantly lowered through design simplification and optimization, resulting in substantial long-term savings. Designed specifically for harsh operating conditions, the platform was protected against particulate ingress that regularly compromises conventional computers, causing downtime. Rigorously validated with extensive pre-shipment test cycles, the system was ready for fitment with zero DOAs. This ensured seamless deployment into the customer’s environments while reinforcing Captec’s value as a reliable, trusted partner for the customer’s in-house teams.
