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Features
3M’s ToughTouch boasts being the only technology to deliver comprehensive benefits to ATM users and banks throughout the world. So we took a look at its latest installation!
Ergonomics and security are the lynchpins of efficient cash handling and lending more than a helping hand, 3M touch screens are being used to provide Wincor Nixdorf ATMs with the durability, strength and ease of use that banks demand in widely varying situations worldwide.
Wincor Nixdorf, one of the world’s leading providers of IT solutions and services to retailers and retail bankers oozes success built on optimising business processes at banks and retail companies. In particular, it helps these organisations to cut costs and complexity whilst improving service to the end customer. This global operation has a presence in over 90 countries, with dedicated subsidiary companies in 36. Wincor Nixdorf holds second place in Europe and is number three worldwide for automated teller machines. Its production is also global, with facilities at Paderborn, Germany, as well as in Singapore, Shanghai and Sao Paolo.
At the heart of its competitive edge is the ability to offer retail banks a broad portfolio for re-engineering and automating branch processes. This involves more than just supplying PoS systems and ATMs. Wincor Nixdorf supplements this with a comprehensive range of analysis, consulting and design to implementation services, covering operations as well as products and solutions.
“Our product portfolio includes automated teller machines with various functions,” says Ulrich Schäfers, Product Manager, “from dispensing and depositing cash and cheques to cash recycling, in which cash that has been deposited can be dispensed again.”
Touch screens are playing a growing role, with on-screen interaction increasingly replacing soft keys and keyboards. For ATM solution providers like Wincor Nixdorf, there are additional advantages such as simpler localisation and greater flexibility of formats to suit different machines. But these benefits can only be achieved if the screen and touch input work comfortably and securely, round the clock, anywhere in the world.
With 3M touch screens, ergonomics, it says, start with the technology. Capacitive touch screens, such as MicroTouch ToughTouch, are heralded as today’s most popular choice, offering superior durability, fast and accurate touch performance, excellent light transmission, advanced anti-glare properties and high reliability.
“We fulfil our customers’ key requirements for high availability of their systems,” elaborates Schäfers, “with comprehensive services, but most importantly by building dependability into our solutions from the start. There are two aspects to this. First and foremost is reliability in normal operation. And for Wincor Nixdorf ATMs, ‘normal’ means extremes of climate in and out of doors. The latest ToughTouch II touch screens from 3M operate over –40 to +70°C. Storage temperature is –50/+85°C and humidity rating is up to 90%RH, helping the ATMs operate successfully in all parts of the world.”
The screens on the ATMs are said to be popular everywhere with bank customers because they are accurate, responsive and can be viewed clearly under all lighting levels, whether it’s bright daylight, artificial lighting or night time. As well as standard models, Wincor Nixdorf is able to offer additional privacy to bank customers by integrating a 3M Vikuiti LCF light control film between the ClearTek II capacitive sensor and 4mm backing glass of ToughTouch touch screen. The thin plastic film helps protect transaction information displayed on ATM screens from prying eyes to ensure user confidentiality.
Touch screens on ATMs need to minimise the impact of abnormal operations such as vandalism, theft and attack. ToughTouch II touch screens feature a layer of glass laminated to the underlying ClearTek capacitive sensor, dramatically improving impact resistance and making them ideal for unattended and high threat environments. These screens already offer high resistance to damage from key scratches or spilled drinks, and the surface is highly resistant to wear on high traffic areas of the surface. They comply with UL 60950 safety standards, excelling themselves, says 3M, during impact testing without any shattering of glass. They are also IP66/NEMA 4 sealable against liquids and other contaminants.
The screens also boast a superior level of wear resistance over previous ToughTouch product, making them, says 3M, at least five times more wear resistant than competitive capacitive touch screens on the market. Previous ClearTek products have been tested successfully to withstand over 255million mechanical touches in a single location without degradation. As well as maximising the ATM’s availability, this high durability also reduces the costs associated with maintenance and recalibration. There is greater convenience for endusers and costs are lower for the bank.
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The advantages of 3M’s high performance, high reliability touch screens have been clear to Wincor Nixdorf over more than a decade. “We only use ToughTouch”, states Schäfers. “3M provides a single source for our complete range of screen sizes but most importantly theirs is the only technology to meet our key requirement; that it can be used both indoors and outdoors.” The long collaboration between 3M and Wincor Nixdorf has, says 3M, technical superiority at its core. Schäfers also singles out service as a key factor in the partnership’s longevity, stating, “They provide excellent support to our headquarters in terms of design, development, production and after sales operations. Such a longstanding relationship is further reinforced by the companies’ shared values.” |
3M is continuing to take the initiative by developing everimproving touch screen technologies. Customers like Wincor Nixdorf will be able to offer increasingly vandalism proof and ergonomic solutions to the retail banking community, helping banks trim their costs and continuously improve their customer service.
