Panasonic Toughbook – an in-house project all the way

As a core manufacturer with facilities based in Kobe, Japan, Panasonic controls the entire Toughbook process of design, manufacture and quality assurance. We have our own testing facilities, with more than 500 checks and tests conducted on every unit throughout the manufacturing process.

Our rigorous testing procedures ensure that Toughbook mobile computers and tablets can survive the real-world challenges of computing on the go. Not only do they include the full gamut of tough testing, including drop and shock, liquid and particle resistance, and temperature resistance – but also extensive wireless testing.

Panasonic controls virtually the entire manufacturing process, from design through delivery – and it’s the only wireless mobile computer manufacturer that designs and manufactures its own antenna.

We build the factories that build our Toughbooks

While there are many PC manufacturers who outsource their production today, Panasonic designs and develops our PCs and tablets completely in-house, and uses an integrated manufacturing system that extends from PCB production to final production assembly – the majority of which are in our own factories in Japan, with smaller Panasonic owned and operated factories in Asia. This allows us to respond to our customers’ needs by incorporating our unique technologies into the product development stage.

We control Toughbook manufacturing – from design to delivery

Panasonic controls virtually the entire manufacturing process, from design through delivery. Unlike most computer manufacturers, Panasonic builds many of the critical components in its products and assembles them at its own facilities using Panasonic-built robotics and internally developed processes. This allows for superior design, construction and ultimately, a more reliable and durable product.

Through our Toughbooks, we are pioneers

Through the development and manufacturing of the Toughbook line of computers, Panasonic was the first manufacturer to create rugged laptops in a standard form factor and in a convertible tablet, integrate CD-ROMs into laptops, encase LCDs in magnesium alloy, and deliver integrated mobile broadband with support for EDGE/HSDPA and EV-DO. We were also the first company to engineer ruggedness into ultra-portable, business-rugged laptops with shock-mounted hard drives, magnesium alloy cases, spill resistant keyboards, and embedded wireless solutions.

Panasonic is the only wireless mobile computer manufacturer that designs and manufactures its own antenna, which exceeds the leading carriers’ wireless network requirements. And Panasonic operates one of the world’s largest anechoic chambers in the industry. By precisely measuring the amount of electromagnetic radiation produced by Toughbook mobile computers, anechoic chamber testing enables engineers to maximise wireless performance.

Some of the world’s fastest robotic equipment (also built by Panasonic) is used to mount more than 1,000 electronic components with high-precision onto circuit boards. Each component is optically inspected using image recognition technology prior to its placement on the circuit board.