A unique series of stainless steel Panel PCs with waterproof connectors and pushbutton controls. Leave it to Winmate to try something new. The Taipei-based company, which has a worldwide presence and distribution, prides itself on a history of ongoing development and innovation in industrial displays, touch screens, digital signage, embedded systems, and all sorts of rugged tablets and handhelds for industries ranging from transportation and logistics, to marine and military, railway, oil and gas, medical, smart grid, healthcare, and field service. So the company's latest family of industrial computers and displays — the Winmate Stainless B Series Panel PCs — is no surprise: Combining physical pushbuttons, rotating selector dials, and pop-out emergency switches with capacitive multi-touch can make total sense. The answer is easy. While touch screens are programmable and customizable to handle almost every conceivable human-machine-interface task, the emphasis here is on "almost." That's because there are applications where touch is not only not the best solution, but can be distracting or even downright dangerous. That can be the case in moving vehicles or any other operation where eyes need to be on something other than the screen. A classic example is car audio. In the past, car radios could safely and easily be operated with just two control knows. One that turned the radio on and off and controlled volume. The other tuned the radio to the station you wanted to listen to. Later, there were push buttons for favorite stations. Heat and fan speed likewise used rotating knobs or sliders. Today, almost all such functions are controlled by touch screens that provide no tactile feedback at all. Drivers need to take their eyes off the road and look at the screen to perform functions. Touch in vehicles works best when it's presented in hybrid solutions that combine touch and physical controls. In a sense, while touch screens are just that, touch screens, it's actually physical controls that allow humans to control machinery by touch alone. You can feel a button, slider, or dial. You know where it is and what it does. Touch screens, as they are today, require both touch and sight. That's dangerous, frustrating, and inefficient. Likewise, in many industrial settings, there are processes and machinery that operators need to keep their eyes on. Winmate's stainless pushbutton panels and monitors: concept and models Winmate's vision for the Stainless B Series is for the push buttons to enhance systems control in work areas, eliminating wasted movement and increasing productivity. That's what the programmable buttons are for, a quick push rather than touching the screen to bring up menus and menu selections. When an emergency situation occurs, there's no time navigating through menus and pulldowns and screens; it's much better to have a big red button to instantly shut down the process. Winmate also argues that using push-button devices for certain applications makes economic sense: wiring, installation, and training cost much less than doing a much more complex electronic solution. Here are the primary features of Winmate's Stainless B Series: All come with the same physical button complement: An emergency shut-off button, three programmable hardware buttons, and one rotating selector dial switch. All use rugged, heavy-duty, corrosion-resistant SUS316/AISI 316 stainless steel enclosures that are nearly indestructible. All are IP65-protected not just in the front, but all around (thanks to M12 waterproof screw-on connectors). This means they are not only fully dust-proof but also protected against low-pressure water jets from all directions. They come (for now) in four different display sizes, with screens as compact as 10-inches diagonal and as large as 22-inches diagonal. All models are fanless and fully sealed. All have either 12 Volt DC or a wide 9~36 Volt DC power input range. Display resolutions and pixel density vary between models. All models have VESA mount holes for use with arm mounts, pole mounts, wall mounts or vehicle mounts. All models are also available with yoke mount stands. Each of the models comes either as a Panel PC or as just a monitor. As for the last bullet point, yes, Winmate makes each of the four display sizes available as either a full-function Panel PC or, in the same exact package, as a monitor-only device. That's because separating the computer from the display is often necessary or desirable in the industries Winmate targets with this line. Examples are deployments that require scalable computer performance, mounting in extreme environments, or use in areas where data security or vandalism considerations come into play. The separation of computer and display also allows for a wider range of matching interface features and screen size to a specific application. Yes, what immediately sets the Winmate B Series apart is its use of large push buttons and a rotary switch as user interface elements. Each of the B Series models has those buttons. There are three programmable function buttons in red, green, and blue. There's a large three-position rotary selector switch that's used to put the capacitive touch screen into hand, rain, or glove mode. And there's a large red emergency shutdown button that immediately shuts off everything. Why is Winmate using push buttons at a time where more and more functionality moves from physical buttons to touch screens? An extreme example are Tesla cars where virtually all physical buttons have been replaced by one large central touch screen. Winmate B Series Display features stainless SUS316 corrosion-resistant housing and big mechanical push buttons on the front. Push buttons bring control and indication directly to the work area, eliminating wasted movement and increasing productivity. In addition, the physical buttons are especially needed for critical tasks like emergency shutdowns. When an emergency situation occurs, we don’t want to waste time navigating through HMI screens but a simple and quick way to shut down the process. In terms of machine integration, push-button devices are easy to install and wire, and straightforward for understanding the function and use. Averagely the wiring time is saved by over 60%, and the installation cost is reduced by more than 30%. Features Intel® Celeron® N2930 (2M Cache, up to 2.16 GHz) Fanless cooling system SUS 316/ AISI 316 stainless steel for food and chemical industries Full IP65 waterproof enclosure A true flat, easy-to-clean front surface with an edge-to-edge design Supports VESA mount The rotary switch adjust different touch mode for Hand/ Rain/ Glove application Emergency and Flat buttons for automation device control Optical bonding (optional) Emergency Stop When an emergency occurs, we don’t want to waste time navigating through HMI screens; hence a button offers a quick and simple way to shut down the process. Powerful Panel PCs-- the aesthetic and functional calling card of every machine or plant Winmate developed the very first Panel PCs for straight assimilation in the machine as very early as the 1996s, thus opening the possibility of successfully incorporating application procedure and control in a solitary device. First PC-based equipment control With the first self-developed Panel Computers, the foundations were hence laid for today's detailed profile. The goal is still the exact same currently as it was after that: modern Control board modern technology combined with high-performance PC innovation. The outcome is an all-in-one device that can be integrated efficiently and also cheaply in the equipment. As a combination of Control Panel (HMI) and Industrial Computer (IPC), the Winmate Panel PC appropriates for installment in the control cabinet as well as for placing arm installation. High-performance components make machine-level operation, control as well as monitoring among the staminas of the Panel Computers, whose classy real estates are designed for simple access of all elements and also optimum area use. A high-performance platform for each application in equipment construction and also plant design can be created from the combination of various display screen sizes from 5.7 to 24-inch and also different add-on PCs with cpus from Intel Atom ® to Core ™ i7. Advanced multi-touch technology meets tried-and-tested housing innovation as well as perfectly matched computer hardware. Devices from Winmate enhance the overall system Winmate is just one of the pioneers of PC-based automation: The very first PC control system was supplied as early as 1996. Thanks to the extensive technical experience that has established over the past decades, Winmate Panel PCs are characterized by the finest and are used effectively worldwide. As an outcome, Winmate Industrial Computers often tend to consist of the newest offerings of the innovation market. Every new modern technology, whether from the industrial or consumer section, is examined by Winmate for its possible commercial application, adapted and also enhanced as proper and also integrated. Winmate made the functional concept of capacitive touch innovation suitable for commercial use in terms of availability, electromagnetic compatibility, mechanical stability as well as exterior dimensions through assimilation of matching basic modern technologies. Multi-touch modern technology In order to meet the high needs for mechanical stability, compatibility with extreme commercial atmospheres, precise procedure as well as stylish layout, Winmate uses exclusively made multi-touch sensing units. All necessary controller boards are self-developed as well as manufactured in-house. The result is an extremely durable total system, which enables modern operating comfort even in harsh maker settings. Housing innovation As a leader in Control Panel as well as Panel PC modern technology, Winmate has constantly mainly count on high-grade light weight aluminum as a standard material for its items. Aluminum is characterized by extremely high mechanical security, outstanding thermal conductivity, high capability even in EMC-critical environments, flexible production options and also, last but not the very least, excellent aesthetics. Flawlessly matched PC hardware Whether for application as a display gadget (HMI) or as a complete Control Panel PC, Winmate relies on its own know-how in the area of PC-based control technology too, with self-developed and also manufactured motherboards. By doing this, the user gain from adaptable, high-performance equipment systems with ensured long-term accessibility. The company's very own equipment is finished off by a self-developed biographies along with comprehensive expertise of Microsoft operating systems. Advantage at the really core A substantial variety of industrially proven Panel PCs-- due to the combination of thorough experience in the following areas: - housing modern technology - touch modern technology - motherboard development - biographies and also running systems - customer-specific adjustments Equilibrium in between newest computer technology as well as lasting accessibility of control elements Thanks to innovative Commercial computer modern technology in a wide range of type factors, supplemented by a worked with profile of accessory elements, Winmate Panel Computers are at the heart of a wide range of automation tasks, including control of devices, procedures and logistics systems, networking of plant parts, information purchase and also picture handling. For classic control jobs, PC-based control technology provides excellent scalability as well as adaptability and is consequently increasingly being used in place of hardware PLCs. The comprehensive portfolio of Panel PCs, Industrial PCs and also Control board is supplemented by a comprehensive variety of accessories. They also meet the rigid demands in regards to quality, performance and also availability of industrial settings. The Winmate Panel PC devices include: - added network interfaces and various other interfaces - general push-button expansions - key-board shelves and deals with - UPS systems and batteries - Wi-Fi as well as smart phone solutions - different operating systems - Winmate service tool for backup/restore - USB extender components - added storage media or 2 1/2 inch SSDs - linking wires