Selecting an industrial mobile terminal for your manufacturing or warehouse operation is an important decision — one that can result in gains in productivity, efficiency, and cost savings. As you research your options, you will find that these mobile computers can vary widely in design and in the features they offer, which can make a purchasing decision more difficult. There are, however, four features every mobile industrial terminal should have, and limiting your research to terminals that best suit your operations related to these factors should help you select the right terminal for your operations.
1. An Ergonomic Design
An industrial mobile terminal should enhance your workers’ productivity, not require extra steps to comfortably and easily use it. Look for a design that already positions the scanner at the proper angle for scanning when it is held. Also, does it communicate a good read to the user in a way that can be heard or seen in your environment, and is the screen visible and at the right angle to read after a scan? Also consider the screen size and brightness — especially if the terminal will be used outdoors.
Remember, extra tilts, twists of the wrist, and squinting can slow your workers down and lead to fatigue. Fatigue is not only an issue of personal comfort — it’s a hazard, which can lead to errors or injury.
2. Multiple Scanning Options
Your industrial mobile terminal should give you a wide variety of scanning abilities — from bar codes to searchable and editable documents — in just about any circumstance. Options to look for are 1D linear, 1D laser, and 1D/2D area imagers. Make sure the terminal will facilitate all the ways your employees need to use it — whether capturing labels on boxes as they are received or stored on pallets or capturing text and signatures. If your operations require that the terminal be used as both a handheld and a stationary scanner, make sure the design suits both uses and check scanning distances to make sure they suit your operation.
3. A Rugged Design
There should be no debate that an industrial mobile terminal should be rugged. Rugged devices are designed for challenging environments — such as manufacturing facilities and warehouses — with features that include ingress protection (IP) that keeps out water and dust. They should also be impact-, drop- and vibration-resistant, and able to withstand temperature extremes.
An example of a rugged industrial mobile terminal is Zebra’s TC8000 touch computer, tested to be reliable even after 2,000 hits when tumbling and multiple drops from 8 feet to concrete. It has an IP Rating of IP65 which means the enclosure can keep water out even if exposed to a jet of water from a nozzle and is considered “dust tight.” It can also withstand a rapid transition in temperature from -40° F to 158° F.
Your industrial mobile terminal should also provide you with the battery life you need to keep your team productive — will the battery last throughout a shift or will the terminal have to be recharged? Also consider whether the battery can be replaced without having to power down the terminal, and if the terminal alerts you to a failing battery — which can help prevent downtime.
4. Up-To-Date Operating System
Just like your desktop or laptop computer, every industrial mobile terminal has an operating system (OS). Look at the OS version of the terminal you are considering and see if it is the most up to date. This will provide you with the latest set of features and functions the terminal can perform and help future-proof your investment; end of service (EOS) will occur more quickly for older operating systems. Newer operating systems will also have the most updated security features, which can help safeguard your business from data breach and data loss.
Work with your IT solutions provider to see how terminals measure up in these four areas so you can make an intelligent decision — and investment — in the right industrial mobile terminal for your business.
