Imagine you just lost 40,000 lbs in cold perishable product, worth approximately $80,000 wholesale, and $195,440 retail. The failure was due to gradual warming of the storage trailer due to a broken AC unit and resulted in spoiled product. Rewind to the day before, when an employee performing a check on the trailer noted the actual temperature was above the ideal range on their paper report. They continued to check the hundred trailers onsite and forgot to mention the concerning condition to a supervisor. Across industries, valuable data records — often collected for compliance or safety — sit trapped in dusty filing cabinets, ignored until it’s too late. Manual forms waste time, hide critical issues, and leave 98% of data unused. Finding insights for audits or failure analysis is like searching for a needle in a haystack. We used Ignition by Inductive Automation to digitize these records, turning chaos into real-time insights that save time and prevent losses.
We leveraged Ignition by Inductive Automation to replace paper forms with digital apps on rugged Zebra ET45 tablets. Technicians enter data via dropdowns, multiple choice, text, photos, or barcode scans, guided by intuitive prompts. Out-of-range responses trigger alerts, ensuring critical issues are flagged instantly. Authentication tracks who submits each form, and required fields prevent incomplete entries. These apps store thousands of datapoints, powering charts, reports, and real-time notifications.
Our Ignition app tracks semi-trucks, trailers, and perishable goods with precision. For trucks, we log driver details, load info, and timestamps, highlighting delays with color-coded alerts. Before, it was difficult to track how long a tractor had been waiting for their designated load, and after a certain period carriers charge a fee. The new system slashed detention fees by identifying late loads instantly. For trailers, technicians record temperatures, fuel levels, seal status, door security, and product info with photos and comments for clarity. Critical issues trigger immediate supervisor alerts, reducing product loss. All data is searchable, letting teams resolve disputes or review past visits in minutes.
Ignition’s Designer enabled custom forms that adapt to any screen size. Technicians select truck/trailer IDs from color-coded dropdowns, prioritizing urgent tasks highlighted in orange or yellow. Alternatively, they use the search function to quickly find the subject in a long list. Autofill and hidden sections streamline data entry, while checkboxes, toggle buttons, and multiple choice make responses fast and intuitive. Not only is a photo worth a thousand words but gets more attention than a note scribbled in a margin. Now operators are taking pictures of broken seals, holes in the parking lot, dirty areas, and other conditions that were missed or ignored in the past. Tables display data with filters for dates, shifts, or custom searches, with expandable rows for historical records. Now users can dig deeper into a particular tractor or trailer’s history and visits to the site with just one click. Table data is also given in PDF format for printing, saving and sharing.
Digital forms boost accountability, ensure timely alerts, and protect product. Additionally, shareable PDFs empower diverse teams across organizations. Our customer transformed operations with our powerful application, saving time and preventing losses. Ready to digitize and see the same benefits? Contact us today to explore the possibilities.
About the author
Elizabeth Engler is a Controls Integrator with diverse experience across controls design, programming, and software development. She enjoys logical challenges, user interface design, and programming machines to bring customer's visions to life. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys gardening, mysteries, movies, and time with family.
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About Hallam-ICS
Hallam-ICS is an engineering and automation company that designs MEP systems for facilities and plants, engineers control and automation solutions, and ensures safety and regulatory compliance through arc flash studies, commissioning, and validation. Our offices are located in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Vermont and North Carolina and our projects take us world-wide.