Motorola Solutions, today unveiled the ET1 tablet, the first in an emerging category of enterprise-class tablet computers designed for a variety of vertical markets. The ET1 brings the familiarity and popularity of a consumer-class user experience to a true enterprise-class device that includes enhanced durability, an optional barcode scanner and magnetic stripe reader, hot-swappable battery packs, and secure system software. Key industrial-strength accessories such as secure multi-slot recharging stations are also available.

Intended for demanding day-long use, the Wi-Fi-enabled ET1 is password-protected so it can be easily shared and instantly provisioned for each employee according to his or her level of responsibility and access rights. Based on log-in information, managers can automatically control and monitor use of approved applications to help ensure on-the-job productivity is not compromised.

Continue reading »

Upco Inc., located in Claremore, Oklahoma, has the second largest factory in the world for the production of sucker rods. Sucker rods join together the surface and downhole components of a reciprocating piston pump installed in an oil well. With a total capacity to produce over thirty million feet of sucker rods per year, Upco is the only domestic supplier of sucker rods owned by employees.

To improve the efficiency of the plant, Upco required a system to identify quickly and easily the grade the quality of scrap in their plant. Having 7 or more different grades, employees were required to read black only labels which could create confusion and potential errors.

To reduce the potent for errors, Barcodes Inc of Chicago, IL recommended Upco purchase an Epson TM-C3400 SecurColor on-demand color label printer as well as recommended media for their application. To complete the solution, the Information Technology group in Upco wrote an application in Visual Basic to automatically select the correct color based on the grade of scrap and to print the label on the TM-C3400.

By adding a band of color, employees can easily identify the quality of the scrap, saving time, reducing errors and saving money.