How Construction Tablets Maximize Workforce Productivity in the Field

Technology has streamlined work for businesses and enterprises in almost every sector, and the construction industry is no exception. While getting rugged tablets for the construction industry is necessary, remember that their primary purpose is to help boost productivity, and there are multiple ways you can do that.

These construction tablets provide:

• ● Quick access to information
• ● Strong computing power to utilize work-related apps
• ● Efficient communication between teams
• ● Durability for working in harsh environment
• ● And more...

Simply put, with industrial tablets, you can boost your workforce productivity significantly. And you will see how it is done after reading this article.

1 How Construction Tablets Can Transform Your Workforce?

Construction Tablets facilitate seamless communication among workers and help them access data with just a tap on the screen. The benefits don’t end here. Highlighted below are some great features and benefits of industrial tablets that can effectively transform your workforce:

Enhanced Mobility and Portability for On-Site Productivity

Workers can carry construction tablets around on site because they are built to be light and portable, along with strong computing power. This means workers can access information they need regarding the project and perform more complicated tasks.

Real-Time Access to Project Information and Data

Most workers dislike the 9-5 method of filling forms and scouring through records for data. But, with industrial tablets, workers can exchange documents and view construction plans and blueprints on a bigger screen compared to rugged phones.

Streamlined Digital Documentation and Reporting Processes

Paper-based documentation and reporting processes in an industrial setting can be inefficient and liable to errors. Therefore, construction tablets can digitize these processes, saving time and minimizing the chances of manual data entry errors.

2 Construction Tablet PCs vs. Consumer Tablets

You may wonder, what’s the difference between a construction tablet and a regular one? Well, construction tablets vary greatly from consumer tablets in terms of ruggedness and capacity. Let us compare these two options to help you make an informed decision regarding what to get for your workforce.

Durability and Ruggedness

Construction tablets are built to be drop- and water-resistant. These tablets are designed with reinforced materials, robust casing, and shock absorbers to work in harsh working environments and different weather conditions.

In contrast, consumer tablets are built with more delicate materials. Thus, they cannot withstand high drops or pressure/altitude on-site – high altitude areas, to be precise, since fieldworkers are sometimes required to work at such heights, depending on the project.

And if you’re wondering just how this can affect tablets or other similar devices and why it matters, most electronic devices are manufactured with a maximum altitude specification they can operate in. Basically, the higher the altitude, the lower the air pressure, which can adversely affect the electrical components within the devices, even causing them to overheat or get damaged.

Functionality and Features

Rugged industrial tablets usually come with RFID readers, barcode scanners, or specialized sensors for measurement and data collection. Construction tablets also offer better battery life, sunlight-readable displays, and support for gloved touch input to last longer for on-site work. Some consumer tablets can offer enhanced battery life but lack other features necessary for fieldwork.

More features that set industrial tablets apart from consumer tablets are the large number of inputs they have. You can get multiple USB and serial inputs, a few memory slots compatible with large-size SD cards, and cellular card slots you can change at will.

We also have to mention another glaring difference between consumer and construction tablets: the latter can support demanding hardware for much longer periods than the former. What do we mean here?

Let’s consider a case of battery power and capacity, for instance. Rugged industrial tablets are equipped with larger and more durable batteries developed for powering industrial control applications.

If you’re at home and your consumer tablet runs out of battery, it’s a mere and minor inconvenience. But if that happens to industrial tabs used during fieldwork or at a factory, it can reduce business capacity.

That’s why you need a rugged industrial tablet to run demanding apps for hours on end, so you can keep up with your business demands.

Customization and Compatibility

Regarding just how customizable the rugged industrial tablets are, whether you are using a Windows 10- or Android-powered devices, you have many options at your disposal.

It is not unusual for industrial tablet manufacturers to partner with software providers to offer specifically designed and customized software to meet a particular industry need.

Along the same vein, those same industrial tablet companies can provide SDKs (software development kits), tools used to develop applications utilizing a particular platform for your company. You can take this route if you prefer your IT experts to develop custom software rather than outsource the task to a third-party tablet company.

Price

Industrial tablets generally cost more than consumer tablets, which is $800 compared to $180 on average. While the former is more expensive, when you consider the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), you’ll understand why price should not be a factor to make you forego using an industrial tablet for a non-rugged device.

Why does TCO matter here?

TCO is the estimation of all the expenses accompanying the purchase of an asset and its operating costs throughout the asset’s lifecycle. To put it simply, don’t look at a tablet’s short-term or purchase price; consider the long-term price, which are the long-term expenses incurred during the entirety of the product’s use.

3 Best Tablets for Construction

Panasonic Toughbook A3

The Panasonic Toughbook A3 conforms to the MIL-STD-810H and IP65 standards for durable phones. This industrial android tablet was built to operate under extreme conditions and harsh temperatures. Plus, it can even survive a drop from certain heights.

The tablet has ample RAM, a particularly powerful processor, and a large storage capacity to operate industry software and tools smoothly and efficiently.

Amazon Fire 8 PLUS Tablet

The Amazon Fire 8 PLUS is another great construction tablet. It enables workers to access essential business platforms and apps like Outlook, Zoom, and Skype. The tablet runs on a battery life of 12 hours and 1TB of storage space. Another neat feature of this tablet is how it allows workers to use it hands-free by virtue of Alexa or VoiceView Reading.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active

This construction tablet is durable yet lightweight, and is compatible with industry software.

Workers or users can expand the storage space to 512GB to support more applications. And like other solid tablets, Samsung Galaxy Tab Active connects to WiFi and cellular, offering stable connectivity even on site.

Microsoft Surface Pro 7

This tablet is large enough for industry-specific activities. Workers can easily share documents, send messages, and access information needed for collaboration. Communications can be made in real-time, with all records accessed by just touching an icon on the tablet screen.

It is another great tablet for construction that allows workers to use it hand-free with an adjustable kickstand. In addition, the 2736 x 1824 pixels display makes graphs and diagrams more engaging.

AirDroid Business MDM Datasheet

Download free Datasheet

If you want deeper insights into how MDM can help you manage your construction tablets, feel free to download our free datasheet. It’s loaded with detailed information to help you make the best decision for your organization's needs.

4 Construction Tablets Apps You Should Equip on Your Devices With

Industrial tablets have various specialized applications that can greatly improve output and effectiveness. Here are a few construction tablet apps that are used in the construction industry:

1Project Management and Collaboration Apps

Coordinating and sharing data among stakeholders in construction projects can get complicated. Construction tablet apps, including Procore, PlanGrid, and Autodesk BIM 360, assist different teams assign tasks, pass data, and interact while monitoring the status of their projects.

2Blueprint management and markups

Construction tablet apps like Bluebeam Revu, PlanGrid, and Autodesk AutoCAD give direct access to project blueprints; workers can view and annotate notes.

But more than adding notes, these blueprint management software allow you to import many construction drawings with little to no stress. This type of apps also enables workers to sync data in real-time, meaning any information or documents is just a screen-tap away from everyone.

3Measurement tools

Construction tablets are made more effective with applications like Bosch MeasureOn, MeasureSquare, and Stanley Floor Plan. These applications use the tablet’s sensors to measure angles, areas, volumes, and distances. Instead of relying on conventional measuring tools, workers can take measurements more accurately without breaking a sweat.

4Estimation apps

Apps including STACK, Clear Estimates, and PlanSwift allow for cost breakdowns and daily labor cost estimations. Construction workers can quickly develop detailed project proposals on their tablets.

And if you’re looking for a resource that will give you current labor prices and an efficient way to manage change orders, such a tool was specifically designed for these needs.

Best of all, estimating software can be customized to the teeth, with multiple templates for you to choose from.

5 How do you Manage Construction Tablets on Sites?

Providing industrial tablets for your workers has advantages, but construction managers and IT teams do face challenges when managing multiple devices across the site.

Challenges Beset by Construction Managers in Tablet Management:

Configure and Set Up a Large-Scale Device Fleet

It’s never easy for IT teams to enroll a fleet of devices and configure various settings, including advanced encryption, member and access rights, and work-related applications. The complexity of this task makes it extremely time-consuming.

Provide Timely Maintenance for Devices in the Field

What happens when a construction tablet is down? You can do little but wait for hours for an expert to arrive and resolve the issue. Either this, or you need to go to him. This wastes your clients’ precious time and hampers business operations.

Keep Construction Tablets Secure

It’s imperative you keep your devices secure. So, even though you have teams that must be given access to multiple tablets and services, maintaining organizational security and efficiency takes precedence over everything else. How do you resolve this and minimize any possibility of data leakage?

Install and Upgrade Construction Apps

While tablets are high-end devices, they run software and applications that must be updated to function properly. Outdated apps might create an entry point for hackers to infiltrate your business network and access sensitive corporate data.

6 How Can MDM Help You?

When these challenges arise, MDM is a professional device management software that you can consider. Take AirDroid Business MDM for example, it offers below solutions that help you secure and manage your industrial Android tablets with minimum effort.

1. Device Configuration in Bulk

IT teams are able to configure multiple construction tablets simultaneously and deploy multiple devices with standard settings and security policies, reducing loads of workloads.

2. Remote Troubleshooting

IT teams can diagnose and resolve issues remotely on construction tablets with MDM, reducing device downtime and minimizing the need for on-site support.

3. Application Management

MDM provides a centralized platform for IT teams to remotely distribute, update, and uninstall apps. With this feature, they can also gain deeper insights from overall app rollout progress, app data, adoption rate, etc.

4. Kiosk Mode

By activating Kiosk Mode, it locks devices into single app or multi-app mode, so workers can focus on their assigned tasks with specific apps or functionalities. Leaving all apps open risks diverting your workers’ attention from the tasks at hand.

5. Geofencing

Adds an extra layer of security with MDM to ensure that construction workers only use the tablets within defined construction sites.

Likewise, geofencing is a check against missing devices which allows you to track lost or stolen devices. If it comes to it, you can remotely access the tabs and wipe out any sensitive data or uninstall applications.

7 Conclusion

Different from consumer tablets, industrial tablets are durable to work in challenging conditions of construction sites. They can withstand drops, shocks, and exposure to dust, moisture, and extreme temperatures. Their flexibility to customize into specific industrial needs is another feature that sets them apart from their counterparts.

From enhanced mobility and portability to real-time data access, it’s crystal-clear that construction tablets are an excellent investment for any construction business aiming to improve workforce productivity. Moreover, one of the best measures to manage these rugged devices across the site is through MDM software, which helps you maximize their performance with very little IT resources required.

FAQs

How can I ensure the security and protection of data on construction tablets?

Maverick

Set up strong passwords, device encryption, and always keep the operating system and applications updated on tablets. Consider employing Mobile Device Management (MDM) software to apply security settings remotely. Educate workers about the best security measures is also a must, such as not downloading files from dubious sources, utilizing safe data networks, and creating data backups.

What features should I consider when choosing a construction tablet?

Maverick

Look for industrial tablets with great display and data connectivity. The storage space, RAM capacity, and battery life are also crucial. It is best to look for tablets with add-ons that allow workers to use hands-free.