An increasing number of manufacturers are leveraging tablets to streamline processes and boost accuracy and efficiency. While mobility provides many benefits, it’s important to select the best device for use in your operations. Manufacturers should choose industrial-grade devices to make sure they are getting the most out of their technology investments.
Industrial-grade tablets provide:
- Enhanced performance. Industrial tablet solutions support multiple tasks, like receiving, putaway, picking, and shipping. It integrates with enterprise resource planning (ERP) and warehouse management systems (WMS), along with popular industrial applications such as inventory control and asset tracking. Tablet solutions also support multiple operating systems for compatibility with most applications on the factory floor, as well as in the warehouse and the field.
- Resistance to wear and tear. Any industrial tablet device must have a rating of IP54 or higher. Such a rating is assurance that the device is highly protected from damage from dust or water. An industrial tablet, unlike its consumer-grade counterpart, is also hardened for tough manufacturing environments and will continue to operate despite extreme temperatures and falls onto hard surfaces. Using an industrial tablet solution minimizes downtime for repairs and replacement costs.
- Reduced expenses and total cost of ownership. Although they have a higher sticker price, industrial tablets actually cost less to use over time because they don’t need to be repaired or replaced as often as consumer-grade devices. In addition, industrial tablet solutions are often field-serviceable and don’t need to be removed from the factory floor for repairs, which helps minimize downtime and repair costs.
- Increased inventory control. Manufacturers cannot afford to run out of stock, be plagued with overages, or bear unnecessarily high carrying costs. Manufacturers that use industrial tablet solutions with built-in barcode scanners and near field communication (NFC) technology can keep tighter controls on inventory, tracking every item on the factory floor in real time. Tablets also help workers quickly locate inventory by row and section without leaving the production line to check a stationary system. Production line and stock status can be monitored continuously and any problems handled quickly and proactively. Workers can enter information on damaged inventory or other items with tools such as an integrated bar code scanner, which will be immediately available to management and other team members.
- Ability to easily track assets. In addition to a bar code scanner, industrial tablets can also be equipped with RFID readers. This permits workers to locate items or equipment by tracking their RFID labels, saving time it would take to find the asset — especially if it was not properly stored.
With increased pressure to streamline supply chain operations, improve processes, and control costs, manufacturers of all sizes are looking for solutions that will help them meet their objectives and stay profitable and competitive.
A tablet solution will add mobile capabilities to your operations that can advance you toward your goals of higher productivity and effective inventory management, and selecting an industrial-grade tablet will mean the solution will have more uptime, lower repair costs, and a lower TCO.
