Pharmaceutical manufacturers that need to power a wide array of computing equipment now have an option that can dramatically ease the addition of new hardware when regular outlets are not readily accessible: Power over Ethernet (PoE). With PoE, electrical power is provided through the network switch and passes through a single Ethernet cable alongside data. This allows system integration and network installers to deploy powered devices in locations that lack electrical circuitry.
With the newest improved standards in high-power PoE, 802.3bt Type 3/4 PoE can now provide sufficient wattage, up to 100 watts, to power devices such as flat screens, panel PCs, thin clients, and workstations commonly installed in pharmaceutical cleanrooms.
“The original PoE standards and specifications could only provide up to 30 watts of power, which was sufficient for certain types of devices, but not flat screen displays, PCs, or workstations,” says Paul Shu of ARISTA Corporation, a leading provider of computing platforms and visualization display products for pharmaceutical manufacturing environments.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers can now deploy a PoE enabled device within 330 feet of the network switch using a single Ethernet cable. This eliminates the cost and inconvenience of having an electrical contractor run wiring.
Arista provides a wide range of workstations, waterproof panel, and thin client PCs that can be powered by PoE. To maximize the use of space in constrained pharmaceutical facilities, many of these items are available in wall, ceiling, and pedestal-mounted versions.
For more information, contact ARISTA Corporation at (510) 226-1800, e-mail sales@goarista.com, or write to 48460 Lakeview Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538.