June/July 2007

Take what looks almost like a laptop computer, design it for the toughest ride it could get, equip it for both the latest and the most long-in-the-tooth technology, and you have a truck-mounted terminal. Now the makers have added even more functionality, and reduced the size. Sharon Clancy reports

The market for mobile computer terminals rugged enough to endure daily life on forklift trucks may occupy a small niche compared with the handheld market, but it's one that is fiercely competitive, and it continues to grow.

The past year has seen new models from most of the major players. Partly this is because the suppliers are aiming to satisfy demand for smaller terminals; partly it's because they needed to enable them to handle the increasing complexity of systems on forklifts Ð technology such as radio-frequency identification, pallet weighing and two-way communications.

Because of the environment in which they operate, vehicle-mounted computers and terminals are especially tough. By contrast, handheld terminals, even though ruggedised, may not be up to taking what Motorola calls the 'repetitive pounding from forklift operations.

 

Barcode-It points out that because forklifts lack springs and shock absorbers, the shock and vibration rating of the terminal takes on especial significance. Most vehicle-mount terminals will pass the MIL-STD 810F, the company points out, but the rules allow the testing to be carried out on non-operating units Ð and they may well pass, provided the unit can be turned on after the test.

Accurate performance ratings are more likely to be achieved if the units are tested in operation, the company maintains. It urges caution if data sheets cite different test parameters, not the MIL-STD. They may of course be equally valid, so you shouldn't take this as an absolute indicator of relative capabilities, but on some occasions it might possibly signify inability to pass all the tests.

Forklifts often move in and out of cold stores, so low-temperature performance is also a key. Touchscreens help here, and some manufacturers offer a computer with a heated screen.

Screen visibility has to be good, since visibility can be compromised both in poorly lit warehouses and in bright sunlight, if the truck ventures outdoors. Screens also have to be resistant to wear and scratching. LXE's VX5 computer has a glass TFT screen, for instance. Intermec's solution to the problem has been to make the polycarbonate screen on the its CV30 and CV60 computers replaceable on site; there's no need to send them away to be repaired.

Smaller computers

Traditionally, vehicle-mounted terminals have had quite large screens Ð typically 10in or 12in. They've been made this big partly because of the amount of information they need to display, but also to increase readability in warehouse aisles that are often poorly lit.

In the past year, several new models have been launched on the market with 6in or 7in screens. Demand for this form factor is increasing, says Intermec's Jeff Hovorka Ð partly because user-companies want to include more than forklift trucks in their warehouse management and supply-chain operations.

'Users want to integrate small trucks and powered pedestrian pallet-trucks into their real-time warehouse management and supply chain operations, he says, 'and terminals with 10in or 12in screens are just too large and too expensive. They impede driver visibility, and are often mounted in exposed positions where they can get damaged. Even on standard-size forklift trucks, space is at a premium, Hovorka adds. 'RFID-based fork weighing solutions and two-way radios all take up space.

The manufacturers of the small-format terminals are all anxious to stress there has been no compromise on ruggedness. 'Smaller does not mean less rugged, says Hovorka. Both the CV30 and larger CV60 from his company have magnesium casings and a high IP66 rating for dust and water ingress. 'You can drop the terminal in a pool of water and it will carry on functioning.

Psion Teklogix's entry in the small vehicle computer market is the 8515. It has a 640by480mm full VGA screen with a touch-sensitive colour display. A full alphanumeric keyboard is incorporated, and there are also 10 dedicated function keys. LXE's VX3X has a tough polycarbonate casing that absorbs impacts, along with industrialised electronics and a ruggedised display and keyboard. It has a 12-80V DC internal fully-isolated power supply, so it can be used on almost every lift truck on the market.

ZetesIND's small Quadrino vehicle mount computer has a vertical or horizontal quarter-size VGA screen. 'The screen is smaller but brighter, so visibility will remain good, explains Thomas Wolters, in charge of vehicle-mounted computers. The Quadrino has five large programmable 'soft keys and an illuminated keyboard. It has a cover to protect against humidity and four LEDs to show operating status to permit simple error diagnostics.

Wolters points out that the smaller the truck and the smaller the vehicle computer, the more important it is to check that the mounting brackets allow you to position the computer in the optimum place on all the trucks in the warehouse fleet.

Operating systems

Another characteristic that differentiates vehicle-mounted terminals from rugged handhelds from the same stable is that the truck-mounts tend to use a wider variety of operating systems. The reason is that vehicle-mounted terminals are often used in other environments besides the warehouse, so have to be flexible enough to communicate with a variety of legacy ERP and WMS systems and operate either as dumb terminals or as fully-functioning mobile computers.

That's why even the newly-launched vehicle-mounted units offer terminal emulation capability Ð technology which might make them seem old-fashioned, but which ensures the widest possible compatibility with users' computing environments.

At the other end of the technology ladder are those terminals running Windows XP or embedded XP rather than Windows CE.NET. Adopting XP allows ERP systems such as SAP's to track the forklift as an asset. XP is apparently winning converts for another reason, too; by utilising PC architecture, some IT departments reckon they can reduce both implementation and support costs.

If a disk-based XP operating system sounds a bit grand for a humble forklift truck, many used Embedded XP, including the JL computers from CMC Computer Systems. 'Embedded XP means we can pick the parts of XP that will enhance the terminal performance, explains Mark Dale-Lace of CMC Computer Systems. 'We omit unnecessary drivers and help files, which reduces the OS file size to a more manageable 500Mb.

It also means that the terminal can be locked down and turned on again more quickly, he points out, because the system is not loading unnecessary files. 'It's not as fast at coming out of hibernation as a terminal operating on Windows CE.NET, but it is acceptable.

Psion Teklogix has also introduced Embedded XP or XP Professional as the OS in its new vehicle-mount computers, the 8580 and 8590. 'Windows XP Embedded allows a system set-up without a spinning drive, increasing the resistance to the violent shocks and vibration transferred from vehicles working in rugged indoor and outdoor applications, explains managing director Duncan Smillie.

Other features that equip the 8580 and 8590 for a harsh industrial environment include automatic shutdown and integrated heating for very low-temperature operations.

The choice of operating system also depends, of course, on what applications you want to run. Barcode-It , for example, offers the Trux 700 in WAP form for Windows 2000 or XP applications, or as a thin-client WCT-configured terminal where there is central administration.

LXE's large-format terminals operate on Windows CE.NET but support LXE's RFTerm terminal emulation, so can be used for legacy applications as well as for Windows or browser-based applications

Intermec believes it CV30 fixed-mount computer is the first to let customers choose between Windows Mobile 5.0 and Windows CE .NET 5.0 operating systems. 'Windows Mobile does have more restricted browser capabilities, admits Hovorka. 'However, for global supply chains, where companies want to support just one operating system but need multi-language capability, Windows Mobile is a good choice.

ZetesIND's Wolters reports that some German companies are specifying vehicle mounts with Linux operating systems to reduce deployment costs. 'We design the OS so that pressing a red button shuts the terminal down quickly and returns to the last application when it is powered on again.

Tough processors

To build in robustness into their truck-mounted terminals, manufacturers incorporate solid-state electronics and use a variety of processors and operating systems, some of which are often more associated with industrial or automotive applications than mobile technology. So while it may be an Intel processor, it might not be an instantly recognisable one, and buyers will have to do their homework when comparing models. Psion Teklogix's 8580 and 8590 vehicle mount computers, for example, are based on the industrial XTX processor board standard. LXE uses Intel XScale processors throughout its vehicle-mount range.

Data input

Truck-mounted terminals have to be flexible enough to handle a variety of data input scenarios. Data input may vary depending on what activity the truck and terminal are currently engaged upon. Most models offer both touchscreen capability (useful for gloved hands) and a full QWERTY keyboard. Barcode scanners can also be incorporated either by a tethered connection or, increasingly, via Bluetooth.

Communications

When it comes to wireless networking, as you'd expect, most vehicle-mount terminals come with WLAN 802.11b or g capability, and some are brimming with communications options. The latest terminals support voice, RFID and Bluetooth to maximise communications options. Bluetooth-enabled headsets eliminate cables.

The latest addition to communications options is VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) via a push-to-talk handset. This is seen as a simpler solution for operations requiring two-way walkie-talkie radio communications.

Psion Teklogix's 851, for example, has a speaker/microphone to support convenient push-to-talk technology, and if used together with PTX Connect, this can also support VoIP. The JLT12042 from CMC Mobile Computing incorporates integrated sealed loudspeakers or the option of an external headset and microphone.

LXE's ToughTalk voice recognition technology incorporates noise-cancelling techniques and advanced audio circuitry and is enabled on all its vehicle-mount terminals, including the small VX3X.

Datalogic's Rhino-NET comes with 802.11b WLAN and a Bluetooth module for communicating with a printer wirelessly, and can be used in combination with the Dragon laser gun for barcode data entry, with either a tethered or wireless gun.