What is an Industrial LCD Monitor?

An industrial LCD monitor is a rugged display usually used with an industrial computer, though it can be used to display a video image from just about any video source. LCD is short for liquid crystal display. LCD technology has almost completely replaced the older cathode ray tube (CRT) technology used for industrial monitors for many years.

An industrial LCD monitor uses very similar technology to what you may be reading this article on with your home or office computer. It also serves the same purpose: simply that of displaying the video image that is generated by the computer. An industrial LCD monitor differs from the technology on your desk only in that it is much more ruggedly packaged. It is typically mounted in a steel or aluminum frame that allows it to be mounted in a equipment rack.

However, in some cases, the packaging needs to be more extensive to protect the industrial LCD monitor from possible exposure to liquids, dust, or even air in some extreme situations. All of these details tend to follow industry standards, the most common of which are set by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). If, for example, you were to request a quotation for an industrial LCD monitor in a 19-inch rack mount NEMA 4 enclosure, the manufacturer of the industrial LCD monitor will know exactly what you want.

A feature that is frequently added to an industrial LCD monitor, but is unlikely to be on your desktop monitor, is a touch sensitive screen. This allows the user to interact with the computer program by touching the display, and in some cases, eliminates the need for a keypad or keyboard as an input device.

Industrial LCD monitors are used everywhere now, and you have almost certainly encountered at least one. Video arcade games use industrial LCD monitors, and this is perhaps your most likely exposure to an industrial LCD monitor. Video arcade games require an unusual feature. Since the image on the monitor is usually viewed indirectly through a mirror, the image on the monitor must be inverted and reversed. Some industrial LCD monitors come with a simple way to provide this unusual feature.