Sure you want the coolest technology in your booth. Sure you’ve built that set piece to seamlessly wrap around your product, but did you think of it overheating? Did you factor in climate change that happens from trade show location to the next?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ran into issues where people have built a set, or designed “hide away closets” for lighting dimmers or amp racks, but can’t figure out when the gear overheats why it could possibly happen. That is UNTIL they walk into the 100+ DEGREE room or closet. HELLO! ELECTRONICS NEED VENILATION. On top of that, to work at their optimum performance level their needs of being “cooled off” takes on a very similar characteristic to the human body.
Think about it, a runner is going to perform better and be able to last longer in cooler climates (not freezing climates) in comparison to running in death valley in the middle of the summer. The same principles apply to electronics as well. Ask your favorite high school tech nerd whether just a “standard” computer case with NO ventilation or performance cooling will work better than one that has OPTIMIZED cooling components. First they’ll look at you like you’ve just landed from some far away planet, but when they figure out you’re asking an honest question they’ll tell you performance in electronics is HIGHER when they’re cooled down.
At the KioskCom Expo, I found a great little product that helps to provide a solution for this. The Ice Qube, Inc. company builds heat exchangers and air conditioners for low profile areas where electronics need to be cooled. Their units are small enough that I found they can fit well inside set pieces while circulating and cooling the air in a cabinet or equipment room.
Although there are many different sizes and shapes on the market, if you’re going to involve electronics into your design or marketing creation, you need to consider air conditioning or heat exchanging. Think of it not as just another PIECE, but rather as a WELL SPENT INSURANCE POLICY to keep your gear running at optimum performance level. Would you rather cut out the budget and risk the latest product release shutting down in the middle of the PR event, or would you rather have the peace of mind in knowing that regardless of the space where you’ve placed your gear, it’s GOING TO WORK.
