RoadBASE - Workshop Management

Workshop and Touchscreens

With RoadBASE® we offer a unique system for the capture of workshop activity. Using a combination of a touch-screen interface and cordless barcode scanners it is possible to maintain an up-to-the-minute overview of workshop activity while at the same time reducing the amount of workshop administration. This new approach offers a wide variety of benefits:

Provides a real-time overview of mechanic activity Provides accurate allocation of mechanic times between different job cards as well as other tasks, ensuring accurate recharge of activity (and therefore income for the workshop) Enables job cards to be updated/extended without an administrative overhead The workshop staff are involved with the technology, rather than it being a 'management' system to be wary of Touch screen technology is a low-cost and robust technology. We recommend that one or more screens are located at key positions in the workshop, the mechanics can then use these screens to update and identify the various activities and tasks carried out during the day

Worked Example

	By selecting the 'Mechanic' View (easily achieved by pressing the fitter button in the top corner), the list of mechanics is displayed. The mechanic then selects their name from the list. Where additional security is required, a PIN number can be activated for each mechanic. Note: This sample screen is reduced in size, a typical screen would be over twice the size, displaying up to 20 mechanics, with the scroll bar accessing additional entries if required.
	If working on a job card, then selecting the job card view will display a list of all active job cards.
	...or, if not working on a job card, select the task view. The top two tasks are special: "End of Day" is used to sign-off a technician at the end of each day "End of Break" is used to return each technician onto the job/task they were active on prior to a break (see 'Apply to shift' below)
	When you want to review what each technician is working on, simply select 'Summary View' This displays the list of all mechanics (that are signed-in), and the duration/description of their current activities.
	Use the 'Apply to Shift' button to easily place all of the mechanics quickly onto a single task. This would typically be used at the end of the day to sign everybody out of the system, and at the start or end of break time. The 'End of Break' option is used to return each mechanic back onto their previous activity at the end of the break.

On those occasions when it is necessary to add free-type text into the system a pop-up keyboard can be displayed on the screen:

Using the above screen shots, let's say that Dave starts work. He would touch his mechanic button using the 'Mechanic Selection' mode. The message at the top would show that he was the selected mechanic, and report back his currently logged activity.

If there were any messages for Dave they would pop-up automatically for him to read (e.g. 'Come to office', 'Your wife called').

To log onto a job card, he would switch to 'Job Selection' mode (this redraws the main list with details of all active job cards, scroll options if required) and he would then touch the job that he was is about to work on.

If, instead of a Job he was working on a task (i.e. Cleaning the workshop), then he would switch to 'Task Selection' mode, which would display the list of available tasks.

To sign-off a job card onto a coffee/lunch break he simply touches his mechanic button followed by 'Break Time'

Stock issues to job cards are handled using a barcode scanner. This cordless device would be used to Scan the job number from the job card and the stock code from the stock bin, followed by a quantity. Optionally, we can also require a Mechanic ID to improve accountability.

Benefits

• Enable the workshop manager to have an accurate view of each mechanics current assignment
• Stock issues take place in real-time
• Mechanic activity and timesheets are captured in real-time WITHOUT an administrative overhead
• Rapid training of non-computer literate staff

Costs

The cost of a touch-screen monitor is very reasonable. Please contact our sales team for current pricing.

If you are interested in this system, or have suggestions regarding it's development, please e-Mail your comments