Xplore Technologies is pleased to reveal that one of the world’s major automotive manufacturers has equipped personnel at one of its latest US-based body shops with Xplore’s XC6 rugged tablet PCs as part of a multi-million-dollar, multi-year mobility scheme.

The long-time global customer is utilising the vibration-proof, shock-proof, waterproof, and dustproof industrial-grade tablets on forklifts in support of multiple logistics activities, including materials handling, shop floor tasks, and maintenance.

They have also installed Xplore’s secure vehicle docking systems third-party forklift mounts and DC power converters as part of the total Xplore-engineered mobility solution.

Additional screen black-out software has been installed for safe rugged tablet use while the forklifts are in transit.

Xplore president and CEO Mark Holleran said: "The XC6 is the most rugged Windows tablet on the market, which is exactly what auto manufacturers’ need in fast-paced body shop facilities where workers’ tools, and heavy hands, have been known to wreak havoc on electronic devices.

"Not only does the XC6 boast a less than one percent annualised failure rate, but it comes standard with an extensive number of high-performance features that augment existing industrial IT systems to eliminate production downtime.

In fact, the XC-series tablet platform has proven to be the perfect computing solution for this customer’s quality-driven, mass-volume manufacturing operations for more than five product generations."

Over the last several years, thousands of Xplore’s rugged tablet-based forklift terminal solutions have been deployed across the automotive leader’s manufacturing and warehousing facilities worldwide to facilitate work orders completion, inventory tracking and data collection.

Other Xplore rugged tablets, including the XSLATE B10, R12, F5 and CL920 models, are also in use by mobile workers and forklift operators in the manufacturer’s plants and body shops worldwide.

The tablets are used on order picking carts for parts delivery, as well as on the assembly line to confirm the accuracy of vehicle parts prior to installation. They’re also used to conduct vehicle inspections and quality tests prior to customer delivery, among other logistical tasks.

Holleran continues: "Workers like the XC6 because it’s easy to use, and supervisors claim that its use has directly contributed to operational efficiency gains.

"Plus, the modular design of this custom-developed forklift solution provides the manufacturer with greater usage and servicing flexibility than the older technology of permanently installed forklift terminals.

"Not only does that translate to a lower investment cost upfront, but a lower maintenance cost over the life of the mobile computer. The same tablet model can be removed from the forklift and used to complete any mobile workflow application in and around the manufacturing shop floor, and it can easily be upgraded to higher computing standards as needed to accommodate the evolving technology requirements of cutting edge smart factories.

"As such, an investment in Xplore’s mobility solutions protects the return on investment (ROI) of customers’ entire IT investment."

The Xplore XC6 ultra-rugged tablet PC is specifically configured to support factory-related workflows, including those conducted primarily by forklift and cart operators.

The IP67 mobile computer can survive a 7-foot drop, the highest of any rugged computer on the market today, and is reinforced internally and externally to tolerate a number of other industrial hazards such as extreme temperature variations that occur between storage areas and loading docks.

The XC6 ultra-rugged tablet also features a direct sunlight readable, resistive multi-touch display that supports glove touch, finger, and stylus interface for easy data input and access on the move.

Please contact Xplore via the enquiries form for more information.