Customer Background
Hamilton Island, located in Queensland, Australia, is the largest inhabited island of the Whitsunday Islands. Like mostin the Whitsunday group, Hamilton Island formed as sea levels rose, resulting in the creation of numerous “drowned”mountains near the east coast of Queensland. Hamilton Island is a popular tourist destination and the only island inthe Great Barrier Reef with a commercial airport.
To continue providing visitors with excellent service, in July 2010, Hamilton Island authorities began a completereplacement of their integrated point-of-service (POS) hardware, as many of the existing systems had been in servicefor more than 5 years. However, the increasing hardware failure rates and high cost of replacement parts promptedHamilton Island authorities to upgrade to an entirely new POS system that could fulfill their service requirements.As one
Challenges
As one of Australia’s most idyllic holiday destinations, Hamilton Island is committed to delivering premium customerservice. They needed a POS system that not only provided the extreme computing performance required, but couldalso withstand the climate and usage environment typical of a tropical island resort. The environmental challengesfacing the POS system included extreme temperatures and humidity levels, high sodium air concentrations, andhigh-risk installation locations (such as a pool bar), which all cause additional wear and stress.
Solution
To satisfy the customer’s use requirements, Advantech developed a POS system equipped with aluminum housing. The system’s fanless design protects the power supply and system boards from damage by reducing exposure to salty sea air (the previous systems were fan-based, which resulted in numerous operational issues). Additionally, the IP65-rated front panel protects the touchscreen from water and dust, which is ideal for semi-outdoor applications, particularly operations at food and beverage outlets located near swimming pools or bodies of water. Advantech also supplied diverse POS peripherals, including a cash drawer, receipt printers,and wide range of modular components that facilitate other POS functions, in an effort to provide customers with a one-stop shopping experience.
Benefit
- The system’s robust magnesium aluminum alloy chassis and fanless design protects the power supply and boards from damage caused by exposure to salty sea air.
- The IP65-rated front panel protects the touchscreen from water and dust, making it ideal for installation in food and beverage outlets located near swimming pools and bodies of water.
- The system design supports the cableless integration of magnetic stripe readers, Bluetooth/Wi-Fi modules,and customer display screens.
- The unit is aesthetically suitable for use as a guest-facing device, even at the most prestigious Qualia Resort.
