When we think about the Internet of Things (IoT), thoughts typically drift to shiny chrome-plated appliances and images of neural networks pinging data at lightning speed.
Whether it’s automated cars, refrigerators that tell us when food has spoiled or smart gas and electricity meters in the home, examples of IoT enhancing our lives are becoming ever more common.
Underpinning a significant part of IoT devices and systems are different kinds of resin substances, without which many appliances would not work or functionality would be limited.
Protecting IoT Components
Resins can be moulded to just about any shape or requirement, which makes them a great solution for cases and protective layers in appliances that fall into the IoT category.
Moisture, dust and other environmental factors are kept away from vital working parts to ensure better longevity of appliances, extended optimal runtime and decreased damage or overheating.
This is especially important for items that require constant run time, such as home appliances, or an electric vehicle which we need to perform predictably and reliably at all times.
Resin casings are typically resistant to environmental effects and warping at higher temperatures, making them ideal to provide this protective layer.
Maintaining Performance in Harsh Environments
Resins can also provide an elastic dampening effect when used to house appliances and their parts.
Some IoT devices are required to work in extreme climactic conditions, such as weather detecting systems.
Being buffeted by strong winds could cause breakages to internal or external structures, but the cushioned give provided by layers of resin works by absorbing those impacts and protecting the devices.
Enhanced Connectivity
Many standard resins have better conductivity than air, which also makes them ideal to enhance the performance of connected devices.
This can be used to optimize devices for connectivity to internet signals and transmission, ensuring loss of data is minimized and appliances can run optimally for longer without any dropouts.
With better data transfer, messages can be sent even quicker. For example, in smart agriculture, heavy machinery can have tasks adapted and changed almost immediately if weather patterns change or for any other reason.
Enabling Diverse IoT Applications
As previously mentioned, resins can be produced and moulded to fit any kind of application. This can promote greater innovation and experimentation in the field of IoT as the boundaries of what is achievable can be shifted to suit any project.
No matter the scale of a project, whether it is on a supersized or microscopic basis, resins can be adapted and specifically tailored to the needs of a project, or indeed its changing needs over time.
Resins can be used to enhance the aesthetics of an appliance, as well as improve its functionality. Their relatively low cost to other materials also makes them highly appealing to developers and engineers.
