How to Choose the Right Control Console for Your Industry

Choosing the right control console for a control room involves answering two key questions: What type of technology do you need at your center? and What does the space of your center look like? This principle applies to all industries where mission-critical environments are used. Answering these questions will help project managers and planners meet operator comfort and comply with the latest accessibility and ergonomic standards.

Understanding the Technology Requirements

1. CPU Requirements:

   • Determine how many CPUs you need. Some control rooms use remote servers, but most PSAPs and other emergency communications centers still rely on local CPUs stored at the dispatcher’s console.

   • Sustema consoles feature all-steel CPU enclosures with perforated steel sliding trays. These can be oriented to pull the CPU towards the front or back of the console.

   • CPU enclosures can be located in the middle or at the extremes of the console, allowing multiple CPUs inside the workstation. You can also integrate a box-box-file for stationary items and additional storage.

     

     CPU enclosures for control room consoles by Sustema.

2. Monitor Configuration:

   • Assess the number and size of monitors. Whether you have a single row of four 24-inch monitors or larger configurations, Sustema control consoles can accommodate various setups.

   • Monitors can be mounted on fixed monitor posts, a slat-wall system, or a monitor focal adjustment array, which offers additional cable management support.

     
     
     

     
     
     

3. Additional Technology:

   1. Consider other tech incorporated into the console, such as phones, radios, and touchpads.

Electrical Certifications: When selecting CPUs and other electronic components for your control console, it's crucial to ensure they meet relevant electrical certifications such as UL, CSA, and CE. These certifications guarantee the safety and reliability of the equipment.

Understanding the Space Requirements

1. Power Source:

   • Identify where your power is coming from—raised floor, wall, or ceiling. This will affect the console layout.

2. Room Obstacles:

   • Consider any permanent structures like pillars or columns that may impact the console placement.

3. User Capacity:

   • Determine how many users will be in the room at any one time to calculate the required number of consoles.

4. Traffic guidelines:

   • Consider foot traffic when planning passageways: zero traffic areas need no passageways, low traffic areas need narrow ones, moderate traffic areas require wider passageways, and high traffic areas need the widest passageways for frequent access.

5. Departmental Needs:

   • Assess the needs of different departments (e.g., police, fire, ambulance, call-taking, dispatch) and the proximity of supervisors to these departments.

Building a New Control Room? We Can Help.

No matter which industry you are in, choosing the right control console involves understanding both the technology and space requirements of your control room. By considering these factors and tailoring the setup to your specific industry needs, you can create an efficient and ergonomic mission-critical environment. Whether you're in public safety, power generation, surveillance, oil and refineries, professional trading, air traffic control, or government agencies, we can assist you throughout the process to ensure your control room meets all your operational needs. Reach out to us for expert guidance and support in building your new control room.