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Business Challenge: Need for More Effective Data Collection
A global company offering data collection services was looking for a more effective
data-collection device for inventory tracking. For nearly 15 years, the company had been
using a proprietary device supplied by an outside vendor. This legacy device, based on an
8-bit microprocessor, was expensive, transferred data slowly, and had an unintuitive user
interface. To stay competitive, the company knew that it needed a better device.
Having previously purchased a Microsoft Windows® CE 5.0 Development Toolkit from
BSQUARE, the company was already familiar with the advantages of Windows® Embedded CE.
After learning of BSQUARE’s deep expertise in Windows Embedded device development,
the company engaged BSQUARE’s engineering services to help it come up with a Windows
CE-based data collection solution.
Solution: Expert Engineering Support From Start to Finish
BSQUARE’s Professional Engineering Services
group began by performing a “make versus buy” analysis to determine whether the company
would be better off developing a new unit or procuring off-the-shelf devices. After
analyzing the data collection company’s situation and goals, BSQUARE concluded that the
company would realize the highest ROI by developing its own device.
Next, BSQUARE assisted the company in creating
a project plan and selecting vendors for hardware, software, industrial design, mechanical
design, and contract manufacturing.
Once those elements were in place, the company
hired BSQUARE to provide hardware and software development and quality assurance
testing—and also to manage the entire program, from inception through device
development,
integration, and manufacturing.
Fast development. Two BSQUARE development
tools helped the engineers develop the new device in record time:
- DevKit PXA270 Development Platform.
This platform provided a rich set of peripherals and expansion options that maximized
design flexibility and minimized time to market. It included an optional hardware design
package including OrCAD Source Code.
- SchemaBSP. This software development tool helped the engineers rapidly create
Windows CE-based board support packages
(BSPs) for the new device.
Fast throughput. For faster data throughput, the engineers also incorporated BSQUARE’s
high-performance SDIO HX middleware, providing support for both integrated 802.11g Wi-Fi
and an external expansion slot with the same host controller.
Licensing expertise. As a Microsoft authorized
Value-Added Provider, BSQUARE was able not only to provide the company with Windows CE 5.0
licensing for each manufactured
device, but also to help the company select the best licensing strategy.
Deployment support. Now that the company
is deploying its new devices, BSQUARE continues to provide support services, accompanying
company representatives to client engagements and explaining how to use the new
device.
Benefits
By partnering with BSQUARE on Windows CE device development, the company achieved all
of its project goals, building a state-of-the-art data collection device that:
- Generated significant cost savings. The new design reduced the unit cost of the data
collection device by about 70 percent.
- Drastically reduced the time required for data download tasks. With the new hardware
design, which was based on a 32-bit application processor, tasks that previously took
hours now took only a few minutes. And by taking advantage of 802.11g Wi-Fi, the devices
were able to continuously save and communicate collected data during the inventory
tracking process, resulting in additional time savings.
- Were much easier to learn and use. The large display screen and integrated scanner
incorporated into the new device significantly reduced the learning curve for temporary
workers performing seasonal
inventory services—one of the companies core service offerings.
What’s more, the company was able to accomplish all of the above working with a single
solution provider, thereby significantly
simplifying project oversight.
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