RFID Tag Reader
OPD worked with Extronics to create the first ATEX (a regulation of safety requirements for intrinsically safe equipment) rated device that combines an RFID reader, Bluetooth, and a touchscreen stylus to track assets, monitor maintenance and demonstrate regulatory compliance in extreme environments.
Key requirements of the product included the ability to use the device in extreme environments, including a temperature range of -20°C to +55°C; and the ability to withstand a drop of up to 2 metres onto concrete at -20°C, followed by IP65 water and dust ingress testing.
We devised approaches to every detail of the industrial design, from casework to the detailed engineering of all components, seals and jigs. We also designed fixtures to aid product assembly, including ‘encapsulation’ tooling to encase the internals in a block of thermally dissipative rubber, as required to achieve intrinsic safety requirements of the ATEX rating.