Medical Grade Computers For Operating Room Use

Fanless Medical Computers For Operating Room Use

Of the 27 million surgeries performed every year in the United States, 5% result in a Surgical site infection (SSI). A SSI is labeled as such when an infection occurs within 30 days of surgery or within one year of a foreign object being implanted in the body. While this number may seem low, the 5% amounts to 1.35 million SSIs per year. These infections can cause serious detriment to patients, longer hospitals stays, and even drastic healthcare costs to the hospital treating said patient. Reducing the amount of SSIs in your hospital can lead to decreased costs, fewer repeat patients, and a healthier workplace.

 

 

How To Reduce Surgical Site Infections In The Hospital

While it is nearly impossible to create a perfectly sterile environment to perform surgeries in, there are promising remedies that can help reduce the amount of SSI causing bacteria in the operating room. One remedy is the use of fanless medical computers. Fanless medical computers are medical computers that do not feature fan-based cooling systems. Instead, they employ passive cooling systems that work just as good, if not better than, fan-based cooling systems.

 

The main benefit of fanless medical computers is that since they do not require outside air be brought in as a coolant, they can have fully enclosed casings. This means that most fanless medical computers are water resistant in addition to being fanless. It also means that no there is no dust build up in the medical computer. This is important because dust buildup in medical computers can lead to the creation of bacteria breeding grounds. We all know that bacteria love warm places, and what better place for bacteria to thrive than in the heatsink of a fan constantly circulating warm air and organic dust particles. Fanless medical computers completely eliminate this festering possibility, leading to a much safer and cleaner medical computer.

 

 

Fanless Medical Computers Are Antimicrobial

 

In addition to being rid of a breeding ground for bacteria, fanless medical computers from Tangent are antimicrobial computers. The touchscreen of every Tangent fanless medical computer features an antimicrobial coating with mitigates the growth of bacteria on its surface. So in addition to not creating a breeding ground for bacteria, fanless medical computers also eliminate any bacteria growth on their surfaces. This one-two punch makes fanless medical computers the perfect medical computers for operating room use, as they can drastically reduce the bacteria present in the room and reduce the likelihood of a SSI from occurring.

 

 

Fanless Medical Computers: Perfect For The Operating Room

Every year, 1.35 million SSIs occur. These SSIs are not only a detriment to the wellbeing of the afflicted patient, but to the hospital serving them. Fanless medical grade computers from Tangent can help reduce the likelihood of these infections from every occurring, saving hospitals time and money and saving patients from further suffering.

Tangent Industrial PCs For Every Use

Customizable Panel PCs For Every Use

It’s not everyday that you decide to update your facility’s legacy equipment, and there’s a lot of questions to be considered. Should you focus on buying hardware for specific tasks, or instead purchase multipurpose units that can be used in various situations? While each side has its benefits and downsides, a compromise between the two can actually net productive results. While it may seem as though multi-use hardware is prone to not being specific enough, this could not be further from the truth. When it comes to industrial computers, customization options do not impede the industrial computer’s ability to perform specific tasks. In fact, customization options for industrial PCs can actually help these PCs with specific tasks in fashions that pigeonholed industrial PCs cannot.

 

 

Industrial Panel PCs: Customizable To The Limit

Industrial Panel PCs are some of the most versatile industrial PCs available, and it is easy to see why. Panel PCs are industrial PCs that are all-in-one PCs, that is, they do not require mice or keyboards to operate. Instead, they utilize a sensitive touchscreen for input. Much like a tablet, the entire panel PC is contained behind the screen. This allows Panel PCs to operate in spaces where traditional industrial PCs could not fit either because no desk space is available for simply no space in general is available. With Panel PCs, industrial computing power can be available anywhere in a facility at any time.

 

 

VITA KW Line Of Panel PCs

VITA KW Line of Industrial PCs
VITA KW Line Of Industrial Computers

Taking the notion of fitting anywhere to its limit, the VITA KW line from Tangent is one line of panel PCs that can truly fit anywhere. With options ranging from 15”, 19”, 22”, 24”, the VITA KW line is sure to have an option tailored to your space requirements. In as little as 15 inches, the VITA KW can turn a space into a fully fledged industrial workstation. In larger areas, the 25 inch VITA KW is perfect as a traditional workstation. While the all-in-one nature of these panel PCs means that they can operate without mice or keyboards, they are more than capable of utilizing these peripherals. The VITA KW line is designed to fit into your world, not the other way around.

 

 

S Series Of Panel PCs

S Series Of Industrial Compuers
S Series Of Industrial Computers

Much like the VITA KW line from Tangent, the S Series from Tangent is features a range of sizing options for every occasion. From 15″, to 19″, to 22″ the S Series is ready to fit into your workstations. The S Series features a stainless steel enclosure that is IP69K certified fully waterproof. The IP69K rating is the highest IP rating available, making the S Series some of the most versatile industrial PCs on the market. This high IP rating makes the S Series perfect for environments where dust and water are facts of life, and can be expected to operate in perfect order in such areas.

 

 

VITA 474 Panel PC

VITA 474 Industrial PC
VITA 474 Industrial Computer

  An outlier in the VITA line, the VITA 474 from Tangent stands alone in its wide operating temperature range. The VITA 474 is capable of operating between -4ºF – 122ºF. This makes the 474 industrial PC perfect for both refrigerated facilities and foundries, as well as any facility in between. In addition to this extensive operating temperature range, the VITA 474 comes ready to perform with RFID technology and an Intel Skylake processor. 

 

 

F15 Panel PC

F15 Industrial PC From Tangent
F15 Industrial Computer

Not every panel PC needs to be mounted to a wall or desk. The F15 from Tangent doubles as both a panel PC and industrial PC Tablet. This dual nature makes the F15 the ultimate customizable panel PC, as the ability to transform from desktop to tablet offers a wide range of applications. On the desk, workers can take advantage of its powerful Intel I7 processor and 2 terabyte solid state drive to work with the beefiest industrial programs. In hand, workers can expect lightning fast response times with Intel Wireless AC-7260 & Bluetooth technology. When mounted on industrial vehicles, workers can utilize multiple programmable function keys to perform actions with one hand. With the F15, the possibilities are truly endless.

 

 

Panel PCs: So Much More Than Tablets

When it comes to deciding between specific task oriented industrial PCs and customizable industrial PCs, don’t pigeonhole your workers. Panel PCs from Tangent offer a sensible middle ground between the two, offering both customization options and task-oriented features.

Industrial PCs For Dusty Environments

Industrial Computers For Dusty Environments

While some industrial spaces restrict the amount of dust circulating throughout the facility, the matter of the fact is that most industrial facilities harbor dust and other pollutants. While workers can easily avoid this dust, their industrial computers may not be as lucky. Typical industrial computers require outside air be brought into the case in order to cool off the delicate central processing units (CPUs), normally via a fan based cooling system. Without proper cooling, CPUs can overheat, rendering  the entire industrial computer useless.

However, the very same system that preserves the integrity of the CPU can actually cause long term harm as well. Fan based cooling systems excel in environments where air is filtered on a regular basis, such as in offices or at home, but falter when used in dusty environments. CPUs are cooled when their fans pass cool air through what is known as a heat sink, which appears as a metal comb elongated so that it’s teeth are inches wide. Typically, heat transfers from the CPU to the teeth of the heat sink, where cool air circulated by the fan removes the heat from the heat sink to the outside of the case. 

In a dusty environment, the air brought in by the industrial computer’s fan slowly builds up along the channels between the heat sink’s teeth. Overtime, the heatsink’s channels begin to be impassable to fresh air, and the heatsink has no way of expelling heat. The heatsink continuously heats up, and eventually the excess heat begins damaging the CPU. 

Fanless Computers: Working Where Others Can’t

Fanless computers are an elegant solution to this conundrum, circulating no air throughout the body of the industrial computer. Without a fan, no dust builds up in the industrial computer and it remains functional even in the dustiest of environments. Fanless computers function in the same way traditional industrial computers operate, except that they feature a passive cooling system. 

This passive cooling system is just as, if not more, reliable than fan based cooling systems without opening up the industrial computer to the dusty environment it exists in. The industrial PC fanless solution solves one of the biggest problems for industrial computers, opening them up to a wider range of use.

Industrial PC Fanless Solution: Rugged Mini E3

The Rugged Mini E3 Is One Industrial PC Fanless Solution
The Rugged Mini E3 Is One Industrial PC Fanless Solution

Without a fan, the Rugged Mini E3 from Tangent makes full use of the industrial PC fanless solution. Capable of working environments where temperatures can reach up to a scorching 158°F, the Rugged Mini E3 is one fanless computer that proves fans are not necessary to maintain proper cooling. With up to 32 gigabytes of RAM and a 6th Intel processor, the Rugged Mini E3 fanless computer can easily handle any industrial program you throw at it.

Industrial PC Fanless Solution: Rugged Mini S

The Rugged Mini S Is One Industrial PC Fanless Solution
The Rugged Mini S Is One Industrial PC Fanless Solution

Proving that industrial computing power does not have to be limited to a desk, the Rugged Mini S from Tangent is built to be used on the go. As an in-vehicle computer, the Rugged Mini S is capable of utilizing a wide range of voltages starting as low as 9 VDC and up to 28 VDC. With this kind of versatility, the Rugged Mini S fanless computer is the perfect companion for nearly every worker in a vehicle. With built-in Wifi and Bluetooth, the Rugged Mini S is capable of being used anywhere in a facility, and especially while on the move.

Industrial PC Fanless Solution: Rugged Mini G

The Rugged Mini G Is One Industrial PC Fanless Solution
The Rugged Mini G Is One Industrial PC Fanless Solution

Whether it’s in a mill, foundry, or factory, the Rugged Mini G Fanless Computer from Tangent is ready to excel. With an operating temperature range of 14° to 131°F, the Rugged Mini G is capable of handling life in facilities with wide fluctuations in temperature with ease. This fanless computer comes with either Wall Mount, VESA 75/100, or DIN Rail mounting systems, making it a flexible addition to your industrial computer fleet.

Industrial PC Fanless Solutions: The Right Choice

While every facility has its own unique needs, there is not a single one that won’t benefit from the introduction of fanless computers. With fanless computers, your industrial computers can operate longer with less maintenance and perform in environments where their fan based peers simply cannot. 

 

Medical Grade Computers For Emergency Room Use

Medical Computers For Emergency Room Use

In 2016, U.S. emergency rooms treated 145.6 million Americans for their emergency conditions according to the Center for Disease Control. This number has been steadily rising since the 1990s, and can be expected to continue increasing with each passing year. With such a high demand for emergency services, it is important to keep your hospital’s emergency room as up to date as possible. With the latest medical computers at your physician’s side, emergency room wait times can drastically decrease and patients can get the life-saving care they need.

Medix E22B | E24B

E22B and E24B from Tangent: built for emergency room use
E22B and E24B from Tangent: built for emergency room use

The Medix line of medical computers from Tangent are some of the most valuable assets that an emergency room can contain. With a wide touchscreen, busy emergency room personnel can quickly input a patient’s data and get right to helping them. Unlike other computers, the Medix E22B does not quit. With hot-swap battery technology, the Medix E22B can be safely unplugged from a wall outlet and still operate normally. In an emergency situation, the last thing you want to be worrying about is how to transfer medical data around with a patient. The Meddix E22B allows doctors to unplug their medical computer and follow their patient with the same data they admitted them with.

Medix T24B

The T24B with Hot-Swap batteries for Emergency Room use
The T24B with Hot-Swap batteries for Emergency Room use

The Medix T24B from Tangent features the same hot-swap battery technology as the Medix E22b, also with three built in slots for batteries. This allows the Medix T24B to not only access the power of three batteries at once, but continuously run 24/7 without being plugged in. The Medix T24B is perfect for medical carts that are constantly in demand and cannot afford to be put out of commission for charging. With 6th generation Intel processors, this medical computer is as fast as it is reliable and can handle any medical program thrown at it.

Medix KW 15

Medical grade computer for emergency room us, the KW line from Tangent
Medical grade computer for emergency room use, the KW 15 from Tangent

As hospital emergency rooms become increasingly more crowded, every square inch of space will become ever more valuable. That’s why smaller medical computers such as the Medix KW 15 are a vital tool for any emergency room. While examination and surgery rooms can afford the luxury of a widescreen medical computer, the same may not be true for emergency rooms. The Medix KW 15 features all the power of a traditional medical computer but in a sleeker, smaller package. This allows doctors more space to treat patients, while still maintaining the computational power needed to do their job to the fullest. 

Reduce Emergency Room Times With Medical Computers

With emergency room wait times only expected to rise, the time to plan for a crowded emergency waiting room is now. Medical computers from Tangent can help reduce wait times, improve emergency room computing power, and help those truly in need of help.

Medical computers by Tangent are also Antimicrobial computers

The Importance Of Antimicrobial Medical PCs

We all like to think of hospitals as places in society where people go to get healthier, and for the most part this is true. However, this is not always the case as hospitals can inadvertently become breeding grounds for harmful diseases. The CDC estimates that each and every day, 1 in 31 hospitals will see a healthcare-associated infection (HAI).

Coinciding with a decrease in the viability of antibiotics, HAIs can turn hospitals into hazardous areas for those who are prone to infection. Often, these same individuals are the ones most in need of a hospital’s services. So what can be done?

Antimicrobial Computers Offer A Compelling Solution

While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to HAIs, antimicrobial computers offer one way to minimize the risk of such infections from occurring. Antimicrobial computers are medical computers that are coated with an antimicrobial treatment. This coating causes the medical computer to be deadly to harmful bacteria, much like how the natural properties of copper make the metal germ-phobic. Typically, every medical computer is an antimicrobial computer, but it is important to check beforehand if this is the case. Luckily, at Tangent all of our medical computers are antimicrobial computers and UL60601-Certified.

Are Antimicrobial Computers Safe?

Antimicrobial computers are not only safe, they are some of the safest medical computers out there. Their antimicrobial coating prevents bacteria from breeding and growing on the medical computer’s surface without being harmful to doctors and patients. Antimicrobial computers are perfectly safe to touch, which is one of the reasons why Tangent’s lineup of medical grade computers are all touchscreen enabled. This allows doctors to use these antimicrobial computers without worrying about the bacteria on their hands. Unlike computers reliant on mice and keyboards, antimicrobial medical computers will not become breeding grounds for bacteria.

Are Antimicrobial Computers Easy To Clean?

Not only are antimicrobial computers easy to clean, they are built to be cleaned! While other computers and computer monitors require specialty cleaning agents in order to not be damaged, antimicrobial medical computers are able to be cleaned with traditional cleaning supplies. Regular cleaning does not remove the antimicrobial coating either, ensuring that these medical computers last well past their warranty. What’s more, antimicrobial computers mitigate the growth of harmful bacteria on their surface, meaning that with a cleaning they become nearly germ free.

Antimicrobial Computers: Reduce Your HAIs

If reducing the amount of HAIs in your hospital is a priority, then antimicrobial medical computers may be the solution you are looking for. These advanced medical computers come in various sizes and styles, and can quickly and easily become an indispensable tool for your facility.

 

High Performance Industrial PCs by Tangent

Panel Computer- Industrial Panel Computer

When it comes to the industrial sector, having the right industrial computer for the job is crucial to maintaining a productive facility. That’s why at Tangent, we thoroughly examine every possible role that our high performance industrial computers can play in a facility and design them accordingly. At Tangent, we examine industry trends and needs in order to maintain and improve the broadest possible lineup of industrial computers.

 

While all of Tangent’s industrial computers are designed to last for years in rugged environments, there are features and options that make each individual industrial PC unique. Here are some of Tangent’s top high performance industrial computers that are built for high performance and productivity in the most rugged environments.

 

VITA KW Line

VITA KW Line of Industrial PCs
VITA KW Line Of Industrial Computers

The VITA KW line of high performance industrial computers from Tangent features three different sizes for every industrial need. These all-in-one industrial PCs come in 15, 19, and 22 inch wide models, ensuring that there is a VITA KW for every workstation regardless of available space. Featuring Intel 6th Generation processing units, the VITA KW line has enough power to handle bulky industrial software with ease. Not only can these industrial computers withstand the most intensive industrial software, but they can also handle some of the harshest industrial environments. With a fanless cooling system, the VITA KW can operate in environments where dust, metal shavings, and other pollutants are a fact of life without needing to be regularly cleaned. With an IP65 rated water resistant front panel, these industrial computers are built to withstand any and all environments.

 

S Series 

S Series Of Industrial Compuers
S Series Of Industrial Computers

If your facility handles liquids that have the potential to leak out at any time, then the S Series of high performance industrial computers from Tangent is the solution for you. The S Series was built for liquid handling facilities, allowing workers to operate their industrial computer in any part of the facility regardless of its proximity to liquids. The S Series is IP69K certified waterproof, able to withstand both dust and liquid intrusion to the highest degree possible. This allows workers to use these industrial computers anywhere in a liquid handling facility, or with wet hands without consequence. With flexible mounting options, the S Series of industrial computers is truly built to operate anywhere in a liquid handling facility.

 

V474

VITA 474 Industrial PC
VITA 474 Industrial Computer

When multitasking is more than just a buzzword, the V474 industrial computer from Tangent is the way to go. With 32 gigabytes of RAM, the V474 is capable of handling multiple industrial programs at once. Whether it’s solidworks, warehouse management software, or simply dozens of web browser tabs, the V474 is capable of handling them all simultaneously. With multiple I/O ports of various typing, this high performance industrial computer can also serve to monitor multiple lines of production at once. Not only is the V474 industrial computer a versatile multitasker, but it can withstand temperatures of up to 122ºF with ease.

 

F15

F15 Industrial PC From Tangent
F15 Industrial Computer

Blending the flexibility of an industrial computer tablet with the robustness of a standard industrial PC, the F15 industrial computer from Tangent is the perfect in-vehicle computer. With both VESA and M8 heavy-duty screw mounting systems, the F15 high performance industrial computer is capable of being mounted on nearly every industrial vehicle. Featuring 10 programmable function keys, the F15 is capable of being operated by vehicle drivers with one hand without distracting them from driving. Built-in Wifi enables the F15 to stay connected to your facility’s network regardless of where the industrial PC is mounted. Workers need not worry about accidentally parking their forklift in an area with liquid exposure, as every panel of the F15 is IP65 rated water resistant and will not be damaged. 

 

R14

R14 Industrial Computer Tablet From Tangent
R14 Industrial PC Tablet

Powerful computing does not have to be limited to mounted industrial computers; the R14 industrial PC tablet from Tangent proves this with a powerful Intel 8th generation quad core processor. The R14 high performance industrial PC tablet makes no sacrifices in the power department in order to be portable, with some of the latest Kaby Lake R SoC integrated CPU architecture and a powerful nVidia Geforce GTX 1050 graphics card. The R14 is perfect for workers who are constantly on the move, but whose job requires constant access to powerful industrial programs. Blending power and portability, the R14 allows on-the-move workers the flexibility to multitask across a wide range of programs with its 32 gigabytes of RAM. With a lightweight and rugged Magnesium chassis, the R14 high performance industrial PC tablet is easily carried and can withstand the occasional accidental drop without damage.

 

P13

P13 Industrial Computer Tablet From Tangent
P13 Industrial Computer Tablet

When working with large files, it can be frustrating to wait long periods of time as the data transfers from one industrial PC to another. The P13 industrial PC tablet from Tangent elegantly solves this dilemma by being both a high performance industrial PC tablet and mounted computer. With standard VESA mounting, the P13 industrial PC tablet can be quickly and easily transformed into a workstation PC. On the move, the P13 has hot-swap battery technology allowing for nearly 24/7 use. Simply plug in a charged battery, use the P13 for up to six hours, then simply replace the exhausted battery with a freshly charged one for another six hours of industrial use.

 

R10

R10 Industrial PC Tablet From Tangent
R10 Industrial Computer Tablet

High temperature resistance does not have to be limited to just mounted industrial PCs, the R10 industrial PC tablet from Tangent can withstand high temperatures while also being mobile. The R10 high performance industrial PC tablet is perfect for workers in environments where temperatures can vary widely. Being able to withstand temperatures of up to 104°F, the R10 is capable of being a worker’s goto industrial PC tablet for working on the move. With up to a 480 gigabyte solid state drive (SSD), the R10 promotes computing, being able to write and retrieve data in its storage far faster than traditional computers. When the speed of its SSD is combined with the functionality of its programmable function keys, the R10 industrial PC tablet is the fastest way for workers to respond to workplace emergencies.

 

P10

P10 Industrial Computer Tablet From Tangent
P10 Industrial PC Tablet

While all of Tangent’s industrial PCs have a satisfactory amount of I/O ports, the P10 industrial PC tablet has a near excessive amount of them. With 12 I/O ports of various typing, the P10 is perfect for situations where multiple peripherals are in use at once. To complement this wide range of I/O ports, the P10 also has a VGA port for a second monitor. This allows the P10 high performance industrial PC tablet to take full advantage of its I/O ports by giving the P10 enough screen space for every input. With all these I/O ports, the P10 can quickly become a jungle of cables. Anticipating this, Tangent has designed the P10’s docking system with an advanced cable management system that turns the jungle of cables into a neat garden.

 

High Performance Industrial Computers: Every Occasion, Every Use

With such a wide variety of high performance industrial computers, there is sure to be one that solves a problem in your facility. High performance industrial PCs from Tangent are purpose built to serve workers in every field when traditional commercial grade computers simply will not do. 

How To Better Use Your Medical Grade Computer

How To Prevent Critical Electronic Health Records Mistakes

There’s no doubt that medical grade computers have made hospitals safer, more productive environments to treat patients. From their antimicrobial coating which mitigates the growth of nosocomial infection causing bacteria to their robust IP certified water resistance, medical grade computers have made a lasting impact on the quality of care provided to patients.

 

Sadly, the same cannot always be said about the software running on these devices. The misuse of medical software such as Electronic Health Records (EHR) can lead to shockingly wrong results. While neither the fault of the software or medical grade computer, mishaps by untrained medical staff using such tools can lead to dangerous outcomes. Here are a few tips to help medical staff prevent errors while using software on their medical grade computers.

 

Be Aware Of Default Settings On Your Electronic Health Record Program

Every EHR program running on a medical grade computer is different, but many have the same features. One similarity that goes unnoticed is their use of default settings and inputs for entry fields. Just like how a website may have a random date filled in for your birthday when signing up, some EHR programs have default numbers filled in for various entry fields. A default drug measurement setting may be present on your EHR program, either by the software provider or your IT department. Make sure that both you and your medical staff are aware of this , as it is entirely possible that they assume the default measurement is correct, and accidentally mis-prescribe a patient.

 

In addition, an unclear medication list present on your EHR program can similarly lead to mis-prescriptions. Medication lists that are hard to read, uninformative, or lack dosing information can lead to medical staff assuming that they are prescribing the correct dosage while in fact doing the opposite. 

 

Train Your Medical Staff Rigorously

EHR programs running on medical grade computers are meant to aid physicians and medical staff, not harm them. While there are problems with these programs, they come from a lack of knowledge and training surrounding the programs. Educate your staff on the presence of default drug measurements, and have your IT department update the default setting to a nonviable integer (such as 0) if possible. Creating a detailed medication list that is both informative and easy to read can also greatly improve EHR usability on medical grade computers. Above all, make sure your staff is regularly refreshed on how to use their EHR program and medical grade computer to their full potential.

 

Avoid Critical Mistakes

Mistakes in the hospital carry consequences not seen in any other sector, and should be avoided at all costs. Making sure that your medical staff is trained to the fullest extent on the use of EHR programs is crucial to providing quality care to patients. Medical technology has always been a force for good, and it is important to treat EHR programs as the medical tools that they are.

Industrial Computers Help Electric Vehicles

Electric Vehicle Usage On The Rise

The use of electric cars is quickly becoming commonplace around the globe, with the adoption of such vehicles being seen in nearly every industrialized country. In 2018 alone, the amount of electric vehicles in use nearly doubled from the previous year to 5.1 million according to the International Energy Agency, an autonomous intergovernmental organization.

 

With such a meteoric rise in the consumer use of such vehicles, we cannot discount their viability in the industrial space. Electric vehicles are not only better for the environment, but also better for the productivity of the industrial sector. Integrating electric cars and electric vehicles into your industrial or warehouse space can lead to boosts in productivity and worker  health.

 

Electric Vehicles: Not Just For Commuters

When one thinks about electric vehicles, thoughts gravitate towards the big name electric car companies that are seemingly always in the headlines. While these companies are making great strides in the mileage range and cost of consumer electric vehicles, other companies have been innovating electric vehicles for industrial use under the radar. In fact, many industrial vehicles—from forklifts to personnel carriers— have electric vehicle variants ready for use.

touchscreen industrial computer
F15 Touchscreen Industrial Computer

These vehicles are less noisy, and more versatile than their combustion engine counterparts. The lack of a noisy combustion engine makes these vehicles the perfect platform for mobile working. When paired with touchscreen industrial computers with programmable function keys, electric vehicles become the ultimate mobile workstation. Allowing for one hand use, touchscreen industrial computers plug directly into your electric vehicle and connect directly to your warehouse management system or network.

 

Better For The Environment, Margins, And Workers

Everyone knows that electric cars are better for the environment, but as an added bonus  they are also better for margins. The cost to operate electric vehicles is half the price of combustion engine vehicles, according to the U.S. Department Of Energy, owing in part to the relatively stable price of electricity compared to oil-based fuels. Electric vehicles can take out the worry about how fluctuations in the global oil supply will affect your operating expenses, cutting travel costs in half and normalizing your budget—all while giving you the peace of mind knowing that your company has made a small step towards a greener future.

 

In addition, electric vehicles are safer to operate than their older combustion engine relatives. Electric cars are favored by consumers not only for their low operating cost and environmental impact, but also their lack of dangerous fume exhaust. Prolonged exposure to exhaust such as carbon monoxide can lead to serious health complications, including heart problems and brain damage. Fumes spit out by traditional industrial vehicles can slowly cause these health problems for your workers, leading to increased medical expenses or worse. Electric vehicles offer a safe, promising alternative to a workplace problem damaging the environment, margins, and workers.

 

Electric Vehicles: The Future, Today

Electric vehicles are poised to take over the transportation sector, and industrial vehicles are no exception to this. When upgrading your fleet to include electric vehicles, make sure your workers get the most out of this investment by equipping them with touchscreen industrial computers

Industrial PCs Can Greatly Optimize Your Warehouse Picking

Optimizing Your Warehouse Picking

Gone are the days where warehouses saw multiple workers crowded around a belt, placing SKUs on products and referring to inventory sheets. With today’s Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), industrial computers have taken over the bulk of SKU tracking and allowed for picking to become the dominant money sink, taking up as much as 63% of the operating costs of a typical warehouse according to Georgia Tech.

 

While a rise in automation has lead to a decrease in total warehouse operating costs, the burgeoning operating cost of picking cannot be ignored. Optimizing your picking systems is more crucial to the overall productivity of your warehouse than ever before.

 

Schools Of Picking

There’s no one way to optimize picking for every warehouse, but there are several competing schools of thought regarding picking that may serve your warehouse’s specific needs.

 

 

  • Waves Picking 

 

Waves picking is a style of picking that is not optimized for the shortest route length possible, but instead other parameters. These “waves” could include things such as intended delivery date, picking zones, delivery location, and other sets that to fit your warehouse’s logistics and deployed by your WMS. 

 

  • Batch Picking

 

In batch picking, a group of orders is combined into one order through the WMS in order to minimize the amount of repeat trips needed. Instead of a picker needing to go back to the same line multiple times, they can simply receive one order for multiple items and save a drastic amount of time.

 

  • Cluster Picking

 

As the name implies, cluster picking allows a worker to pick for multiple orders at once by utilizing a cart or basket with slots for multiple orders in a “cluster.” These orders can be assigned by your WMS for optimized pathing, enabling a picker to collect multiple orders at once.

 

One thing all the picking styles have in common is their use of a WMS running on an industrial computer to make decisions for the warehouse. Each warehouse is unique, and different picking methods should be deployed and tested to see which optimizes routes for time and productivity. Industrial computer tablets can help optimize your picking, allowing workers instant access to inventory, picking jobs, and warehouse updates.

 

Industrial computer tablets are rugged, easy-to-carry devices that enable your pickers to access tasks from the WMS on the move. Industrial computer tablets can come with built in barcode scanners for instant SKU sorting and tracking, and can withstand temperatures from -4° to 140°F so that even your refrigerated facility can benefit from industrial computer tablet use. Some even come ready out of the box for forklift and warehouse vehicle mounting.

 

Industrial Computer Tablets: A Picker’s Best Friend

Whatever school of picking you decide to employ in your warehouse, industrial computer tablets can help your pickers make the most of their work day. With picking costs making up the majority of the operating costs of contemporary warehouses, getting the most productivity possible from your pickers is crucial to creating a profitable enterprise.

How Medical Tablets Can Help Increase Your Efficiency In The Hospital

Boosting Efficiency In Your Hospital

While not every healthcare provider is excited about the transition from paper health records to electronic health records (EHR), the amount of time saved by this transition cannot be ignored. When paired with medical tablets, the use of EHRs in the hospital is exponentially faster, allowing medical staff to instantly access patient information wherever they are in the hospital.

 

In fact, 74% of hospitals that utilize medical tablets to collect patient information are more efficient than hospitals that do not according to a Harris Poll commissioned by Ricoh Americas Corporation. In nearly 3 out of 4 hospitals, the use of medical tablets greatly increased efficiency, and it’s easy to see why.

 

Paper Free, Stress Free

Among those surveyed, 77% said that hospital work entails too much paperwork, which cuts into time spent with patients. In an age where the doctor-patient face time is declining, paperwork serves as a barrier between doctors and their real job: helping patients. Without the hassle of creating, editing, and keeping track of paper health records, doctors are able to spend more time with patients, and potentially have more visits in one day. Medical tablets can help alleviate the stress doctors face in the hospital setting, allowing them instant access to EHRs anywhere in the facility. 

 

Clean and Easy

In addition to being slow, paper health records also hold the potential of being breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria responsible for nosocomial infections. Unless every paper touched by medical staff routinely goes under a U.V. light, it’s safe to say these archaic records are anything but clean. Medical tablets are 60601-1 Medical certified and feature an antimicrobial coating which mitigates the growth of harmful bacteria on their surfaces. This allows doctors to focus on their patients without worrying about the potential spread of bacteria. 

 

Medical tablets are also IP65 rated for water and dust resistance, making them both easy to clean and long lasting. With the combination of water resistance and their antimicrobial coatings, medical tablets make the perfect companion for doctors seeing patients with the flu or other spreadable illnesses.

 

The Patient’s Choice

85% of survey respondents said they feel more comfortable in hospitals deploying the latest technology in their healthcare. Medical tablets are on the bleeding edge of medical technology, and their applications in the hospital are growing every day. EHRs are just the beginning, medical tablets can be used in many of the same scenarios that medical computers are used in while also being mobile.

 

An astonishing 60% of respondents said they would rather spend time on the internet attempting to self diagnose a non-life threatening illness than deal with the paperwork associated with going to the hospital. Cutting back on the amount of paperwork in your hospital is crucial to giving patients adequate healthcare, and medical tablets offer a promising alternative.