Digital signage is not just an advertising platform. The visibility and flexibility of a screen network makes it an effective form of communication for all sorts of locations. For business, digital signage makes ideal an ideal internal communication system, helping employers communicate with the workforce, relay orders, keep people informed of changes and provide a communication platform that can aid productivity and increase efficiency.
Because digital signage is highly visible it is an effective platform for communication in areas where normal communication methods prove challenging. Large premises such as warehouses are often noisy locations with a workforce spread out over a large distance. Often, due to the need for employees in these areas to be moving about, communication platforms such as email are not feasible, so getting information across can be a challenge.
The advantage of digital signage for these warehousing and industrial locations is that the visibility and ability to upload information, remotely and instantly, means that communication is possible over large areas. But digital signage in these sorts of areas does pose a few challenges, namely because of the actual environments.
Many industrial type locations are not the ideal areas to run a screen network due to the environmental conditions. Some warehouses may be dusty environments; other locations could be chilled or wash down areas. All these elements could damage a normal digital signage display so a more protective solution is required.
As with outdoor digital signage, industrial digital signage requires comprehensive protection. For chilled and freezer environments, this may mean maintaining the temperature of the LCD screen above zero, while wash down and dusty areas need an impervious LCD enclosure to prevent ingress from particles or moisture, both of which could disable a digital signage display. Digital signage in industrial locations also needs adequate physical protection to prevent damage to the screen – especially in areas where forklift trucks and other machinery could knock into a screen.
When looking for industrial digital signage solutions, a good place to start is to make sure the screens have been built to sufficient NEMA of IP standards. For dusty environments, this means an LCD enclosure built to at least IP 54 (NEMA 3), while for wash down environments, a rating of IP 65 (NEMA 4) will be required to protect from water.
Shatterproof screens are also necessary in these environments, especially in areas where food is produced, as broken glass caused by an accident can lead to shutdown of production and cause possible contamination.
For frozen and chilled environments, heated LCD enclosures are usually necessary to maintain a stable internal temperature. The heating systems need a thermostat to prevent overheating.
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