DRS Technologies is a large defense contractor that develops and manufactures equipment for military operations. At its manufacturing facility in New Jersey, the factory floor needed to update its legacy computer systems to improve overall efficiency and maintain quality control. DRS worked with Cybernet to find the ideal solution: an
iOne-GX31 with touchscreen to keep operations humming 24/7. The result: the reliability they needed, with the ease of use inherent in the all-in-one PC design.
The Customer
DRS Technologies is a key supplier to the U.S. military, providing mission-critical imaging, electronics, communications and sustainability equipment that supports the efforts and protects the lives of American men and women in service around the world. This effort generates thousands of skilled, well-paying jobs at its Parsippany, New Jersey, headquarters and worldwide.
The Business ChallengeWorking with the Pentagon fosters a management style focused on careful, informed decision making and forward-looking planning and procurement. Military contractors like DRS also take on another significant characteristic of their customer, in how their control systems for the shop floor and internal logistics mirror the armed forces’ highly organized, comprehensive, real-time information management. Certainly, in business as it is in life-and-death situations, being able to process more information and think faster than the competition is a valuable skill. And in fact, DRS was an early adopter of computers on the factory floor for production management and for timekeeping and quality control operations.
But inevitably, as the connected technology evolved and the manufacturer eventually withdrew support, it became necessary to replace that early-generation system. At the Sustainment Systems division of DRS, or DRS-SSI, Lead Support Analyst Anthony Smith had to find the replacement. After a careful research and evaluation process for this important mission, Anthony chose the
Cybernet iOne-GX31 All-in-One PC with touchscreen.
His investigation into what was available for the purpose began on Google, where he simply typed in several of his requirements and clicked Search.
Cybernet was one of the top names to come up, so Anthony took a closer look at
Cybernet’s products to see if any were up to the task.
The Cybernet Solution
For the job at hand, Anthony’s new computers would need robust processing power to mesh with DRS-SSI’s financial and management network. They would have to perform flawlessly in a nonstop, 24/7 manufacturing environment. Each would also have to connect to a bar code scanner to facilitate process and personnel management. At DRS-SSI, scanning the bar code on a work order would call up the current job status and inform the individual what he or she needed to do next, reducing errors and saving time. Scanning the employee badge when tasks were initiated and completed would automatically log job duration for each distinct process.
The iOne-GX31 with touchscreen can do all that, plus provides two other important advantages over a standard desktop PC configuration. The all-in-one design with the processor inside the flat-screen LCD monitor eliminates the separate box for the CPU, and the touchscreen feature allows data entry without the typical keyboard and 10-key pad. This streamlined system drastically reduces the i-One-GX31’s impact on the workspace yet maximizes its contribution to workflow efficiency.
Price was one more issue, and because the iOne-GX31 also met Anthony’s budget, he ordered some units for evaluation. After factory testing went smoothly and no problems arose, Anthony went ahead and purchased a number of iOne-GX31 units.
Key Results
Anthony notes that while workers always grumble about a change in routine, they appreciate the improvement the
iOne-GX31 has brought. “They’re also a good looking unit, and are doing just what we purchased them for with no complaints.”
Even the touchscreen technology in the
iOne-GX31 assists in DRS’s essential mission. Designed to function in the harshest environments, the iOne-GX31s excel in reliability, durability and expected product life. Impervious to spills, splashes, humidity and wash-down, they are the most contamination-resistant PCs available.
Offering advanced design features, extreme reliability, responsive support and a competitive price point, today the
Cybernet iOne-GX31 is a valued tool in the work of DRS-SSI to support and sustain those who wear their country’s uniform.
