Mobile Touchscreen Devices in a Manufacturing Environment

[APenn]

Hi Everyone. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with mobile touchscreen devices in a manufacturing environment. I'm in a custom metal fabrication environment. We want to equip our shop with devices that will allow machine operators to view CAD drawings, interact with an ERP system (EPR is not in place as of yet), perform functions like track time on jobs. I like the iPad for one reason. I like how well the touch interface works. I'm wondering if people are willing to share what they are using and what they like/dislike about their devices.

Thank-You

 

[Pancho]

Our metal-bending shop supervisors have been using iPads for several months now to great success. We started with one unit in the spring, and added 8 more in late August. So far we have not lost any (neither to rough handling nor otherwise).

We still print large drawings, but the iPads did away with all our printed procedures, and many of our work orders and printed drawings. But beside these expected benefits, we are seeing lots of other not so obvious effects.

For example, there is enhanced consultation from the users. The median supervisor-user "hits" the QMS 45 times per week and visits project wikis about the same number of times. They are much better informed of jobs' status, schedule, problems, solutions.

They are also contributing to discussions and CA resolution, but not so much directly on the iPads. The median supervisor edits the wiki or the CAPA database only a couple of times per month from his iPad. They seem to prefer to come into the office and discuss directly with the engineers or manager. Doubt it's because of any issues with the touchscreen, tho.

Best part is that they and their workers feel now in the loop, aware of news and able to see the latest pretty pictures of completed jobs. Even during the recent Christmas party it was funny to see that several of the supervisors, not previously known for their love of computers, were carrying their little toys around.

 

[APenn]

Thanks for the reply Pancho. Did the iPads work out of the box for you? Do they interface with your QMS without additional software?

Thanks Again

 

[Pancho]

Yes, pretty much out of the box. Both our QMS and CAPA db are browser-accessible, so so Safari was all the users really needed to access these systems. Email is also useful and included.

Only did two minor customizations: To save their fingers a couple of taps, we installed a few home-screen icons to their favorite documents. We also installed the AIM iChat client for instant messaging.

 

[tomvehoski]

You might be better off with more industrialized tablet PCs in a manufacturing environment. I can't imagine iPads holding up well in the stamping environment I am in. Just some thoughts:

Metal shavings / dust / oil on fingers damaging screens.
Touchscreens don't work through gloves.
Probably not going to survive many drops.
Screen size may not work well for CAD.
Hi-lo driver going off the dock because he was playing with his iPad....

I worked with some tablet PC applications for military vehicles. They were Windows based, bigger, and much more rugged than the iPad. They also responded to finger touch or a stylus. The software was customized with large buttons that would be easy to hit with a finger while on the move.

Make sure you talk to your ERP supplier to find out what works best with their system. If their software has tiny icons and requires a lot of typing it may not be a good fit.

 

[awdtnr91]

I am extremely curious to see where these tablets have a place. I personally sell SPC and GAGE software. I am a trying to have my company establish a software to parallel an android or apple operating system. If you guys could carry around tablet and scan a bar code and see all information about a certain gage real-time. I think even better, to have your SPC charts running real time as you walk through the plant, maybe adjusting your control limits to become as lean as possible. Just a thought.

 

[Warcraft]

Hello to all,

can someone share their experiance on this subject.
I am running a CAQ in machining dept. and it is working well with standard PC.
However, I would like to use Ipad's or some other in order to have every machine connected to tablet.

Thx.

 

[Darrell B]

Our Contracts Manager was given a Galaxy 10'' tablet a couple of months ago. She finds it a godsend to be able to access our ERP system while out on the floor.

 

[Murphys Law]

As I see it, The main problem with the current tablets is their computing power.

They are great as 'displaying media' : videos, html, emails etc - but if you want them to be heavy hitting computers that run complex programs or perhaps generate that media, forget it.

Window 8 is targeted to be that but so far, has met a big shrug in the market place. There is the next gen of laptop/tablet migration that Microsoft is banking on but a large part of the market has been stolen with 'bring your own device to work' but that actually addresses a large part of what people used their own laptops for. They didn't really need to be running massive Access databases or Adobe creative programs: They really were responding back to emails or browsing internet or intranet and tablets work fine for that.

The comments about drop tests are valid: They are designed for the consumer sipping their starbucks not the industrial usage. (Btw: product lifetime is aimed at 3 years but warranty is only 30 days ! Caveat Emptor).

Another thing with these is security: Android particularly. This is what Blackberry are banking on as it works well with corporate networks. Try hooking up a ipad or android to a FULL corporate network.

 

[Mikishots]

Hello to all,

can someone share their experiance on this subject.
I am running a CAQ in machining dept. and it is working well with standard PC.
However, I would like to use Ipad's or some other in order to have every machine connected to tablet.

Thx.

We use iPads in an aerospace manufacturing facility for viewing workbooks, work instructions, process specs etc. The guys just take them right onto the planes, right where they need the info.