Toughpad gets down and dirty with Ashburton Contracting

Proving that tablets are the perfect companion in the workplace, civil contracting and construction company Ashburton Contracting Ltd has successfully introduced an Android-based application for its plumbing team. In so doing, it has also proven that standard hardware isn’t suitable for outdoors work, quickly opting to replace off-the-shelf products with Panasonic’s Toughpad to handle the rough and tumble associated with construction work.

Located in Canterbury on New Zealand’s South Island, Ashburton Contracting Limited (ACL) has a workforce of over 120 and specialises in civil contracting and construction, including such services as drainage and plumbing; geotechnical drilling; quarry and landscaping supplies; and rural contracting services.

Situation

Aaron Gairns, Plumbing Divisional Manager, explains that the company went for an Android app provided by local software developer AMS. “We started with a test and development ‘sandpit’ to see what would work for us. That’s given our staff the ability to be directly involved in the development of software that they use on the job,” he says.

Initially, the company purchased standard Android tablets from a local retailer. “These were OK for establishing whether or not the app would make sense for the company and our people. They were low cost and weren’t expected to last very long,” says Gairns. “The plan always was to introduce rugged technology once the app was proven.”

The limitations of a standard device quickly became apparent, while simultaneously, the app quickly became indispensable to ACL’s staff. “The first application captures a significant number of variables for our plant monitoring activity and is now being developed for to be used for job recording. The app will capture everything – time, plant, photos, reports on assets, location information – collates it and sends it to the company server. It will eliminate field paperwork, which not only takes the physical paper out of the equation, but also removes dual-handling of data,” Gairns explains. “The resulting efficiency is significant and really appreciated by our staff.”

When the standard tablets broke – and they did – it wasn’t the cost of repairing the device that was a problem. It was the downtime. “One got dropped and needed a new screen, another froze up and stopped working,” says Gairns, adding that this was within weeks. “By this time, the tablets were a necessary tool for our guys, so they needed them back as quickly as possible. The downtime of several days to source and reconfigure a tablet was unacceptable.”

Solution

It was a YouTube video of Panasonic’s Toughpad FZ-A1 that initially caught ACL’s eye, relates Gairns. “Before we started developing and testing the app, we had the intention of using rugged technology and a quick check of the market showed that, while others would claim to be rugged, only Toughpad had full certification. And seeing a video of the device going through a washing machine and still working gave us some confidence,” he explains.

Panasonic’s Toughpad FZ-A1 is a 10.1-inch, fully rugged Android tablet. Key features which made it ideal for ACL include the sunlight-viewable screen, the 5.0 megapixel rear camera, 3G connectivity to transmit information to the office and precision GPS. The MIL-STD-810G standard certifies shock and drop resistance  (the Toughpad can fall 120cm without missing a beat), while the IP65 ingress protection rating certifies dust and water resistance.

“We knew Panasonic was the way to go; when we started the process of creating the app with AMS, the FZ-A1 model wasn’t yet available in New Zealand, so when we eventually got in touch withComworth and discovered that they are available and come with full local backup and support, that came as an added bonus,” Gairns says.

Results

The difference between standard hardware and rugged technology is chalk and cheese, Gairns says. “We knew the original tablets would break; they just aren’t built for the mud and muck that plumbers deal with on a daily basis. With the work on the app ongoing for a few years, we’ve got it refined to a point where it is an indispensable tool for our operatives – and the introduction of the Toughpad has quickly made rugged hardware indispensable, too.”

Gairns says that while the plumbing team was the first to get the app and the Toughpads, it will be rolled out to other divisions within ACL. “The integrated camera and precision GPS are ideal tools for asset management, where our guys can find and check the condition of equipment in the field. In the past, that would require paper forms and a digital camera – and it is a real hassle to get pictures from one device to another, slowing the process considerably,” he explains.

Gairns has high praise for the FZ-A1. “It’s a great device for our demanding working environments. You quickly appreciate that the ruggedised devices are built exactly for this purpose. With a dependable device and the super-simple AMS app, it has transformed our workflow – and we expect the Toughpads to deliver a 5 year lifespan, something that’s unprecedented for an off the shelf tablet.”