Welcome to the First Issue of The Wright Connection!

At Wright Line, knowing how to plan, design and manage today's technology intensive workspaces is our business. For nearly 75 years we've helped thousands of companies get the physical infrastructure they need to succeed. We've worked with light manufacturing companies, laboratory testing facilities, communication and 9-11 response centers, network operation and data centers, and technical training facilities. And while every business is different, our experience has shown that technical environments share common challenges.

With our bimonthly newsletter we'll bring you industry best practices and new solutions, helpful tips and important news to help you get the most out of your technical environment, whatever your business.

We would love to hear your thoughts on the newsletter. If you have any feedback, please let us know.

Regards,

Larry McHugh

Technical Environment Challenges

To appreciate the impact of technology in the workplace, look no further than the screen in front of you. Today it would be inconceivable to plan most spaces without taking computer equipment into account, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Technology is expanding its reach inside organizations as new applications arrive, bringing new solutions and new ways of working. As use of technical equipment grows, achieving the right combination of people, technology, space, and workflow and ergonomics becomes an increasingly difficult challenge.

For the inaugural issue of The Wright Connection, we're taking a look at the challenges facing organizations and individuals operating in "technical environments" and how Wright Line is helping to overcome them.

Technology-Driven Spaces

Any space where the dominant function involves interaction with technology and technical equipment qualifies as a technical environment. As you would expect, there are as many varieties of technical environments as there are different business processes. They exist in a wide range of functional areas and industries, including:

• Network Operation Centers
• Data centers
• Communications, call centers & 911 response centers
• Light manufacturing
• Technical training facilities
• Analytical laboratory facilities

When we look at these spaces each has a unique set of challenges based on the technical equipment in use. Take for example a 911 response center and the need to mount upwards of six flat panel displays per workstation, all within easy sight of the operator and adjustable for different users. Or a data center in which you need to not only house equipment, but also provide adequate power, cooling and cabling to a wide variety of rackmount equipment of different sizes, all while facilitating easy access for servicing, upgrades and replacement.

The Four-Dimensional Approach to the Technical Environment

Though the particulars of each technical environment are unique, our experience has shown that the same basic challenges are common to all technical environments. At Wright Line, we look at these challenges in four categories: people, technology, space and workflow:

• People: The technical environment needs to accommodate your employees in a way that facilitates safety, comfort, ergonomics, and multiple users.



• Technology: With the latest technology comes the issues of mounting and housing; cable management; supply of power; cooling and ventilation; and in some cases hookup of services such as gas and water.



• Space: Limited and expensive square footage creates the challenge of accommodating equipment, people and supplies in high-density, "shared-footprint" configurations while allowing for upgrades and frequent equipment changeover as needs and technologies evolve.



• Workflow: Users in technical environments need quick and easy access to equipment, tools and services. The right combination and access points for technical equipment is essential for an efficient workflow.

Using this four-dimensional framework, Wright Line has helped hundreds of organizations design and outfit their technical environments to achieve the optimal configuration of people, technology, space and workflow.

The optimized technical environment

What makes a technical environment work?

In our experience, the best technical environments combine the right furnishings and layout to facilitate:

• Scalability and modularity: to allow for growth and increased storage needs.
• Platform mobility: to adapt to new and changing technologies.
• Adjustability: to allow workers comfortable, ergonomic access to equipment.
• Technology-compatible designs: that provide for cable management, power supply and service connectivity.

Putting It All Together

When you are looking at solutions for your own technical environment and making key purchasing decisions, the challenges and the number of "solutions" available can be overwhelming. How do I find the right configuration for my technical environment and which products do I need to make this happen? The changing nature of technology and its use in the workplace often make these difficult questions to answer. Approaching the problem using the four dimensional approach provides the right starting point to determine the best layout and furnishings for your workspace.

Wright Line Can Help

Wright Line has been serving the needs of technical environments since 1934 and our four-dimensional approach to integrating people, technology, space, and workflow has helped thousands of organizations optimize their workspaces. Our approach and deep understanding of these environments have allowed us to develop an award-winning line of products to help make the optimized technical environment a reality. In upcoming issues of The Wright Connection we will be looking in more detail at some of the challenges and solutions in these environments, including case studies and articles on best practices. We look forward to taking you further inside the technical environment to help you find the solution that's right for you.

 

Analytical Lab Solutions: Beyond the Bench

Our furniture solutions for the analytical lab are designed specifically for the sophisticated electronic analytic platforms found in today's laboratories. In this highly competitive environment, effectively managing instrumentation is a critical success factor.

At Wright Line, we've looked "beyond the bench" to bring you two product platforms, LMS ™ and TechBench ™, designed to provide a safe and efficient workspace for the primary equipment and instrumentation found in today's analytical laboratory.

Completely modular and reconfigurable, Wright Line's products and available accessories allow customers to migrate existing platforms as needs change without having to repurchase an entirely new platform. This creates product platforms with extended life cycles that can evolve in concert with market and customer trends.

Features

• Full Frame systems
• Bench and Organizer systems
• Height adjustability
• Mobility
• Specialized equipment service pull-outs
• Flat Panel Display (FPD) and keyboard mounting options
• Cable and power management accessories
• Overhead storage compartments with steel or glass doors
• Under worksurface storage with sliding pedestals

 

Product Spotlight

	Profile® Designed exclusively for flat panel technology, Profile is the ideal solution for a multitude of technology intensive applications, including network operation centers, command and monitoring stations, help desks and trading floors. For more product information, click here.
	Tower of Cool™ Getting hot in the data center? You need Tower of Cool. Only 8kw air cooled solution on the market Reduce Require ACU's by 50% Smart Power Environmental Monitoring More >

 

Wright Line News

Wright Line just made finding your power product solutions easier!
We recently developed an intuitive, online Power Product Selector featuring power strip solutions for data center enclosures, equipment and network rooms and modular offices. Providing real-time information and updates 24/7, this comprehensive selector provides extensive database information for each power strip solution including mounting methods, dimensions, ratings and more. Click here to check it out!

Upcoming Trade Shows
At Wright Line we make it our business to know your business, and part of that is attending trade shows for the many industries we service. For a complete listing of the trade shows we will be at, click here, and don't forget to drop by and visit our booth!

 

Industry News

Moving Your Data Center? Equipment is Key!
Relocating your data center is a huge undertaking, with lots of moving parts, and it takes detailed planning to get it right. But if you don't pay attention to the actual moving of the physical equipment, even the best plans can fall apart. To read more on how to get your data center move right, click here.

AIHA Laboratory Accreditation: Don't Forget the Consumer
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) accrediting program is the largest in the world, designed to establish and maintain the highest possible standards of performance for laboratories analyzing samples to support the evaluation of occupational and environmental exposures to hazardous agents. For an in depth article examining why this accreditation should is important for consumers in the occupational health and safety industry, click here

 

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