Category Archives: Case Study

Know your battery life.

The purpose of the field report is to pass on relevant information about the performance of the product and why users misinterpret a bad battery for a broken device.

The use case is the Intermec CN70 in storage facilities tracking assets since 2012. These devices are operated by both a permanent and a temporary work force.

The initial feedback on the devices was very positive. Over time the users started to complain about the Cn70 units failing. These reports were only occurring in facilities that had an extremely high usage of the devices. Most of these complaints were unexpected shut down or black screens on the units. The spreading issue was being blamed of faulty devices.

A common theme when the root cause isn’t understood or the expectations are beyond what the device is capable of providing is the users blamed the device, when the issue is with aging batteries. High use sites rotate or hot swap batteries and similar symptoms were being seen across the facility. The batteries had been in service for 3-5 years. Upon further investigation the battery diagnostic utility on the units wasn’t being used to determine the health state of the battery Users only relied on the charge indicator and if it was above 50%. This status bar was misleading them into thinking a battery was preforming optimally when in fact it was not capable of holding a charge.

By implementing a battery replacement schedule these issues can be avoided. Most batteries will perform well for a period of 2 years under normal use conditions. However extreme use cases can deplete batteries after a year. It’s important to understand the use conditions and to monitor the health of your batteries.

For more information on this topic please reach out to Sale@TCGbarcode.com

Removing Wireless Connection Capabilities

A certain government agency that had very strict security standards came to us for a custom solution. They used a certain product all over the world, but they needed a device that didn’t have any kind of radios or cameras or wireless connection capabilities. The operating system had to be stripped down to the basics.

TCG worked with the government client to find out their requirements. We took an existing product and worked with the manufacturer to disable some. The end result was a device that did not have remote access, meeting the client’s security standards.

Tracking US Immigrant Files

ds_dhs

Every immigrant has a case folder that needs to stay active for 100 years. TCG has taken part in the software to track, audit, and destroy those folders since 1999.

From 2001 until 2015 the technology solution included a mobile component. Recently, however, the government revamped their protocol, and new Homeland Security standards had to be met.

TCG took care of the first triage and handling of the devices. We replaced the hardware, sent them back to the manufacturers, and came up with a solution to meet the government requirements.

TCG Helps VA Medical Centers Update Barcode Medication Administration System

tcg-va-case-studyIn 2008 TCG teamed up with Honeywell to deliver a barcode medication administration (BCMA) scanner to VA Medical Centers—one that set a new standard for patient data security, drug administration safety, and product durability.

Having maintained a product support relationship with the VA ever since, TCG was once again engaged by the VA in September, 2012, to update the VA’s barcode scanners to the next generation of Honeywell technology. This time, TCG managed the purchase and deployment of 12,000 corded scanners (1900HHD-BCMA) and 10,000 wireless scanners (1902HHD-OUSB-5FVA). These products were designed around the specific needs of the VA.

Our case study explains how our solution addressed the VA needs for security, durability, and flexibility in their products.