Panel PCs and monitors need a safe and reliable mounting solution to ensure they can be used in their intended role. While this topic may not be as flashy as performance specs or display resolution, how you attach a computer to its workstation is just as critical.
For modern computers in high-demand work environments, the benefits of VESA mounts make them the first choice for almost any role.
What are VESA Mounts?
VESA stands for the Video Electronics Standards Association, an international organization dedicated to developing and maintaining standards for consumer and commercial computers. Since 1989, VESA’s role has been primarily focused on how computers and monitors attach to various mounting solutions, such as desks, stands, and arms.
The greatest impetus for a standardized mounting solution came in 1997, when monitors began to transition from CRT (cathode ray tube) to LCD (liquid crystal display) designs. Compared to the bulky and heavy CRT screens, LCD monitors are lighter, slimmer, and easier to implement. To encourage LCD adoption, VESA implemented a standardized hole size and screwing pattern for them named the Flat Display Mounting Interface (FDMI), more commonly known as the VESA mount. The benefits of VESA mounts ensure that they continue to be used to this day.
Details About the VESA Mount Standard
The FDMI standard uses several different classifications, each focusing on a different size and weight class of devices. The most commonly used are VESA MIS-D, VESA MIS-E, and VESA MIS-F, as they cover the most common sizes for computer monitors and TVs.
VESA MIS-D
Maximum weight: 14kg (30.86 lbs)
Hole patterns: 75mm x 75mm (2.95" x 2.95")
100mm x 100mm (3.93" x 3.93")
Maximum Screen diagonal: 58.3cm (23")
VESA MIS-E
Maximum weight: 22.7kg (50 lbs)
Hole patterns: 200mm x 100 mm (7.87" x 3.93")
200mm x 200mm (7.87" x 7.87")
Maximum Screen diagonal: 78.6cm (31")
VESA MIS-F
Maximum weight: 113.6 kg (250.44 lbs)
Hole patterns: 400mm x 200mm (15.75" x 7.87")
400mm x 400mm (15.75" x 15.75")
600 mm x 200mm (23.6" x 7.87")
600mm x 400mm (23.6" x 15.75")
800mm x 400mm (31.5" x 15.75")
Maximum Screen diagonal: 228.6cm (90")
Where are VESA Mounts Used?
Thanks to their simplicity and reliability, VESA mounts are used in virtually every commercial and consumer-grade PC and monitor that will be mounted on a bracket, frame, or arm.
Medical Computers
Modern healthcare processes rely heavily on computers for everything from diagnostic imaging to EMR access. The most common role for these computers is as all-in-one PCs mounted on mobile carts, with VESA mounts keeping them securely attached. This gives healthcare providers a powerful and mobile computer solution, as well as space to carry other tools, medication bottles, and whatever else they might need while they treat patients.
Industrial Computers
Many industrial applications rely on computers, either those built directly into the machinery they control or in the form of mini PCs, which have their own mounting solutions. For industrial panel PCs that don’t fall in the former category, VESA mounts are the most common solution for attaching them to their workstation. The multiple connection points that VESA mounts offer help prevent the computer from being shaken off its mount, which is critical in work areas with high amounts of vibration.
Enterprise Computers
Many businesses rely exclusively on their enterprise panel PCs for point of sales devices, customer information, or logistics and inventory management. Whether on the store floor or in the warehouse, VESA mounts are the most common solution for panel PCs used by businesses.
Benefits of VESA Mounts
So why do we use VESA mounts? Simply put, they work. They are a straightforward solution that works for a wide range of industries and applications.
Proven Reliability
The VESA mount design has spent several decades proving its reliability and efficiency. Using four screws evenly distributes the weight across multiple connectors, as opposed to placing the burden on just one. This spreads out the wear and tear across the screws, extending their operational lifespan and preventing breakdowns.
Ease of Use
Attaching and detaching computers from VESA mounts can be done with a simple screwdriver and screws that you can get at virtually any hardware store. Doing so doesn’t require specialist knowledge or training and can be accomplished by just one or two workers. This makes VESA mounts perfect for both consumer-grade devices and those used in professional settings.
The benefits of VESA mounts also apply to designers and manufacturers. Because the standard is so simple and easy to implement, manufacturers do not need to invest in specialized tooling for the cases of their computers. As the standard for the industry, manufacturers that use VESA mounts can also rest assured that their products will be compatible with others, making adoption and implementation easier.
Ergonomically Friendly
Modern VESA mounts are adjustable, letting users move and adjust their computers as needed. This is extremely important in terms of ergonomics, as it lets end-users find a viewing angle and arrangement that is comfortable for them, preventing strain on their bodies. This is especially important in high-demand work environments like healthcare, where workplace injuries are sadly common. Fewer injuries and greater comfort for workers lead to a more productive workspace.
VESA-Compatible Computers from Cybernet Manufacturing
The benefits of VESA mounts have made them the natural choice for virtually everywhere, from hospitals to factory floors. If you use panel PCs and LCD monitors to any serious extent, odds are that at some point, you’ll be attaching them to a VESA mount.
If you’re looking for industrial or medical panel PCs and need an efficient way to implement them, contact the team at Cybernet Manufacturing. We’d be happy to review our various deployment options, including VESA mounts, permanent fixtures, and more.