Ruggedized Design
Ruggedized design is the practice of designing electronic products that must withstand harsh environments or thwart possible human vandalism. This type of design takes a special level of care and discipline – requiring a strong understanding of Electro-Mechanical Design. Ruggedized products may have to endure many different stresses during their operating lifetime and all of these must be accounted for within the design and manufacturing phases.
Ruggedized product stresses can include the following:
- Placement in unregulated temperature environments
- Extreme Heat
- Extreme Cold
- Temperature Cycling
- Thermal Shock
- Exposure to Contamination
- Dirt / Sand
- Water
- Chemicals
- High Gravitational Forces (High G’s)
- Exceptional Pressure and Temperature
- Potential Human Vandalism
Axelsys specializes in both ruggedized design of new products as well as the re-design of existing products originally not intended for extreme conditions. With its multi-disciplinary capabilities – Mechanical Design, Cost-Reduction Design along with its tight coupling to volume Manufacturing, Axelsys is able to verify design parameters for manufacturability throughout the design process – key to keeping costs low and ensuring a successful ruggedized design.
Products in all markets may at one time or another require ruggedization. The following are a few examples:
- Communications
- Equipment placed in outdoor cabinets in the Desert or Arctic
- Defense – Aerospace
- Control or Communications products placed in Aircraft – exposed to extreme temperatures, gravitational forces
- Industrial
- Robotic Control equipment on temperature un-regulated factory floor
- Outdoor Surveillance Camera
Contact Axelsys to learn more about our Ruggedization Services