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NEC launches first ever ruggedised notebook in Australia |
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Release Date : Tuesday, 15 Apr 2008
News Source : Will Clarke
15 April 2008, Melbourne: NEC today launched its first ever ruggedised notebook for the Australian market. One of the strongest convertible tablet/notebooks on the market, ShieldPRO is an ideal mobile computing solution for Australians who work in some of the world’s harshest physical environments.
Designed from the ground up as a ruggedised notebook computer, it is suited for mobile workers in industries ranging from emergency services, mining, defence, construction and manufacturing to sales and government services.
Light, durable, water/dust resistant and fanless, ShieldPRO boasts a range of market-leading features, such as:
- One of the brightest 12.1-inch touch-panel LED backlit screens on the market – ideal for use under the harsh Australian sun
- Rated to endure a 900mm drop – much higher shock ratings than its competitors
- Lightweight at just 2.5kg with eight-hour rated battery life and a low heat generation profile for optimised performance versus battery and heat dissipation
- Strong magnesium alloy casing and durable rubber corners and seals –withstands vibration, drops, spills, extreme environments and severe changes in temperature. It can even withstand strong showers of water while power is on
- IP54 rated – can withstand the ingress of dust at all levels and water from all directions – and meets MIL, CENELEC industry standards
- Highly customisable to suit specific user requirements
A recent Gartner study found that organisations in Australia and New Zealand are ahead if their global counterparts in their adoption of mobility applications and devices. The study found that local organisations ranked mobile workforce applications and devices as the fourth most important technology priority for 2008.[1]
“Today, more and more workers are located beyond the traditional office environment. This is due to our geographically diverse workforce as well as the need to provide staff greater flexibility and choice in the face of an ongoing skills shortage,” said David Cooke, Product Manager for ShieldPRO at NEC Australia.
“As a result, there is increasing demand for mobile computing solutions that can withstand a variety of external environments. Remote workers require mobile solutions that are highly durable and provide secure and reliable wireless connectivity.”
ShieldPRO is a convertible notebook/tablet, which means the screen can be flipped around and folded down on the keyboard converting it into a tablet computer. The touch screen does not require a digitised pen, making it extremely easy to use in the field.
At its heart is an Intel Core Solo U1400 ultra-low voltage processor running at 1.2GHz, ensuring maximum battery life and minimum heat generation for green mobile computing. ShieldPRO runs Windows XP and Office applications and common in-the-field applications.
Users can choose between a 60GB Serial ATA or 40GB Ultra ATA wide temperature hard-disk drive. ShieldPRO is proven in both the laboratory and in the field to work in the widest operating temperature range - from minus 20 degrees C to 50 degrees C.
ShieldPRO is manufactured in Japan giving it a high build quality and is backed by NEC’s industry-leading standard two-year warranty, with free upgrade to a three-year warranty upon registration of the unit. To ensure minimal downtime in the field, NEC provides module swap and replacement for repair of ShieldPRO units, as well as limited guided self service. Units are repaired in Australia by NEC’s own state-based service centre engineers, guaranteeing rapid repairs.
NEC ShieldPRO is available from NEC on 131 632 and from authorised NEC partners. It has an RRP of $4,600 plus GST. Further details at www.nec.com.au/shieldpro.htm
For media enquiries, pictures & review units please contact:
Will Clarke
NEC Australia Pty Ltd
Tel: 03 92714172
Mob: 0400 676 244
Email: will.clarke@nec.com.au
Visit http://www.nec.com.au/mediaroom/default.htm for more information
About NEC Australia
A leader in the development of broadband and mobile communications technologies, NEC Australia’s expertise has propelled the company to the forefront of new era in communications. NEC Australia is a leading provider of end-to-end voice, data and video solutions for business and government. NEC Australia utilises its expertise in IP telephony, contact centres and managed services, and its strong partnerships with leading companies to provide innovative and affordable business solutions.
Through the provision of new technologies such as plasma displays, data projectors and high-speed broadband connections, NEC Australia continues to drive innovation into the office and the home. NEC Australia’s commitment to innovation and continued expansion into export markets remains unrivalled. NEC is home to Australia’s largest ICT Research and Development facility. As well as undertaking leading R&D in DSL technologies and 3G mobile terminals, NEC Australia’s broadband business, Nextep broadband delivers business grade DSL services for SMEs, corporates and governments. For more information about NEC Australia, visit our website at http://www.nec.com.au/.
ShieldPRO Specification
Item
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ShieldPRO FC-N21S (Note 1)
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CPU (Note 2)
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Intel Core Solo U1400 ultra-low voltage processor
(Extended Intel SpeedStep technology (Note 3) installed [1.20 GHz])
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Cache memory
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Primary
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32KB for instruction/32KB for data (built in CPU)
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Secondary
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2.048KB (built in CPU)
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System bus
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533 MHz (memory bus: 400 MHz)
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Chip set
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Mobile Intel 945GM Express chip set ICH7-M
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Security chip (Note 4)
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Conforming to TPM V.1.2
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Memory (Note 5)
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2GB max. (Note 5)
2 SO-DIMM slots
DDR2-SDRAM (PC2-3200 (DDR2-400))
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Display feature
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Display element
(Note 7)
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12.1-in. TFT colour LCD display (XGA) with touch panel (Note 8)
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Stuck pixels of LCD (Note 9)
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0.0005% or less
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Graphic accelerator
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Built in mobile Intel 945GM Express chip set
(Dual display (Note 10), smoothing, and screen rotation features available)
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Video RAM
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128MB max. (use of main memory)
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Resolution and display colours
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LCD: 1024×768 dots (16.77 million colours (Note 11))
External monitor: 1600×1200 dots max. (Note 12) (16.77 million colours (Note 11))
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Auxiliary storage
(Note 13)
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Floppy disk drive
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(not included)
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CD-ROM type drive
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(not included)
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Fixed disk drive
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Standard 60GB (Serial ATA specification) or
Customised Order Option: 40GB (wide temperature range and Ultra ATA specification)
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Input device
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Keyboard (Note 14)
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Standard English keyboard Key pitch: 17.55 mm
Key stroke: 2.4 mm(backlight keyboard : 2.0mm)
Customised Order Options:
a/ Backlit keyboard
b/ Keyboard cover
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Pointing device
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Touch pad
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Tablet button
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10 (5 buttons and 5 Tb + buttons) (Note 15)
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Interface (Note 13)
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USB (Note 16)
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3 ports (including 1 connect/disconnect-proof enhanced port), USB2.0 compatible
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Serial
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1 DB9 connector of 115,200 bps max. (male)
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Display
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Mini DB15 connector (female) (for analogue RGB monitor)
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Network
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Built-in LAN
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1 RJ45 LAN connector (1000BASE-T / 100BASE-TX / 10BASE-T)
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Wireless LAN
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Conforming to IEEE802.11a/b/g (Note 17)
WEP [encryption key length: 64/128 bits (user setting key length: 40/104 bits)], WPA-PSK (TKIP/AES) and WPA2-PSK (AES) compatible
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Built-in modem (Note 18)
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1 RJ11 modular connector
Modem: 56k bps max. (Note 19) (V.90/V.92 compatible)
FAX: 14.4k bps max. (V.17 compatible)
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Sound feature
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Built-in PCM record/replay feature and monaural speaker
Microphone input (stereo, mini jack) and output common to headphone/line (stereo, mini jack)
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PC card slot (Notes 13and 20)
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1 Type I/II slot (Type III unavailable) conforming to PC Card Standard and compatible with CardBus
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SD card slot (Notes 13and 20)
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1 slot
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Security feature
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Security software included as standard (Note 21)
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Finger print sensor
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Option: Built-in type (line type)
Authentication by fingerprint at OS logon or release of screen saver
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Power management
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Automatic or arbitrary settings enabled (including CPU control, hard disk control, monitor power saving, suspend (standby) feature and hibernation)
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Power supply
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Computer
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Operating voltage: 16 VDC ±5%
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Battery
(Notes 22and 23)
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Standard type: Operating period - 8 hours, charging time (in power-on state – about 3 hours and in power off states - 3 hours)
Weight: 0.3 kg
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AC adapter
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Input: 100 to 240 VAC ±10%, 1.5A, 50/60 Hz
Output: 16V DC, 4.5A
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Conforming standard
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Suitable to RoHS direct and conforming to VCCI Class B.
Designed based on EMC direct (EN55022 and EN61000-6-2) (Note 24) and low voltage direct (EN60950-1) (Note 24) standards. Power design based on standard UL60950-1
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ShieldPRO Power consumption
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15 W in normal use (50 W maximum.)
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Energy efficiency
(Power saving achievement rate)
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Target year: 2005 (Note 25), S division 0.00025 (AAA)
Target year: 2007 (Note 25), I division 0.0020 (A)
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Outside dimension
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284(W) × 255(D) × 48(H) mm (excluding projections and bumper)
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Weight
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Approx 2.5 kg (including standard battery)
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Installed OS
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Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Service Pack 2)
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NOTES
- See User Manual “4.2 Selection Menu Table“ for type names and numbers.
- ShieldPRO includes a control feature enabling the CPU to operate dynamically depending on use in different environments and under different loads.
- In any Operating System environment other than the one preinstalled, the expanded IntelSpeedStep feature may be unavailable.
- The security chip is unavailable to any Operating System other than the preinstalled Windows XP Professional.
- The standard ShieldPRO is provided with 1GB memory board. Expanded RAM board FC-UG-M013 (1GB, PC2-4200) is available.
- Only one slot is available for expanded RAM. Hence the maximum RAM is the standard 1GB plus one expanded RAM card of 1GB in the second slot.
- The LCD display is manufactured using extremely precise technology. However, dot drops (such as tiny black points and red, blue or green points) may appear on a part of the screen. In addition, colour and/or brightness irregularities may appear depending on view angles. These are caused by characteristics of LCD displays and do not indicate any defects.
- The touch panel feature is unavailable if the USB Controller is disabled in BIOS Setup
- The base dot drop rate is calculated in sub-pixels according to the standard of ISO13406-2.
- An external display screen may be different from the LCD display of ShieldPRO.
- 16.77 million colour display is accomplished by the dithering feature of graphic accelerator.
- The resolution and number of colours available will depend on the resolution and refresh rate of the connected display. The LCD display on ShieldPRO can display the same screen as an external display connected to ShieldPRO. However, if the enlarged display feature is not used, displayed data may not extend over the entire screen of the external display.
- Evaluate any commercial product that will be used for ShieldPRO to confirm that the product is valid.
- The standard English keyboard is only available for the Windows XP Professional (Service Pack 2) pre-installed model.
- Each tablet button can be set to launch any application loaded in ShieldPRO.
- Any software using peripherals connected to ShieldPRO must use the USB interface.
- ShieldPRO is equipped with a wireless LAN module obtaining WiFi standard of the WiFi Alliance. The communication speed and distance may be affected by various factors including connected devices, radio wave environment, surrounding obstacles, installation environment, user situation, or application software. OS. IEEE802.11b/g (2.4 GHz) is not compatible with IEEE802.11a (5 GHz). The wireless LAN is suitable to Super AG and Atheros XR (eXtended Range). The wireless LAN (5 GHz) conforms to IEEE802.11a The wireless LAN (5 GHz) can only be used indoors due to relevant radio laws.
i) Disable the wireless LAN feature when abroad as it may conflict with related laws in international countries
- The communication speed may vary depending on line status. The built-in fax modem can only be used with the general subscriber phone line.
- The maximum data transfer rate is 56k bps for data receive, or 33.6k bps for data transmission.
- PC and SD cards are not included with ShieldPRO.
- Refer to User Manual “7. Installing OS and Applications” for supporting Operating Systems of the attached security software.
- The battery driving and charging times may be different from those specified depending on situations in which the battery pack is used. The battery pack is a consumable. If the long driving mode is selected on the BIOS Setup Menu, the CPU operation performance is in the low mode.
- The battery driving time is measured based on the JEITA battery operation time measurement method (Ver. 1.0). The time varies depending on operation environments, brightness of LCD display and system settings.
- These standards are required for CE marking.
- The energy consumption efficiency is obtained by dividing the power consumption measured based on the measurement method defined by the Rationalization in Energy Use Law (target year: 2005) by the composite theory performance defined by the Rationalization in Energy Use Law. Power saving achievement rates A, AA and AAA means achievement rates equal to or larger than 100% and less than 200%, equal to or larger than 200% and less than 500% and equal to or larger than 500%, respectively.
- The energy consumption efficiency is obtained by dividing the power consumption measured based on the measurement method defined by the Rationalization in Energy Use Law (target year: 2007) by the composite theory performance defined by the Rationalization in Energy Use Law. Power saving achievement rates A, AA and AAA means achievement rates equal to or larger than 100% and less than 200%, equal to or larger than 200% and less than 500% and equal to or larger than 500%, respectively.
Environmental Specification:
Item
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Condition
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Installation of standard hard disk drive and battery
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Temperature
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Operating
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5 to 45 ºC
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Storage
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-40 to 70ºC
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Evaluation standard
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IEC 68-2-1,2,14 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 501.4, 502.4
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Humidity
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Operating
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5 to 95% RH (without condensation)
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Storage
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5 to 95% RH (without condensation)
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Evaluation standard
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IEC 68-2-30 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 507.4
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Altitude
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Operating
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15,000 ft (4,572 m)
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Storage
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40,000 ft (12,190 m)
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Change rate
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2,000 ft/min (609.6 m/min)
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Evaluation standard
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IEC 68-2-13 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 500.4
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Shock resistance (Note 1)
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Operating
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147 m/s2, 11 ms, half sinusoidal wave
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Storage
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490 m/s2, 11 ms, half sinusoidal wave
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Evaluation standard
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IEC 68-2-27 / MIL-STD-810F, Method 516.5
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Vibration resistance
(Note 1)
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Operating
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[Sinusoidal wave] 0.075 mm (0-P) in frequency range 10 to 55 Hz
9.8 m/s2 (0-P) in frequency range 55 to 500 Hz
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Storage
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[Sinusoidal wave] 0.15 mm (0-P) in frequency range 10 to 55 Hz
19.6 m/s2 (0-P) in frequency range 55 to 500 Hz
[Random wave] 0.04G2/Hz in frequency range 20 to 1000 Hz
–6 dB/Octave in frequency range 1000 to 2000 Hz
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Evaluation standard
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Operating
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Sinusoidal wave: IEC68-2-6
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Storage
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Sinusoidal wave: IEC68-2-6
Random wave: MIL-STD-810F, Method 514.5 Category 24 FIGURE 514.5C-17
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Dust proof and drip proof
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Operating
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IP54
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Storage
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IP54
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Evaluation standard
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IEC 529 / MIL-STD-810F
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[1] Source: Gartner EXP (January 2008)
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