ATEX Tablets – Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ATEX tablet?
An ATEX tablet is a mobile computing device certified for safe use in hazardous environments where explosive gases or dust may be present. These devices comply with ATEX and IECEx regulations and are commonly used in industrial sectors such as oil & gas, chemicals, power generation and mining.
What is the difference between intrinsically safe and explosion-proof tablets?
Intrinsically safe tablets are designed so that electrical energy levels are limited to prevent ignition, even in fault conditions. Explosion-proof tablets are protected by certified enclosures that prevent internal ignition sources from igniting the surrounding atmosphere.
Can I use a standard iPad in a hazardous area?
Standard consumer tablets are not safe for hazardous areas. However, some solutions use certified enclosures to convert consumer tablets such as iPads into compliant ATEX devices for specific zones.
Which ATEX zones can hazardous area tablets be used in?
ATEX tablets are typically certified for Zone 1 or Zone 2 gas environments and Zone 21 or Zone 22 dust environments. The correct zone rating depends on the device design and certification.
How do I choose the right ATEX tablet solution?
Choosing the right solution depends on your hazardous area classification, application requirements, preferred operating system and long-term deployment strategy. Able Instruments can provide independent specification support to help select the most appropriate option.
Choosing the right hazardous area tablet strategy
Selecting an ATEX tablet involves understanding not just device specifications, but system architecture, hazardous area certification requirements and long-term deployment strategies.
Purpose-built intrinsically safe tablets are ideal when a single device needs full certification and integrated hardware. Converted consumer tablets offer the familiarity and performance of mainstream tablets with hazardous area certification applied via specialised enclosures. Universal enclosure platforms provide an additional layer of future-proofing by enabling hardware upgrades without repeating the hazardous area certification process.
Applications for hazardous area tablets
ATEX tablets are widely used across industries including oil & gas, chemicals, power generation, water & wastewater, pharmaceuticals, mining and engineering services. Typical use cases include digital inspection, maintenance reporting, asset tracking, remote collaboration and mobile access to plant systems.
Able Instruments provides independent specification and configuration support, helping organisations select the most appropriate hazardous area tablet solution for their operational, safety and commercial requirements.
