Multiple Use Computing Devices

Today's plant-floor operators are being weighed down by handheld devices that collect and read information, including bar-code scanners, laptops, cell phones, and PDAs.

Typically, operators must use separate devices for each function, or attach additional hardware to a mobile device. Users must know how to use each piece of equipment, and they also may need to integrate data with back-end processes and other software applications.

Mobile applications are primarily found in asset-intensive manufacturing environments where they're often used by service technicians for equipment maintenance, says Bharat Nair, VP and research director for Boston-based Aberdeen Group. ?Handheld units are perfect for hard-to-reach areas or facilities where there is little room for a wired network.?

Devices that combine various mobile applications in one piece of hardware can help companies save on capital equipment in the long term, says Nair. Workers can leverage cell phones and PDAs by using them to transmit or view collected data, for example.

A new mobile tablet product line, which combines three hardware components, has the potential to not only ease the burden of multiple devices in this way, but also improve data accuracy, inventory management, and customer service. WebDT mobile tablets from DT Research include an integrated bar-code scanner, magnetic stripe reader, and a CCD camera.

Data is automatically captured and saved directly into the commercial application on the tablet. The system is completely embedded?no hard drive is necessary. The tablets are available in 8.4- and 10.4-inch displays offering rugged construction, long battery life, and fixed computing.

Fixed computing allows DT Research to store the operating system, thus eliminating the need to reinstall the software for each device.

?If a company wants 5,000 units in 100 sites, we work with our partners to extract the operating system and install it on every unit,? says David Hale, a company VP for DT Research. ?Then each device is fully customized and established for much faster implementation.?

Bumpers and screen protectors attach to the units for extra protection in industrial environments. An extra battery with triple capacity of a standard version can extend through a full operating shift. The tablets are durable but lightweight.

Users have the option of deploying all three features of the tablet, or any combination of the scanner, swipe, or camera.

?Not many comparable systems include a camera,? says Hale. ?It could be used on the manufacturing plant floor or logistics department of a company for quality control or pictorial documentation.?

One of the nation's largest freight and rail networks in the eastern U.S. uses WebDT mobile tablets to manage logistics for trains, trucks, and ships that cover 23,000 miles. With the system, the company improved the efficiency of its railroad operations and communication with railroad conductors on its freight trains.

Train conductors monitor systems while onboard, and communicate with stations for real-time updates. Plus, customers can track deliveries online in real time to manage inventory and production more effectively. Prior to using the tablets, the company manually processed service orders, and delivery notes were handwritten by conductors and later transcribed. Final delivery reports were not available until hours after the service was delivered.

One of the biggest challenges facing mobile platforms is finding consistent format and display for data presented on Windows devices.

?It is difficult to find a robust and intuitive way to display data when it is transmitted from one device to another,? says Phillippe Winthrop, another director with Aberdeen Group. ?Although systems are supposed to be compatible, it is still like moving from a Macintosh platform to a Windows-based one. Some graphical elements get lost in the translation.?