It always happens when you’re a manufacturer of a general computer product, you never have everything a customer needs to use your product the way they want too.

Our customer a major manufacturer of Thin Client computers hears this challenge all the time from their customers. Our customer basically makes an innovative rectangle PC box that sits on a floor. It works well and gives an end user an inexpensive and small footprint to connect to the network.

But what if you don’t have floor space to sit the device on or a table for it to sit on? Then it must go on a wall.

Our customer called us needing a way to hang the product on the wall. In addition, they had requested that the solution would secure all cables so they would not be pulled out of the ports on the Thin Client box.

As a manufacturer of industrial computers, we (INDUCOMP) know the pitfalls of not securing cables. This design task sounds simple, but it did take a little bit of thinking to create a bracket that would work with multiple Thin Client devices and secure the cables that plug in various places on each Thin Client model.

Our customer-submitted ideas for many designs. But in the end, they told us to come up with the most cost-effective solution. INDUCOMP’s design services team went to work.

Problem

Our customer needed to solve the four main problems when searching for a solution.

1. Cost-effective
2. Lightweight
3. Work with multiple Thin Client devices
4. Secure all cables quickly and easily in the field

Solution

The first step was to gather all the variations of each Thin Client. Then to compare mounting holes so that one bracket could fit all Thin Client boxes.

Next was to look at all the ports on each Thin Client box and determine the best cable route that would work on all Thin Client boxes.

There were a couple of issues that needed to be worked out. First, we had to design the bracket in accordance with the VESA mounting standards. We made keyholes for the VESA mounting pattern that way the bracket could be easily installed by one person on a wall.

The final issue was how to secure cables easily to the bracket. We added a small ladder-like extension on the one side of the bracket that hung down vertically past the Thin Client box when it was installed.

This ladder-like extension of the sheet metal allowed each cable to be tie-wrapped to the ladder securing the cable. This gave an easy economical way for the end user to secure and release cables.

The bracket was made of aluminum instead of steel to reduce weight.

This bracket that looks simple but it did take some effort. It now provides our customer with an add-on accessory that makes their product complete.

Maybe you have something simple you need to be designed and fabricated that will make your product or installation of a standard product better.

If you do, you can rely on the INDUCOMP design service team to come up with the most cost-effective and most innovative solution. Let us go to work for you today.