What are BDE terminals?
A wide variety of data is collected in industry and logistics. This serves above all to precisely document production and the movement of goods. This data acquisition process is called production data acquisition, or BDE for short. Special systems are used to record the data and control the process, in which all data is collected.
The PDA terminals provide access to these systems. These enable employees to call up all recorded data on a mobile device in real time and directly on site. Individual data can also be recorded directly via these terminals.
Below you can find out exactly what data is recorded and displayed with the PDA terminals. We also clarify where they are used and what advantages they bring.
What data can BDE terminals record?
PDA terminals can record a wide range of different operating data. These are divided into the following groups:
- Organizational operating data
- Technical operating data
In logistics, the BDE terminals primarily collect organizational data. This includes, for example, specific order data such as numbers, quantities, weights, dimensions and quality. The current status of an order or the time required for a picking process can also be precisely recorded.
BDE terminals can also record and display personnel data. This means that employees’ working hours can be precisely recorded and wages calculated on this basis. Access control can also be carried out via the terminal using the stored personnel data. This is particularly helpful in a warehouse for customs or hazardous goods.
Technical operating data is also recorded by the BDE terminals. These are particularly important in industry for production, as they can be used to record the exact key production figures, for example.
In warehouse logistics, however, some technical data is also required for the correct storage of certain goods. This includes machine data, for example:
- Temperature measurement in the storage room (for frozen goods)
- Fault messages from automated warehouse components
- Consumption of loading aids
- Personnel intervention in the machines
Process data such as the setting data of the automated shelving systems, for example, can also be called up and processed via BDE terminals.
Where are BDE terminals used in logistics?
BDE terminals are mainly used in industry. Here they can be found at the employees’ workstations, but also directly at the production machines. This gives you direct access to the user interfaces of the machines.
In logistics, BDE terminals are mainly found in the warehouse. Here they are used to control inventory, can support order picking or regulate access control using the stored personnel data.
What advantages do BDE terminals offer?
PDA terminals offer a number of advantages in use:
- They are user-friendly
- Smooth and fast implementation
- Flexible recording and display of data
They also allow a very high degree of flexibility from the associated systems. This makes it possible to adapt the BDE terminals precisely to the respective requirements everywhere. The hardware can also be adapted to the requirements, for example by adding special interfaces to communicate directly with machines or industrial trucks.
In order to withstand their environment, BDE terminals are always built to be robust and thus protected from external influences. These include:
- Splash water
- Jet water
- Dust and dirt
- Vibrations
- Impacts
