Avoid exposure to heat

A touch system can be subject to numerous thermal stress factors that have different causes.

While in most cases the development of a touch system pays special attention to the exposure to heat, error mechanisms caused by cold or a permanent alternation of heat and cold are not sufficiently taken into account in the design.

Thermal stress factors can be differentiated into:

• internal thermal stress and
• external thermal stress.

When developing a touch system, both the internal and external temperature influences must be analyzed with regard to the planned location and use and taken into account in the design.

Prevent downtime due to temperature changes

The external thermal stress acts on a touch system from the outside. Caused by the natural climate at the site or very special room temperatures indoors, very high or very low temperatures as well as an extreme temperature change from very hot to very cold can have an effect on a touch system.

In regions with very strong solar radiation, there is a risk that the temperature inside the device can reach up to 90 degrees due to the system's own heat and solar radiation.

In addition to the problem of operational failure due to overheating or failure of the electronics due to low temperatures, extreme temperatures always have an impact on the materials used.

Constant temperature changes can damage a touch system, among other things, because the different expansion coefficients of the materials used cause cracks in the housing, seals or functional parts.

Since temperature problems are among the most common causes of damage to a touch system of all damage mechanisms, temperature tests of all kinds are among the most important environmental tests for prototype testing.