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Winmate Blog

5 Consideration Before Buy Warehouse Tablets for Your Business

2022/07/22
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Rugged warehouse tablets and mobile devices are critical for improving logistics management and operations efficiency, from swiftly exchanging information to receiving and executing orders accurately. Since the cost of a good and reliable warehouse tablet is more than that of a regular tablet for usage at home or in the office, you might want to ensure that it fits your need and investment.

Warehouse tablets have become essential tools for optimal warehousing and logistics management. Forklifts, carts, and vehicle dashboards can be equipped with warehouse tablets, which can also be held across storage floors by workers. As a result, it must be tough enough to endure damage from high vibrations, harsh handling, or the occasional drop.

It is simple to buy warehouse tablets and assume they will be suitable for the job, but there are several things to consider and try before you buy any for your staff.

a woman and man engineers in Personal Protective Equipment PPE are checking facility equipment with industrial Android tablet S101M9 with IP65 and defence standard 810H, ruggedness that saves you money


  1. Know the requirement and specifications you are looking for

    The warehouse tablets, classified as rugged mobile devices, have been specifically designed and built for logistic and storage applications, including water-tight seals, bumper cases, fanless designs, and reduced power consumption. Unlike a consumer tablet, its high-definition screen may also be operable accurately while wearing gloves.

    In addition to a wide range of connectivity options, the warehouse tablet may also feature various accessories selections, including desk docking, vehicle cradle, straps, and integrated 1D/2D barcode readers. In short, rugged warehouse tablets are specifically designed to meet the needs of supply chain workers.

    In addition to the design and manufacture, a rugged tablet must also pass performance tests. These simulate the conditions that the tablet may be subjected to. Typically, tests include Ingress Protection (IP) testing, the US defence standard MIL-STD testing of devices' durability and toughness, and an extensive range of in-house testing.

  2. Test the warehouse tablets in your actual work environment

    The majority of purchasing process started by reviewing the specification sheet. Of course, this can tell you a rugged device capability, but it will not tell you how it will perform in a real-world situation. Testing allows you to check a tablet's functionality and dependability in your work environment.

    Consider testing as an investment. It is better to put the effort in early than later when you might run with costly complications. Consider it a way to protect your capital investment in the devices.

    You would never buy a car without taking it for a test drive. The same goes for rugged PCs. You should test the devices in as close to real-world settings as feasible, whether it is a cold or standard warehouse, at a port, in a vehicle, in the woods, or elsewhere.

  3. Let your team members use it

    Getting as many end-users as possible to use the device would be helpful. They can assess how user-friendly the device is, whether it completes work operations as expected and whether it becomes too hot or heavy to carry about all day. Getting your workers on board offers you a head start on user acceptance.

    End users aren't the only ones that need to test. The IT team should double-check the data specifications and ensure the devices are compatible with the operating system or software. This way, you can future-proof your investment for years to come.

  4. Test as extensively as possible

    It is recommended to test your warehouse tablet as thoroughly as possible, such as going over all the operations the devices will perform once they are fully deployed. Such as testing across multiple sites if you're deploying devices at several locations. Each area will have its unique set of challenges and peculiarities. Such as various wireless network infrastructure and access point connectivity challenges, temperature variations, vehicle architecture, compatibility with additional equipment and peripherals, software application requirements, and mounting placement may vary from site to site.

  5. Look for the critical issues

    Testing across sites and with as many users as possible can provide you with much information and allow you to spot flaws before they become significant difficulties. Pay special attention to features and functions that are crucial to your organization and any previous issues you have faced, such as communication coverage, screen viewability under direct sunlight, or the water protection rating.

    When testing your new warehouse tablet, remember that you are not just putting a new robust solution to the test. You are also putting your supplier's capacity to provide to the test, including procurement and management. They could be able to provide insight into the supplier's financial stability, partnership opportunities, and additional services. Finding a supplier with the skills to understand your business and the ability to meet your needs can result in a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship.

    For over 25 years, Winmate Inc. has been the global leader in developing advanced rugged, mobile technologies for warehousing industries. From R&D to manufacturing to in-house testing, Winmate Inc. manages the entire product development process with ready-made products for quick deployment and customization service to meet our partners' specific needs. Winmate's innovative approach has helped countless enterprises at every level with equipment automation and seamless Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) integration.

    With service and support centers throughout the globe, we are able to respond quickly and efficiently to ensure uninterrupted productivity for our customers. We are committed to speedy turnaround times on repairs and service needs.

Find issues before they become expensive problems

Warehouse management aims to ensure that all the products on the floor will have fewer interruptions and errors with improved efficiency for teams working the floor. With this, adaptation to sophisticated technology is sought by companies. Rugged warehouse tablets are one of the advanced technologies several warehouses use to be efficient in their operations.

Something as simple as not having enough processor power, unfit mounting fixtures, or the necessity for a stylus because the gloves you are wearing do not work with the touchscreen can disturb your warehouse management efficiency. Whatever the case, it is preferable to detect these issues before delivery rather than having to postpone deployment and spend additional costs.

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If you would like to discuss or to get in touch with the Winmate expert team to see how we can help with your industrial computing challenges, please use the Contact Us button to get in touch.

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