Rugged vehicle-mounted terminals from JLT eclipse the performance of existing technology thanks to more reliable networking and more efficient operator interactions
JLT Mobile Computers, a developer of reliable computing solutions for demanding environments, has proved critical to helping A/S Løgstrup-Steel conquer downtime issues in the warehouse, thanks to modern computer hardware and more robust and reliable plant-wide network connectivity.
A/S Løgstrup-Steel is a leading Danish manufacturer and supplier of high-quality, low-voltage modular switchgear and switchboards. It designs and develops products that can be customized to suit a wide variety of roles in the data center, marine & offshore, energy & power transmission, building management, and manufacturing & process applications.
With such a wide variety of use, cases come multiple and extensive bills of materials, all of which must be meticulously managed, re-stocked, tracked, and picked correctly for each product variant. To fulfill these criteria, A/S Løgstrup-Steel utilizes a central warehouse management system that interacts with forklift-mounted terminals. However, the terminals in the previous setup – introduced some years ago – faced difficulties switching between wireless access points as the trucks navigated the warehouse. The resultant crashes caused by the networking issues often entailed long reacquiring or re-boot procedures, all of which cut into the warehouse’s productive hours.
The company needed to source a more reliable solution but had to maintain optimum operational throughput during any trial and installation periods, so contacted Danish warehouse IT specialist, Codeex, to help it evaluate several competing systems. Following extensive evaluation, the JLT1214™ rugged forklift computer from JLT proved to be an ideal solution, not just for its rugged design and operator interactions, but also due to its far superior networking capabilities.
“We have a robust scheduling and management system, which can handle several orders at once,” explains Henrik Hansen, IT manager, A/S Løgstrup-Steel. “But with the terminals crashing, many of the efficiencies we gain through this software were being lost through the hardware’s failings. The JLT truck terminals supplied by Codeex worked flawlessly in relation to both our employees and the warehouse’s network connection. And the addition of a keyboard has sped up the operator’s interactions, so as well as preventing downtime, we have optimized our uptime too.”
According to Anette Malmström, EMEA Business Unit Director at JLT: “Connectivity is the backbone of modern warehouse operations. It enables staff to connect to business-critical systems in real-time and move or pick items based on a prescribed list of actions or processes. Bad connectivity interrupts this seamless flow of goods in and deliverables out, causing frustration, a loss in productivity and ultimately, hitting the bottom line.”
To deliver complete peace of mind, A/S Løgstrup-Steel was able to test the JLT terminals for a month to ensure that they were not only fit for purpose in their role as rugged vehicle-mounted terminals but also addressed the communication issues faced by the incumbent hardware. The unit on test was mounted on a shock- and vibration-damping RAM bracket and was equipped with a keyboard.
Malmström stresses the importance of ‘try before you buy’ in terms of warehouse automation solutions. “We guide our customers through the steps they need to take to ensure the best possible performance and return on investment. Indeed, the testing itself is treated as part of the investment, with the mantra that you should try to identify issues as early as possible, before they become complex and potentially expensive to fix later.”
The JLT1214 computer’s WLAN and Bluetooth both take advantage of JLT’s built-in highly sensitive Planar Inverted-F Antenna (PIFA) technology, designed for highly reliable wireless connectivity even in difficult environments with weak or uneven coverage.
Like all JLT products, the JLT1214 logistics computer is built from the ground up to deliver maximum reliability and functionality in demanding environments. A high integration of features and a compact design provide for fast, reliable, and cost-effective installation, even in small spaces.
