Category Archives: forklift computer

Jan 21 1 comments
Press Release, Vehicle Mount Computer, forklift computer, mobile data terminal

IntelliTrack & Percon Partner for Vehicle Mount Computer and WMS Solution

Jan. 20, 20011 Eugene, Oregon, Hunt Valley, Maryland. Percon, Inc. and IntelliTrack, Inc. announce their partnership to provide a complete warehouse management and inventory control solution for small to mid-sized companies.  Integrating the IP67 rated Percon vehicle mount computer with IntelliTrack’s WMS software provides industrial manufacturers, cold storage operations and distribution centers with a cost effective logistic tool.

One of IntelliTrack’s most successful and a widely used product is a warehouse management system. IntelliTrack software is affordable, and easy to install. The WMS is feature rich with an intuitive user interface. WMS comes in three cost effective versions that maximize efficiency and optimize labor productivity in warehouses of all sizes. Each version provides the basic functions for warehouse operations, including, receiving, physical inventory, picking and shipping as well as management features including queries, reporting and barcode labeling.

“The IntelliTrack WMS product is ideally suited for industrial manufacturing operations.  Our software provides all the material handling and management functions for a diverse set of Industrial Warehouse environments from manufacturing to distribution.  With its IP67 rating, the Percon Phoenix is the perfect hardware complement for the IntelliTrack WMS software in a rugged environment.” said Ron Pawlowski, COO of IntelliTrack.

Percon designs and manufactures industrial vehicle mount computer products. The Phoenix 104E is a Windows CE 6.0 forklift computer that provides high performance power in a compact and ergonomic form with maximum flexibility and durability in a range of extreme environments. In the warehouse, the yard, the freezer, or on the road, the Phoenix 104E provides the computing power and the communication functions to meet the requirements of today’s demanding applications.

“The rugged engineering of our mobile data terminals is a perfect complement for IntelliTrack WMS and ISRP inventory software. The Phoenix 104e offers a solution that saves time and operates effectively in the harshest environment and severe weather.” said Rob Hougen, President and Engineering Director of Percon.  “We look forward to a renewed partnership with IntelliTrack.” added Mr. Hougen.

About Percon, Inc.

Percon, Inc. engineers, manufactures, sells and distributes industrial forklift computer products that comprise of fixed and vehicle computers for operations suited for the harshest of environments. Application areas would include vertical industries such as warehousing, cold storage, transportation, military and public safety. Our technology includes our Phoenix flagship products; a one piece rugged IP 65 rated industrial vehicle mount computers.  For more information on Percon forklift computers, please visit www.percon.com

About IntelliTrack, Inc.
IntelliTrack, Inc. is the leading developer of affordable software applications for bar code, RFID, batch and WiFi (RF) data collection. Specializing in Inventory and Asset Management IntelliTrack applications include inventory control, warehouse management, and asset tracking. IntelliTrack software runs on mobile computers from Motorola, Datalogic and Unitech. More than 20,000 copies of IntelliTrack software have been deployed on over 50,000 mobile computers and wireless terminals worldwide. For further information, visit www.intellitrack.net.

Oct 14 0 comments
forklift computer

Top 3 Forklift Application tools

Creative Commons License RFID and Vehicle Computer  Work in Concert with a Forklift Application

Now that you have a forklift and handling pallets and those other large loads, how can you improve on your productivity and warehouse operation?
These are several things you can do:

Forklift Delivery

  • Add a forklift computer
  • Install forklift application such as a WMS
  • Implement a warehouse management system
  • add RFID for a RTLS, data collection, and forklift driving safety.

Here is how you’ll benefit from each:

  1. A forklift computer will enable your driver to communicate with your enterprise application to direct all of the material handling functions such as receiving, putaway, picking and shupping. Plus a few other inventory management tasks.
  2. A WMS is the top forklift application on wheels.  It enables the forklift operator to be more productive by enabling him to accurately and expeditiously perform all task in point #1
  3. Adding an RFID tag places a real time readable identification to the forklift.  With this accessory, a forklift can be located via an RTLS (real time locator system). The RFID tag can also used to activator for nearby lighting and or audible sound machine(s) to provide a safety and warning system for warehouse employees approaching a moving forklift vehicle. All these RFID applications can be implemented by our business solutions partners.

Technology such as an industrial rugged computer with RFID and WMS software enables a warehouse or distribution center or manufacturing company to improve its operation and productivity while providing its employees with a safe environment.

Jul 23 0 comments
Vehicle Mount Computer, data collection, forklift computer

Forklift Mounted Computer Tracks the Heavy Loads

Forklifts do the heavy lifting.  Forklift mounted computers track the material and operations performed by the forklift operator including those uncontrolled accidents.  A rugged computer mounted on a forklift can receive or record information from many sources.

  • Shock detector to record collisions
  • RFID readers to capture item ID or/and current locations
  • Bar codes and scanners to track material and inventory
  • Touchscreen and industrial keyboards for manual data entries and inquiries
  • GPS to confirm location and destinations especially in large yards.

All these technologies enable the forklift mounted computer and its operator to do the heavy “data” lifting in any large load operation.  Follow the link for more detailed description of our Phoenix forklift computer

Victoria and Albert MuseumVictoria and Albert Museum

photo credit: Metro Centric operating in a warehouse.

Mar 01 0 comments
About Percon - The company and its people, Industrial and Rugged Computer News, Phoenix 104, Vehicle Mount Computer, forklift computer

Why build another Vehicle Mount Computer?

Why build another vehicle mount computer (VMT)? Motorola, LXE, Psion, AML are already a big player. You’ll have too much competition!

That’s a good question that most of our prospects, integrators and resellers are asking us. The answer is two-fold:

  1. Today’s big players do provide vehicle mounted computers but they are a “step-child” to their product line. The vehicle computer projects do not get the get the funding and resources that the PDTs projects do. The result is that the industrial vehicle computers (VMTs) are generally behind in technology (few and slow upgrades) or the VMT offering is an OEM. There is just a three US manufacturers that produce VMTs as their primary product and the majority of their sale is direct.
  2. We did our homework when we did the marketing research in the viability of starting a Vehicle Mounted Computer manufacturing company. Venture Development Corporation (VDC) also supplied us with solid industry financial and competitive data. The Reader’s Digest version is: VMTs’ are a $250 Million market with a CAGR of 7%. That offers Percon a great opportunity. We are not looking to be a multi billion dollars conglomerate. We’ll be VERY happy with 5% of the market and we plan to get there one rugged computer at a time!

Our vehicle mount computer products can be reviewed on our website.

Victoria and Albert Museum
Creative Commons License photo credit: Metro Centric

Dec 09 0 comments
Industrial and Rugged Computer News, Technology, Vehicle Mount Computer, forklift computer

Understanding the Nema and IP Rating Systems

Contribution by Ujiro

Electricity and water do not go together well, as I am sure that most people are aware. But dust is just as bad for electrical components as is water. Dust hangs in the size of tiny dust particles to larger particles that fall and nothing to hold. Dust can also consist of any materials from the benign skin cells in household dust, conductive metals and liquid particles, harmful for the electrical equipment. Dust also has the nasty habit of blocking filters.

Dust and water are often combined in an industrial environment, which is why electrical equipment, which is produced is operating in circumstances is a rating by both the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The European IP rating is a numerical standard, a piece of electrical equipment to the level of protection given the ERGO.

The IP–Rating is a two-digit number each digit a separate number code to indicate the protection, the lower the number, the lower the protection and the higher the number the harsher environment it can withstand. The first digit stands for the dust-protection that is granted, the second digit stands for waterproof protection. For example, is an IP65-computer with the highest possible protection (dust IP rating of 0 to 6), with a moderate level of waterproof protection enabling the unit to be protected from water jets, but not enough by immersion in water (water protection of 0 to 8).

The NEMA is very similar to the European system except that in most cases a single ascending number higher (13 is the highest), the number of higher degree of protection is granted. Although some ratings such as Nema 4 which to similar protection that does not offer protection IP65 Nema 4xoffer additional anti-corrosion protection (in most cases, the housing units would be made of stainless steel rather than mild steel therefore able, in the catering and manufacturing) are used.

Check the ratings on the Percon fixed and vehicle mount computer products.

Dec 09 0 comments
Industrial and Rugged Computer News, Partner Center, Vehicle Mount Computer, forklift computer

Responder Public Safety Equipment

No-Drill Computer Mounts Install Lightning Fast!

RAM (our vendor partner) Vehicle Computer Mounts are designed for the most popular cars (police, fire, EMS), forklifts, trucks and fleet vehicles on the road. These heavy-duty steel laptop bases are custom formed to fit specific vehicle models, providing a mounting platform for any RAM Laptop Mounting System. Using the front bench or passenger side seat rail bolts as attachment points, existing hardware in the vehicle is all that is required to secure these bases. If needed, however, additional hardware is supplied. Because of their unique ability to absorb damaging shock and vibration, RAM Mounting desks are the perfect choice for securing industrial vehicle mount computers and electronics of any type.

Dec 09 0 comments
Phoenix 104e, Vehicle Mount Computer, forklift computer

Percon Phoenix 104E passes IP X4 testing

Percon Phoenix 104E passes IP X4 testing on YouTube.

Deep in our underground laboratory (yes… it is underground!  Ask me more about it.),  the Phoenix vehicle mount computer is being taken for a bath.  Actually, it is the IP54 testing for water splashing against the enclosure from any direction  that will have no harmful effect.. The 4 in x4 represents the splashing water test indicator.

Check out the post Understanding NEMA and IP Ratings to appreciate our Phoenix 104e mobile data terminal and forklift computer demonstration video.