Supply chain managers are constantly hammered by distractions. They get stuck monitoring on-time deliveries, vendor-managed inventory (VMI), and impending shortages. Although there are initiatives from supply chain managers in implementing processes to reduce shortages, save costs, and smooth operations, they are often left feeling frustrated by the challenges of dealing with material shortages, especially over the last year.
A rugged tablet that has the hardware and software to manage supply chain systems and is rugged enough to handle being on the floor surrounded by dust and exposed to many risks and extreme conditions provides many benefits.
Broad Applications
One of the benefits of using rugged mobile computing in supply chain logistics is the ability to integrate inventory management throughout warehouses and with the company’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Warehouse Management Software (WMS). The latest generation of rugged tablets can also be used with a broad swath of applications, providing real-time tracking of goods and merchandise from the point of manufacture through shipping, and right to the sales floor. Rather than having to utilize multiple devices, a rugged tablet is an all-in-one workhorse. Data can be captured directly into the tablet thanks to integrated barcode and RFID scanning technology, built directly into the rugged tablet during manufacturing. With real-time access to inventory, work-in-progress statuses, assets, and more, rugged tablets improve warehouse efficiency and productivity.
Maintain More Accurate Records
Recording inventory damage and passing records through the right channels takes large amounts of time and energy. Rather than putting all the pressure on middle management and employees to document damages, assess responsibility, and find the responsible party for signing off on the damaged product, simply take a photograph with the integrated 3D RealSense camera on a rugged tablet, attach the photograph to the inventory’s file in your management system and automatically email responsible parties concerning the damage. This saves energy, time, and capital costs from storing damaged inventory for long periods of time without the appropriate team member knowing.
Flexible and Durable
Rugged tablets provide a more flexible and, in many cases, lower-cost alternative to forklift-mounted terminals and fixed-station computers. With integrated support for barcode scanning, UHF RFID, and wireless LAN communications, tablets can be used for picking and packing, as well as shipping, receiving, and quality management applications that easily segregate the defective stocks. With rugged tablets, workers can instantly record “bad stocks” anywhere in the warehouse without having to go to a desktop.
A rugged tablet that has the hardware and software to manage your business systems and is durable enough to handle being on the work floor with dust, varying temperatures, and exposed to many risks can provide many benefits to any warehousing business. Rugged tablets can last many years in the harsh conditions of a warehouse or the inside of a delivery truck.
Rugged tablets provide a powerful computing platform to improve operations across the supply chain. While not every application or end-user is a fit for tablet computing, these devices provide a new level of computing power and flexibility in supply chain applications.