Impressive stainless steel waterproof industrial touchscreen panel PC with IP69K sealed cable gland conduit
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

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In this article we'll describe Teguar's waterproof panel computers in general, and examine a special version, the TSC-5010-15. The latter addresses high-pressure and high-temperature cleaning requirements by using a sealed cable gland conduit design for wired connectivity instead of the more common waterproof screw-on connectors.

Teguar specifically designed their waterproof industrial panel PCs for harsh environments where daily washdown and equipment cleanings are needed. Target deployments are human-machine interface applications in areas such as food services, chemical factories, medical and pharmaceutical, process control and various custom HMI applications. To match different requirements, the panels come in difference sizes with different mounting options, different levels of waterproofing, different housing materials, and a wide variety of optional configurations and functionality.

While from the front Teguar's waterproof panel computers and monitors have the sleek appearance of modern tablet computers, they are full-fledged, heavy industrial workhorses built to provide years of reliable 24/7 operation without ever breaking a sweat. And while they are tools for the job, they offer plenty of performance from their powerful Intel Core processors.

The picture above shows the TSC-5010-15, the customized version of the line specifically configured for use in wash down environments. This is done with a unique cable conduit and sealing design that allows the use of standard I/O cables to the ports while maintaining a fully waterproof system.

Teguar's waterproof industrial panels and monitors: concept and models

Teguar offers over a dozen of different waterproof industrial panel computers and monitors. While most share a consistent look and design, they are differentiated in terms of processing power, interface configuration, display size and aspect ratio, much is shared between the models. Here are the primary features of Teguar's waterproof systems:

• Models are available with a variety of Intel CPUs from the higher-end Core as well as the lower-end Celeron processor lines.

• All models use embedded-style motherboards that offer extensive customization options both in configuration and in I/O support.

• All models use heavy-duty stainless steel design.

• Most models use IP68-rated M12 screw-on metal connectors, but Teguar also uses the cable gland conduit method that allows the use of industry standard cables and has a number of benefits we'll discuss in more detail.

• Most models provide room for two 2.5-inch SATA SSD locations for significant internal storage

• All models are available with resistive or optional projected capacitive touch screens (the latter in IP69K-rated versions).

• All models are available not only with the standard SUS304 stainless steel housings, but also with SUS316 stainless steel that contains molybdenum and more nickel for enhanced corrosion resistance.

• Display resolutions and pixel density vary between models, and different luminance options are available for most versions.

Now let's take a closer look at the TSC-5010-15 sample unit Teguar sent RuggedPCReview.com for evaluation.

Teguar TSC-5010-15

In this day and age of 27-inch desktop monitors and 70-inch 4K TVs, a 15-inch display isn't considered very big, but with its heaviest-duty stainless steel body, the TSC-5010-15 definitely is a big and hefty piece of equipment, weighing in at 18.5 pounds. This is a heavy as well as heavy-duty machine.

The first impression one gets of any of the Teguar stainless steel panels is how massive and incredibly solid these computers are. They look and feel like they're milled out of solid blocks of steel. That, of course, would neither be necessary nor feasible, but that's how solid they feel. As is, the housing of the TSC-5010-15 is made from what looks to be 16 gauge steel (roughly 1.5mm), which is considerably thicker than auto body sheet metal. The housing uses a box-and-cover design, with the front box about 1-1/4 inch thick, and the beveled backside adding room and a good 2-1/2 inches to that. That space is needed to accommodate what's for all practical purposes a full-size PC motherboard with all of its edge-mounted I/O and a massive cooling sink.

While the housings look like they are made from solid blocks, they are welded together of cut pieces of SUS304 stainless steel. Or, optionally, with SUS316 stainless steel that contains molybdenum and more nickel for even better corrosion resistance. The weld quality is very high, with not a seam visible and every joint rounded off to perfection. Sealing between the two halves is via a thick, flat glued-on rubber pressure seal. The halves are held together by a grand total of 28 Torx screws. Below you can see what it all looks like inside, on the left with the big heatsink in place, and on the right after we removed it to get a closer look at the electronics.

Inside, there is a steel plate chassis with the LCD attached on one side and the motherboard on the other. This, again, is solid as a tank. Almost the entire 11 x 7 inch motherboard is covered by the elevated, stack-mounted massive finned aluminum heatsink that connects to the processor and also uses two integrated copper heat pipes to spread the heat as efficiently as possible (see picture on the right). Why the use of two different metals? Because copper offers about 70% higher thermal conductivity than aluminum. Copper is more expensive than aluminum and weighs much more, hence each material is used to its strong qualities.

Once the heat sink is removed, the spacious motherboard reveals its dual SO-DIMM RAM slots, Mini PCIe and M.2 Type E slots, soldered CPU, as well as literally dozens of pin sets for configuration as well as for additional connectivity and functionality (for example, while not listed in the specs, the panel actually has pins for a webcam, for GPIO, for additional COM and USB ports, and for all sorts of sensors.

Inside the TSC-5010-15, everything is nicely accessible — actually much more so than even in a standard desktop PC. The unit's internal (Transcend) solid state disk drive is securely rubber-mounted to the chassis with four screws. There is room for a second 2.5-inch solid state disk for use with the second SATA port.

The motherboard of this special TSC version of Teguar's TS-5010 platform differs in that it has a full complement of standard edge-mount connectivity. DB9 serial, RJ45 LAN, USB, DisplayPort and audio all look just like they would on a standard PC motherboard, unlike the internal wire connections to M12 screw-on ports in most other members of the line.

The images to the left shows the TSC-5010-15 downward-facing I/O area both opened up (top) and covered with the cover late that includes the unit's special feature — the multi-cable transit frame with "gland" grommets.

The TSC-5010-15's special feature: "cable glands"

Technically, Teguar lists the TSC-5010-15 as a "Waterproof PC with Sealed Cable Gland." What does that "gland" mean in this context? The term is primarily used to describe a type of organ in human or animal bodies that secretes certain chemicals. Biological bodies have various types of glands and are responsible for a variety of functions. Most biological glands surround openings or tubing, and that's likely why the term "gland" found itself into the electrical cabling world where "cable glands" are used to securely lock cables into place.

In the US, cable glands are more often referred to what they actually do: cord grips, cable strain reliefs, or just cable connectors or fittings. In essence, a "cable gland" is mounted somewhere and keeps the cable that goes through it in place by gripping it via various methods. Most cable glands also seal. In this Teguar Panel PC, cable glands do both.

Why would Teguar offer a cable gland solution when M12-type screw-on connectors also provide structural integrity and sealing? Because each type has its special features that make them just right for a certain job, but less so for others. And this is what customization means: offering functionality or modifications that make a product just right.

Circular M12 screw-on connectors are very sturdy and provide reliable connections and can handle shocks and vibration. M12 ports can also provide sealing via O-rings or grommets and may combine different interfaces into one connector. However, they do not provide physical security (they can be unscrewed), require special cables and special ports and wiring on the PC side, and connectivity cannot easily be changed or modified.

Cable glands, on the other hand, allow the use of standard cables and do not require any change or modification to a computer's onboard ports. Instead, the housing is fitted with a cable entry frame (conceptually shown to the right) that holds a number of flexible grommet blocks through which standard cables are routed.

The grommets, available for different size cable diameters, are split on one side so the cables can be inserted. The grommets are then placed into compartments in the grommet frame and are securely fixed to the frame during assembly.

Once all are in, the frame is screwed together, the grommets (glands) are pressured, thus very securely holding the cables in place and also providing a strong waterproof seal.

How reliable and mature are these cable gland systems? Very. Teguar is using the KEL-ER system by icotek, the German smart cable management company that pretty much wrote the book on the technology and offers an almost endless variety of such cable gland types, systems and sizes.

The advantages of cable gland systems are clear:

• More available I/O

• Easier to add custom I/O

• No screw-on connectors to thread in

• No custom cables (lowers total cost)

• No need for a junction box between the I/O device and the computer

• Ability to quickly change IO by removing the grommet assembly

• IP69K rating for the entire system

IP69K is the highest on the Ingress Protection rating scale. The IP69K rating was initially specified for gear and vehicles that had to withstand regular intense cleaning including steam and high-pressure water. Think cement mixers, dump trucks and anything else that needs high pressure for its regular cleaning. Today, IP69K sealing is routinely required in industries such as food and beverage where equipment must be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized without the use of chemicals or objects to interact with food items. For a description of IP69K testing see here.

Simple, effective mounting system

Despite their generic "panel computer" designation, not all such devices will actually be mounted in panels. Almost all of Teguar's panel computers have the VESA 100 mount pattern on the back for all sorts of wall, table, or arm mounting options.

Given these panels' significant weight, freestanding mounting means a heavy-duty mounting method. Such methods often come in complex, bulky designs.

One of the solutions offered by Teguar is brilliantly simple: just a stainless steel yoke-style mounting stand.

Use a special screw with a rubberized arm to mount the panel on the yoke bracket stand, and a big, heavy panel computer is securely mounted and held in place, easily adjustable to any viewing angle. To keep it into at given angle, simply tighten the two screws.

Sometimes simple is best, and that certainly applies to this design. About the only issue we could see is that the mounting screws cannot be locked.

Available processors

The choice of processor is important in any computer, but the selection criteria are different for industrial PCs than they are for desktops, laptops and mobile systems such as tablets or handhelds.

With desktops customers may seek the highest possible performance or reasonable performance at the lowest possible cost. Power consumption doesn't really matter because desktops are plugged in, and neither than heat generation because desktops have multiple fans.

Laptops run on batteries and don't have large fans, and so power efficiency and TDP (thermal design power) matter. This means high-performance processors that draw as little power as possible.

Tablets and handhelds have small batteries and no fans, so battery life and power efficiency are imperative. Which means as much power as possible from small, cool-running packages.

Industrial PCs are almost always plugged in, so power isn't an issue. However, many industrial PCs, including Teguar's waterproof systems, are sealed units and have no fans because as mechanical parts fans can fail, fans are noisy, and fans circulate air. The absence of fans mandates that such industrial PCs must have passive cooling, mostly by using their housings as heat sinks and heat dissipators. This somewhat limits the choice of processors; very high performance chips that run very hot are out.

What does that mean for Teguar's waterproof Panel PCs? Mostly that they are using the same U-Series of ultra-low power processors that are also used in rugged laptops and tablets. Our review TSC-5010-15 came with its default processor, the Intel 6th generation "Skylake" Core i5-6200U. Also available are the Core i7-6500U, and the 7th generation "Kaby Lake" Core i5-7200U and Core i7-7500U. Finally, Teguar also offers a lower CPU option in the Intel Celeron J1900 for applications where more power simply isn't required. The table below shows the essentials of the available processors:

Available CPUs	Intel Core i5-6200U	Intel Core i7-6500U	Intel Core i5-7200U	Intel Core i7-7500U	Intel Celeron J1900
Code name	6th gen "Skylake"	6th gen "Skylake"	7th gen "Kaby Lake"	7th gen "Kaby Lake"	"Bay Trail"
Cores/Threads	2/4	2/4	2/4	2/4	4/4
Base Clock Speed	2.30 GHz	2.50 GHz	2.50 GHz	2.70 GHz	2.00 GHz
Turbo Speed	2.80 GHz	3.10 GHz	3.10 GHz	3.50 GHz	2.42 GHz
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	15 watts	15 watts	15 watts	15 watts	10 watts
Cache	3MB Smart Cache	4MB Smart Cache	3MB Smart Cache	4MB Smart Cache	2MB L2 Cache
Integrated graphics	HD Graphics 520	HD Graphics 520	HD Graphics 620	HD Graphics 620	HD Graphics for Atom
Graphics base speed	300 MHz	300 MHz	300 MHz	300 MHz	688 MHz
Graphics max speed	1.00 GHz	1.05 GHz	1.00 GHz	1.05 GHz	854 MHz
Relative CPU cost	9.68	13.55	9.68	13.55	1.00

Which one to choose? In essence, all of these chips are tried and true processor solutions that are all widely used in industrial and mobile systems. The 6th gen "Skylake" processor architecture represented a major step forward for Intel and was also used in improved and optimized form in 7th and 8th generation Core processors. The primary difference between Skylake and Kaby Lake is that Windows 7 is not supported on Kaby Lake. This may be an issue with some legacy applications, and it's likely the reason why Teguar offers Skylake.

As for the lower-end Celeron J1900 option, this is in essence an Atom architecture chip with roughly half the processor performance of the low-end Core processor options. It is a good solution that, depending on the intended application, gets the job done at a lower cost.

Teguar TSC-5010-15 — Summary

With the TSC-5010-15, Teguar Computers offers a specially equipped version of its TS-5010 lineup of high-performance panel PCs uniquely suited for deployments where holding up to harsh environmental conditions matters as much as the ability to handle frequent Clean-In-Place (CIP) washdowns. Those are common in food processing, food packaging, weighing, and pharmaceuticals.

What's special about the TSC-5010-15 is its use of a sealed cable gland conduit that allows the use of standard wired interface cables instead of screw-on M12 ports.

The cable gland conduit, which supports up to five I/O cables, is modular and easily configurable for different jobs and requirements. The icotek KEL-ER system Teguar is using comes in numerous variations, so Teguar is likely able to fill customer requirements for a larger number of I/O cables as well.

The heavy-duty fully NEMA 4x (IP66) sealed stainless steel enclosure full-flush resistant. IP69K sealing means the panel can also be spray-cleaned with high pressure and high temperature water jets. IP67 sealing (full immersion is optionally available).

While we tested the 15-inch version of the TSC-5010 waterproof Panel PC, Teguar also offers the same functionality in larger 19-inch and 22-inch configurations. All models come standard with an Intel Core i5-6200 processor, but higher and lower level processors are available as well. Resistive touch is standard, but capacitive touch is available as well. — Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, November 2020

Teguar TSC-5010-15

Added/changed	Added + full review 11/2020
Type	Stainless steel waterproof industrial touchscreen panel PC with IP69K sealed conduit
Processor	"Skylake" Dual-core Intel Core i5-6200; also available with Intel "Skylake" Core i7-6500, Intel "Kaby Lake" Core i5-7200U and i7-7500U, as well as Intel "Bay Trail" Celeron J1900.
Processor speed	Intel Core i5-6200: 2.30 GHz base frequency, max 2.80 GHz turbo frequency
TDP	15 watts Thermal Design Power
Thermal	Fanless passive cooling
OS	Windows 10 Professional
Graphics	Intel HD Graphics 520
Memory	4GB to 32GB in 2 x DDR4 Non-ECC SO-DIMM
Display type	LED-backlit TFT LCD with 450 nits luminance and 4H hardness; optional 1000 nit High Brightness with optical-bonding; optional vandal-proof touch screen (MOQ)
Display size/res	15.0" 1024 x 768 pixel (85 ppi); unit also available in 19-inch and 22-inch variants
Digitizer/Pens	Resistive touch; optional PCap with IP69K
Keyboard	Optional
Storage	2.5-inch hard disk or SSD
Multimedia Pocket	None
Expansion slots	1 x Mini PCIe, 1 x M.2 Type E
Housing	SUS304 stainless steel; optional SUS316 stainless steel
Cleaning agents	Acetone, Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbitol Acetate, Cellosolve Acetate, Club Soda, Ethanol, Heptane, Hydrochloric Acid, Isopropyl Alcohol, Methyl Alcohol, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, Methylene Chloride, Mineral Spirits, Nitric Acid, Sulfuric Acid (low concentration), Turpentine, Vinegar, Vm & P Naptha, Warm Water
Mounting	VESA 100 mount, wall mount, table mount
Temperature	32° to 104°F (0° to 40°C); optional wide temperature range
Humidity	10 to 90% non-condensing
Vibration	NA
Spill Resistance Class	IP66, IP69K; optional IP67
Drop spec	NA
Certifications	CE (EMC), FCC, VCCI Class B
Size	15.6 x 12.2 x 4.15 inches (395 x 310 x 105 mm)
Weight	18.5 pounds as tested (8.4 kg)
Power	9V ~ 32 DC
Communication	Optional Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Interface	4 x USB 3.0, 2 x RS232, 1 x RS232/422/485, 2 x RJ45 gigabit LAN, 2 x DisplayPort, 1 x audio in and out, 1 x M12 5-pin DC power; optional 5W/2W speakers (MOQ)
Price	Inquire
Web page	Teguar TSC-5010-15
Product brochure	Teguar TSC-5010-15 spec sheet (PDF)

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Teguar Computers
1-800-870-7715
www.teguar.com