Armadex Explosion Protection B.V. has introduced the Ex UniCase, a universal tablet housing certified to ATEX and IECEx for Zone 2 (gas) and Zone 22 (dust). It allows standard tablets to be used in the parts of refineries, chemical plants, tank farms and powder-handling plants where ordinary electronics are not permitted. The housing accepts current 10 to 11 inch tablets from Apple, Samsung and Microsoft, including the iPad (A16), iPad Air (M3), iPad Pro (M4 and M5), Galaxy Tab S11, Galaxy Tab S10 FE, Galaxy Tab A11+ and Surface Go 4.
Flexible adaptation of inlays
Until now, a certified tablet has been a fixed combination of one device and one housing. When the tablet model was replaced, the certified housing had to be replaced with it. The UniCase separates the two: the housing carries the certification, four device-specific corner inlays hold the tablet in position, and a new tablet generation is accommodated by changing the inlays, with no recertification required. Physical buttons, cameras, microphone, speaker and the USB-C port remain usable.
The housing consists of a milled frame of ESD-safe POM-C with an impact-resistant polycarbonate display window. Marking: II 3G Ex nR IIC T6 Gc and II 3D Ex tc IIIC T85 °C Dc; EU type examination certificate OBAC 26ATEX0194X, IECEx certificate IECEx OBAC 26.0005X. The Ex UniCase can be ordered now through Armadex and its dealers in Europe. The housing with inlays costs from € 1.700 excluding VAT for customers who supply their own tablet; complete sets of tablet and housing start at € 1.927.
