Rugged Inside and Out

Beyond ruggedness

Our clients not only use ROCKY rugged computers in extraordinarily demanding conditions, but also they use them for an unusually long time. As a result, AMREL goes beyond the standard requirements and builds their platforms rugged from the inside out.

Reduced repair costs

In addition to supplying an additional layer of protection, the chambers of the Fault Tolerant Isolation Design also restrict the spread of whatever damage that does occur. Damage that may normally destroy an entire unit is now limited to easily replaced sections. The Fault Tolerant Isolation Design provides extra durability and reduces repair costs.

How well does it work? Really, really well.

A “Baja Torture Test” was done on selected ROCKY units, as reported in “Mobile Computers Battle the Elements” (www.pobonline.com). Kacey Smith conducted this test by bicycling through the extremely dusty Baja peninsula.

“Smith expected that after days of riding, ROCKY certainly would have some dust inside – especially considering that even when she wrapped her diskettes in a ‘zippered’ plastic bag, and placed them inside an airtight container, she still found dust on them. Although ROCKY functioned perfectly under these conditions, Smith was skeptical. She took ROCKY to AMREL and had them disassemble the laptop and blow out the dust that Kacey was certain was inside. Kacey comments, ‘I figured there would be weird Baja cobwebs and dirt in there. There just had to be.’

“AMREL pulled the unit apart. Kacey remarked that it appeared perfectly clean. Then AMREL engineers blew out the inside with an air gun. ‘I expected to see clouds of dust. Not a spec came out. It looked like a brand new computer,’ Smith said.

“But that wasn’t all ROCKY was subjected to in the Baja. Once during an unusual downpour, Smith and her bike mate finally got to the shelter of a mining hole in the side of a mountain, only to find that on opening her backpack, there was a lot of water inside. ‘When I pulled ROCKY out of the backpack, the water came flooding out. I thought that I had really done it this time.’ But when Smith turned the computer on, it booted right up.

“In addition to this abuse, Smith rode over bumpy roads nine to 10 hours per day, seven days a week for three and a half months, and even fell off her bike with the backpack (and ROCKY). There were altitude changes of 11,000 feet and a temperature of 125 degrees Fahrenheit where ROCKY sat in a black back pack in direct sunlight. ‘In fact, my partner got heatstroke. But ROCKY didn’t,’ Smith said.”

“It took several rounds of enemy fire and if it had not been for the computer I would have received the bullets in my back and probably been killed.”

I wanted to thank you and everyone there at Amrel for doing such a wonderful job and producing the best rugged notebooks that can be made. I had purchased one of your notebooks last year I believe it was the unlimited model. I knew that they were tough and wanted a personal computer to take to Iraq with me. After shopping around I came back to the Amrel Brand due to its reviews and abilities to provide what I was seeking. The computer performed above and way beyond what I or anyone else would have expected. While on patrol we were pinned down by sniper fire and I had the computer in my back pack. After the shooting was over one of my friends noticed I had been shot several times in the back. When I was checked there was no damage to my back but the computer was killed in action. It took several rounds of enemy fire and if it had not been for the computer I would have received the bullets in my back and probably been killed. Needless to say the computer’s monitor, battery and hard drive were completely ruined. I had to throw it away due to the hazards relating to the leaking battery but I am definitely glad that it was there or I would not have made it home alive.

Thank you again and keep up the wonderful work.

Sincerely,
Robert Taylor

Hello. I can verify that Chris Taylor was in Kirkuk when the incident happened and I was there. He and I had served together with the U.S. Forces performing special operations. Mr. Taylor and I were assigned along with several others to perform reconnaissance patrols in around Kirkuk to clear the area of resistance. We were pinned down by sniper fire and after the firefight with the snipers was over, I noticed that Mr. Taylor had several holes in his ruck sack along with blood on the back of his arm. When I did a closer inspection and medical evaluation I determined that the bullet holes in his ruck sack were from weapons fire and that the bullets had not penetrated his ruck sack and that his wound on the back of his arm was not serious but requires bandaging. He checked his ruck sack and dumped it out. The computer that he had been carrying had been shot in numerous areas. The hard drive and battery had caught the rounds and stopped them from injuring Mr. Taylor. The screen was broken and as far as the rest of the computer it was just a cluster of broken parts it was determined that there could be a health and safety hazard left the computer behind, especially since it was not repairable and inoperable.

Mr. Taylor and I have had a lot of close scrapes and I believe as he believes that if he had not had his Amrel Rocky in his ruck that day that I would have not been able to have left Kirkuk with him breathing. I also want to thank your company for saving the life of a valued person whom I am glad to have served with and hope he will return soon to the military.

If I can be of any assistance to you please let me know.

Yours,
B. DeCavalcante