Why the Supply Chain Industry Needs Rugged Mobility

1. Why the Supply Chain Industry Needs Rugged Mobility Portable mobile devices like tablets and smartphones have become a necessity in the supply chain industry to perform multiple tasks and operations efficiently. With operational visibility, easy and secure data management, real-time communication, and faster processing, mobile devices enable manufacturers, retailers, and warehouse managers to manage all the phases of the supply chain with ease. However, supply chain businesses should look for these factors when considering mobile devices for their everyday usage, including ruggedness, communications capabilities, durability, scanning functionality, connectivity features, data security, and lower cost of ownership. Only ruggedized and heavy-duty smartphones and tablets that are purpose-built for harsh environments have the right set of features, capabilities, and functionalities required to manage and monitor all the processes across a broad supply chain. Rugged devices are better suited than consumer-grade devices in industrial conditions. Here are the features that make them suitable for tough and rough conditions: Waterproof, shockproof and dustproof Resistant to temperature changes, drops, and vibrations Toughened touchscreen and Meet MIL-STD-810G and IP rating standards Reliable wireless connectivity in any area Barcode readers and fingerprint sensors Hot-swappable batteries Scratch-resistant screens Specialized docking mounts Support LAN, WAN, Bluetooth, and GPS simultaneously Why and When Supply Chain Needs Rugged Devices Industrial Windows tablets and rugged smartphones are a versatile platform that can support your mobile workers' various tasks such as: 1. Manufacturing: To keep workers productive and processes streamlined, you need rugged technology in the manufacturing phase of the supply chain process. Rugged devices come with powerful core processing power, secure business-specific applications, 3D camera technology, better durability, and tons of other features. They can help in collecting and inputting data, improving the design process, providing instant communication facilities, enhancing quality control, and more. 2. Warehouse Management: Warehousing involves storing, processing, and packing of goods. From harsh freezing temperatures in a food beverage warehouse to dust-filled tough conditions in the oil and gas industry, warehouse workers have to work in challenging situations where they need durable and reliable mobile devices. From inventory data entry, barcode scanning, to wireless communication, every task in a warehouse could be handled smoothly and effectively with rugged mobile devices.

2. 3. Retail Management: Retail environments can be tough on consumer-grade technologies; therefore, rugged smartphones and industrial Windows tablets are a great fit for such extreme conditions. From processing sales, managing payment cycles to making point-of-sales, rugged handheld devices will help your workers perform each task with accuracy, competence, and full productivity. 4. Delivery & Transport Management: The delivery process involves unpredictable and challenging environments. Rugged devices come with a global positioning system (GPS) and real- time data management features. By having heavy-duty smartphones, your workers can enter dispatch and scheduling information about all incoming and outgoing shipments as well as hours of service and driver logs during delivery. Conclusion Industrial windows tablets and rugged smartphones have made their way into the supply chain industry, and have completely revolutionised the way manufacturing, warehouse, retail, and logistics works are handled. With supply chain-friendly features like scanner, RFID, data management, industrial applications, mobile device management, and robust security, rugged mobile devices are a great fit for businesses looking to improve processes and save money and time.