In the construction industry, construction costs are frequently inflated due to unbudgeted costs that arise as a result of poor time management, delays, and lack of proper coordination. But with the introduction of industrial rugged tablets in the construction industry, we are witnessing a shift to reduced construction time and cost due to increased efficiency.
It’s now easier to monitor construction works on different sites and get a real-time update. It’s also easy to ensure that workers are working in a safe environment and that they are performing their duties as per the laid-out guidelines.
Industrial rugged tablet computing makes construction work efficient as it becomes easier to streamline workflow processes. If you are in the construction industry, take advantage of the following benefits that rugged tablets offer to minimize construction cost, hazards and improve the overall work efficiency.
- Going paperless and faster sharing of information
Printing and distributing construction blueprints and plans is always a time-consuming process in the construction industry. There are many departments and agencies that will need to review and approve plans before construction works start. Luckily, all this hassle can be a thing of the past. Construction companies are now switching from manual records to virtual records thanks to the use of rugged tablets.
Rugged tablets can store the necessary construction documents in soft copy and users can easily share them with every team member with just a press of a button.
With immense data storage options including cloud storage, it has become easier to share a lot of soft documents in real-time. Other design applications such as AutoCAD make it easier for engineers and design architects to modify the blueprints and design and update them in the system automatically. Going paperless help reduce operational costs and saves a lot of time.
- Logistics and supply management
When supervisors are using rugged tablets on the construction site, they are able to monitor the inventory levels and know when to place a new order. The process of ordering and shipping can be an automated process that is communicated in real-time thus saving time and cost of doing it manually.
If drivers are delivering various supplies to the site, it’s easier to track them in real-time so that supervisors can know where they are at any time and the expected supply delivery time. When there is an efficient supply and logistics system in place, all the supplies can be maintained at optimal levels, and issues of project interruptions and delays become eliminated.
When project managers get full information about supply and logistics, they will have an easier time making major decisions that will have a real-time impact.
- Virtual meetings are now easy to conduct
The tiresome physical or face-to-face meetings among different team members used to consume a lot of time. With the introduction of rugged tablets in the construction industry, it’s now easier for construction project teams to hold virtual meetings and deliberate on key issues in real-time even if they are in different locations.
This is made possible by installing communication applications such as Zoom, Teams, or FaceTime on rugged tablets. By digitizing meetings, construction companies are now able to save time and resources that would have otherwise been used to cater to such expenses.
With virtual meetings, a supervisor on a construction site can give a real-time update about the project progress to the management team. New instructions or directives can be communicated through a virtual meeting without forcing any team member to leave their respective locations.
- Efficient real-time weather tracking
When undertaking construction works outdoors, the weather conditions can have a huge bearing on the progression rate of the project. Experiencing bad weather such as hailstones, storms, and unexpected rains can not only derail the construction works but can cause harm to your workers.
With rugged tablets, site managers and supervisors can be able to monitor weather conditions in real-time and even install weather forecasting apps to make it easier to track the weather conditions early enough and make informed decisions.
If the forecast shows that there will be bad weather, site managers are able to communicate to site workers in advance so that they can retrieve from dangerous locations for their safety. It also helps them to come up with a plan on how to finish any disrupted projects and the best time to do it.
- Quick intervention in case of emergency
If there is any emergency on the construction site that requires immediate attention, site managers can easily raise the alarm to the answerable department in real-time for a quick response. Rugged tablets can be fitted with certain features that track different processes and systems and notify the management in case there is any system failure or emergency. It’s even easier to conduct a live video and show the management what is happening.
Quick sharing of emergency information to all concerned departments helps in providing a quick response thus, preventing major losses.
- Reduced cost of repairs and easier integration
Ruggedized tablets that are used in construction sites are strong and built to last. Unlike consumer-grade tablets, rugged industrial tablets are built to withstand harsh outdoor environments such as dust, sudden drop, extreme temperatures, shocks, and vibrations. Rugged tablets are designed and built with military-grade standards and materials to make them sturdy and durable.
Rugged tablets are also easier to integrate with other construction systems and processes. Therefore, when construction companies switch to rugged tablets they are able to improve efficiency due to better control and monitoring systems. The overall cost of system repairs is also reduced and this helps in reducing expenses.
Conclusion
When working in the construction industry the technology and hardware must be sturdy. Rugged tablets enable seamless technology integration in the day-to-day operations of site managers and supervisors for perfect on-site management.
When using rugged industrial tablets, construction workers and project management teams are able to work efficiently and meet their targets. When a contractor manages to keep the working schedule on track, the construction project gets completed in time and within the set budget thus, putting the entire project management team ahead of their competitors.