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Flatlift customers generally list two main requirements when it comes to retractable monitors and similar devices. First and foremost, noise emission is a key factor, as users expect the mechanism to work as silently as possible in the background. The next important issue is speed. While users expect the TV or monitor to be quickly retracted and out of sight, the speed should not be such that it can cause damage. Finding the happy medium here is a Logo! 8 logic module complete with web server function from Siemens.

Reliable and convenient

"Our systems can be extended and retracted at a maximum rate of 30 to 40 millimeters per second," says Flatlift CEO Sascha Rissel. Although higher speeds are theoretically possible, Logo! 8 sets a predetermined maximum speed which cannot be exceeded, so avoiding any possibility of damage to the screen or TV. Every application can be controlled during operation either by pressing a button or remotely using a smartphone or tablet. Remote access is made possible using the web server function of the new Logo! 8 version. "The web server in particular offers a whole range of possibilities," says an enthusiastic Rissel. The free Logo! Web Editor allows users to create their own graphic user interface complete with individual images and icons – without any previous programming experience whatsoever. Several applications can be linked within the network and centrally controlled over wireless LAN (WLAN), as each logic module has its own dedicated Ethernet interface. The WLAN link also allows software updates to be simply installed for Logo! 8 using Logo! Soft Comfort.

Reliable and simple to operate

Another issue ranking in importance alongside speed and low noise is that of safety. After all, users don't want their fingers trapped in the shaft by a closing lid. Logo! 8 prevents this by evaluating signals from barrier rails and sensors. If the system detects any obstruction, the lid moves in the opposite direction to prevent injury. All in all, Rissel and his team are impressed on a number of levels by Logo! 8. Particular benefits highlighted by the professionals at Flatlift include simple programmability, user-friendly menu navigation and ease of network integration.