Control Room Console: Single Surface vs. Double Surface

Single Surface Control Room Consoles

Single surface consoles are available in two formats, with a fixed work surface or with an electric height-adjustable work surface. Choosing between either one of these options will influence overall console design. For instance the cable management system, the structure, the type of monitor mounts, and the number of CPUs among other things. This is why it is important to understand from the beginning who and how the system will be used.

Single / Fixed Work Surface

Starting with the base structure, fixed work surface consoles require a sturdy leg system to support all the IT equipment and CPU monitors. Sustema uses a metal base for all of its consoles to ensure the system remains stable over time.

The leg system is mounted to the Focus wall for more support which also serves as a cable management system. Inside the wall, you can find cable raceways to run all the power and data cable, insert power bars, and telephone/radio lines. What's interesting with the wall system is that work surfaces can be installed on both sides of the wall, having two consoles using the same support system, back-to-back. CPU enclosures are attached directly to the lower base of the wall system and are easily accessible underneath the console.

The wall system does not only serve as a support or separator, it can actually be integrated with monuments directly on its structure, it can be used to mount accessories such as phone/laptop/file holders, and even serve as the mound for CPU monitors. In order to maximize the user workspace, monitor arms can be mounted directly on the wall system to save space. This is one of the main differentiators with height-adjustable work surfaces as monitor arms have to be mounted on the surface itself rather than the wall.

In terms of ergonomics, consoles with fixed work surfaces do not offer the same advantages as height-adjustable consoles as users do not have the same flexibility to stretch and move while working.

In terms of cost, single fixed surface consoles such as the Focus C-200 series offer great flexibility in terms of the price. This is mainly due to the system not having as much or no electronics at all. The focus system is a great solution for 24/7 work environments with high-traffic areas as it is made to withstand intensive use and integrate all the IT equipment requires for control rooms and command centers.

Single / Height-Adjustable Surface

Single surface consoles with height-adjustable capabilities will surely make your staff feel more comfortable while working. Height-adjustable work surfaces enable users to alter between a sitting and standing position throughout the day to avoid health issues due to the sedentary nature of most jobs. With the single click of a button, the work surface rises to the preferred position of each user. The system also allows users to program their preferred position on the console keypads.

The base of the structure differs slightly from fixed surface consoles. For instance, rather than using the standard leg system, the casing underneath the surfaces serve both as the support of the console and as the storage space for the actuators used to raise/lower the surfaces. The casing is made of metallic panels to ensure the sturdiness of the system.

Single surface console with height-adjustable capabilities also uses the Focus wall as support and a cable management system. The wall has removable panels on the back to access cable raceways, power strips, and other accessories. CPU's can be accessed from the front of the console inside of the secured enclosures.

Aside from the adjustable surfaces, the main differentiator is the way in which monitor arms are mounted on the control room console. As mentioned previously, fixed work surfaces enabled us to mount the monitor arms directly on the wall system. However, since we now have an adjustable surface, doing so would block the surfaces from going up, monitor arms have to be mounted directly on the work surface. A compromise has to be made between the available workspace and the advantages of an adjustable surface. Monitor arms can be mounted in many ways to the surface, for instance by using clamps, by inserting a hole on the surface and using the bolt-through system, or by using the sus-track which enables users to mound multiple monitor arms on the length of the surface.