Tips for Using Tablets in the Shop, Part Two [Tekla Blog]

By Ricky Horton

Benefits

My previous installment spoke to the cost of the tablets. Of course, we want to see if the benefits outweigh the costs, so here we go!

Whenever the usage of tablets is mentioned in a structural steel environment, the first thing that comes to mind is drawings. This is by far the most common usage for tablets in the shop, and it is also one of the biggest benefits. The tablet gives your employees immediate access to the drawings without them having to go outside of their area to locate the drawing they need.

Direct access to the latest drawings

Not only do they have immediate access, but the access is to the latest drawing. Improper revision control may be the largest culprit of rework in the shop. When a drawing is revised, the paper copies must be located and replaced. If you miss one, you may end up fabricating from the wrong drawing. The tablets give you the ability to give access only to the latest drawings, taking away the ability to see an old drawing.

Speaking of seeing drawings…our dimly lit shops and fine print on the drawings are a deterrent to actually being able to read drawings. I recently conducted a training on tablets for a company’s fabricators. As I showed them how to access drawings, one more aged and less technically proficient fabricator expressed his disdain that viewing the drawings on the tablet made it even harder for him to see the drawing!

Read more on the Tekla Blog!

• Learn more about Tablets from BuildingPoint Canada.
• Learn more abou Tekla software.