Toughbook Case Studies

The National Park Service (NPS) Park Rangers at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in Nags Head needed a reliable, portable computer solution. They needed one that could help coordinate interagency law enforcement, fire and fire aviation operations, search and rescue efforts, and emergency medical services. The computers would have to operate in a sparse, sandy environment that stretch for hundreds of miles along the mid-Atlantic coastline, often subjected to harsh hurricane conditions. The Nags Head Park Rangers opted for durable Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers and the Toughbook Arbitrator because of their solid, waterproof construction, daylight-readable screens and robust wireless connectivity. The Toughbook Arbitrator enabled park rangers to capture digital video of events for later use in prosecuting criminals. The wireless capabilities of the Toughbook rugged laptops enabled the rangers to remain in contact with headquarters and each other - allowing them to effectively patrol an area as large as Nags Head with limited personnel and resources.

The Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) wanted to increase the efficiency of its commercial vehicle by having data entered electronically on-site so it could be shared faster. Because FMCSA inspectors are constantly on the go, they needed mobile computers capable of withstanding the inclement weather, bumps and drops associated with routine usage. Before the FMCSA chose their new mobile computers, they tested several rugged laptop models from various vendors. The Panasonic Toughbook design, with all-weather magnesium cases, shock-mounted hard drives and internal dampeners to protect the display and components, came out on top as the most durable solution. The FMCSA deployed Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers to its inspectors nationwide. As a result, FMCSA has experienced fewer failures, enabling FMCSA's inspectors to be more productive.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), part of the Department of Transportation, needed a more durable mobile computer for its field inspectors to replace their laptops that were failing 35% of the time. The new solution would have to improve the inspectors’ productivity in data collection and research, so that inspectors could more quickly identify safety issues and intermodal system opportunities. After testing several models, FRA chose Panasonic's semi-rugged Toughbook laptops with their magnesium alloy cases, shock-mounted hard drives and spill-resistant keyboards to protect against dust, rain and other outdoor environmental hazards. The results have been astounding. The Toughbook mobile computers drastically reduced the FRA inspectors' downtime in the field and dramatically reduced their laptop annual failure rate to less than 1%.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Partnership for Response and Recovery (PaRR) program needed to deploy mobile computers that could withstand the bumps, drops, vibrations and harsh environmental conditions encountered in disaster areas. The new mobile solution needed to improve the information collection and reporting process by allowing data to be entered and shared faster—under any conditions. FEMA deployed Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers to its field inspectors. As a result, when hurricanes, earthquakes and other disasters have struck, Toughbook mobile computers enabled FEMA personnel to respond more quickly and efficiently in coordinating relief efforts between agencies, so that victims received assistance sooner.

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The U.S. Army required a portable, durable computer solution that could receive, store, process and securely transmit medical records and other data, even in the harshest battle environments. Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4) chose the durable and reliable Panasonic Toughbook semi-rugged line of mobile medical computers because of its detailed graphics capabilities, expanded memory and hard drive, plus an integrated CAC reader for secure transmissions. MC4 currently utilizes more than 12,000 Toughbook computers.

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The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) needed a reliable mobile computing solution that could work in extreme weather and combat conditions, providing maintenance data and support remotely in near real time. NSWC deployed Panasonic Toughbook rugged laptops with port replicators, Logitech ClickSmart cameras and Labtec headsets to ships and submarines. Forces using the system were able to solve complicated maintenance and repair issues by accessing pertinent technical information and contacting subject matter experts anywhere in the world. The sturdy Toughbook laptops provided sailors with a method of accessing the information they needed and gave the NSWC a reliable computing solution at a lower total life-cycle cost.

The Air Force Mission Support System (AFMSS) provides mission planners with an automated system that can operate in a stand-alone configuration or linked to a command information system. Since global mission planners work in all kinds of environmental conditions, the mobile computers they use needed to be sturdy and resistant to dust, weather, extreme temperatures and vibration. AFMSS standardized on Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers and deployed more than 2,000 to mission planners in the field. Even though Panasonic Toughbook computers are designed to comply with all MIL-STD-810F requirements, the Air Force tests each Toughbook computer individually before deploying it. The Toughbook mobile computers consistently received the Air Force's highest evaluation ratings, assuring the AFMSS could count on them in mission-critical situations.

The Coast Guard's Aids to Navigation Information System (AToNIS) program needed to deploy portable computers that could operate in a harsh saltwater environment. The computers would need to improve productivity by providing remote access to the AToNIS program, and be a reliable tool for verifiers updating navigational data. The Coast Guard deployed Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers after Panasonic engineers made design changes that included paint resistant to sea air, anti-corrosive grease for moving parts and airtight inserts for the DC plug. Not only did the Toughbook computers pass all the tests as a result of the redesign, it also became the standard for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Minneapolis-based Tennant Company is a recognized leader in the designing, manufacturing and marketing of commercial cleaning equipment and coatings. The company’s services division, which handles more than 200,000 calls per year, needed a mobile computing solution to replace its ineffecient paper-based system. Tennant required a mobile device that would allow technicians to send and receive up-to-date service information wirelessly and be rugged enough for field use. After evaluating several options, including PDA's and laptops from various vendors, Tennant chose to equip its field personnel with Panasonic Toughbook rugged laptops. The Toughbook solution helped Tennant automate 85 percent of orders and save approximately $600,000 on labor.

At Texas-based Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, the harsh environment of a mobile blood collection operation was wreaking havoc on the center’s standard issue commercial laptops. In order to stay efficient, staff had to work hard and fast. And they needed laptops that could keep up.

They decided to equip staff with Toughbook rugged laptops. The “benefits have been tremendous,” said Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center Management Information Systems Director Bart Block. In addition to a significant reduction in downtime, documentation errors were reduced to one quarter of what they were, and donors were pleased with the new self-screening process and reduced wait times.

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During an expansion in 2006, metro Atlanta-based Gwinnett Hospital System wanted to provide doctors and nurses with technology that would let them access information from anywhere in the new hospital. Administrators also wanted the capability to contact health staff instantly, without having to rely on the overhead paging system. Rick Allen, director of IT operations, chose a technology he knew would accomplish these goals: Toughbook Wireless Displays.

The Toughbook Wireless Display was easy to carry around and was rugged enough to endure the rigors of hard mobile use in a busy hospital. Using them, staff were able to wirelessly access medical records and X-rays, order lab tests, request medications and communicate using instant messaging. The initial rollout was so successful that the hospital plans to deploy additional Toughbook Wireless Displays as it moves towards a fully electronic record keeping system.

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The Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI), which provides blood to patients in more than 100 hospitals, had used standard commercial-grade laptops for years. However, due to the rigors of mobile blood collection, computer repair costs were chronically over budget. OBI decided they needed a more rugged and reliable mobile computing solution. After months of research, OBI Senior Network Administrator Patrick Calloway "determined that the reliability and durability of [Toughbook mobile computers] would more than meet the staff's request for a laptop that could stand up to the bumps and bruises of our mobile blood collection division."

Within months of upgrading to Toughbook computers, OBI lowered its repair cost and increased uptime to the point of fully recovering its investment. Said Calloway: "When out in the field, our staff needs to focus on the task on hand – drawing blood from volunteers and capturing accurate documentation for each draw in an efficient manner. Toughbook laptops give us the tools we need to complete the task with confidence."

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Many California auto body shops were using old-fashioned pad and pen for estimating repairs. In order to stay competitive, they made the switch to a more efficient method using Toughbook mobile computers. They equipped their estimators with Panasonic Toughbook Wireless Displays, an extremely lightweight mobile computing solution that works as an extension of a laptop PC through a wireless network. As a result, the auto repair facilities in California increased productivity on tow-ins and total losses by as much as one hour. They also relied on the versatility of Toughbook mobile computers to combine tasks, reduce errors and decrease customer wait times for estimates. From back lot to back office, Panasonic's Toughbook Wireless Display has revolutionized the way auto repair facilities do business by saving them time and boosting customer satisfaction.

Stone Energy, an exploration and production company, was experiencing costly and exasperating repair issues with their computers. The company, which operates a drilling operation in the Gulf of Mexico, realized their equipment just couldn’t stand up to the salt, chemicals, wear and tear and frequent wash downs common on drill floors. Plagued with extremely high laptop turnover, Stone Energy chose Toughbook rugged mobile computers.

With the Toughbook laptop’s moisture and spill-resistant engineering, magnesium alloy cases and other rugged features, Stone Energy now has a solution that can take just about anything that rig workers and the environment can levy. During Hurricane Katrina, for instance, a Toughbook laptop “floated” out into the warehouse and into 18 inches of mud. When it was recovered, Director of Information Technology Dave Kennedy turned it on and “it powered right up,” he says. Toughbook laptops also helped Stone Energy be more productive. Because of the computers’ large touchscreens, workers can enter in data without worrying about taking their gloves off or cleaning their hands. Further, Stone Energy can now operate their new laptops in more places because they are Class I, Division II compliant.

Alabama's Highway Patrol Accident Investigation Unit needed rugged mobile PCs that could survive the rough environments of crash sites and junkyards. The department was experiencing a high PC failure rate, leading to extensive downtime. Additionally, investigators were having difficultly reading computer screens in direct sunlight. Based on successful in-field tests, the Highway Patrol chose Panasonic Toughbook laptops. They proved to be the most rugged and durable, and their high nit screen was readable in even the brightest outdoor conditions.

The Boca Raton Police Services Department (BRPSD) in south Florida required a durable mobile computing solution that enabled secure, reliable data access in a range of environments. Offering all-weather designs, shock-mounted hard drives and reliable, embedded wireless connectivity, Panasonic Toughbook fully-rugged laptops were deployed throughout the force - from squad cars and motorcycles to marine vehicles. In the field, the rugged computers have proven invaluable, keeping officers connected and helping them perform their duties, even in the midst of a hurricane.

Colorado's Castle Rock Fire & Rescue Department relied on an outdated pen and paper transcription emergency call documentation system which resulted in lost time and data. A new solution was needed to increase efficiency, accuracy and provide better overall care to patients. The department outfitted its medic vehicles with fully-rugged Panasonic Toughbook® mobile computers loaded with ePCR software from High Plains Information Systems. This new solution allowed EMTs and paramedics to update detailed patient information in real time, saving approximately 20 minutes per emergency call while increasing the quality of their services. It has also helped the local hospital streamline their process, eliminate errors and deliver the best possible care to patients.

The Federal Way Fire Department in Washington needed to cut costs. As with many other organizations, Federal Way’s rising costs were associated with their call center. In order to cut costs, the decision was made to outsource to a large provider which helped them save money, but resulted in slower dispatch times.

The Federal Way Fire Department cut response times from 75 seconds to less than 45 seconds by installing wireless, rugged Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers with two-way radio modems in all of the department's fire trucks. Due to this tremendous success, the department plans to extend its mobile computing solutions to provide firefighters with access to mission-critical information, such as building profiles and schematics in real time. This could help save more lives and property by quickly locating hazardous chemicals and the shut-offs to power and gas lines.

After repeated communication-system failures that eventually led to an officer fatality, the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) realized their officers needed communications technology that could keep them continuously connected. The MSHP ran a two-month test in which 18 officers were issued rugged Toughbook laptops while 14 others relied exclusively on two-way radios. The officers using radios had up to a 5-minute wait when trying to get an available frequency. Officers using the laptops had no wait and were able to retrieve background information within seconds. The MSHP chose the Panasonic Toughbook mobile computing solution. In addition to cutting critical communications time from minutes to seconds advantage that could save time and lives—the Toughbook units are built with magnesium alloy cases, shock-mounted hard drives and spill-resistant features designed to withstand moisture, drops and vibrations that officers face out in the field.

Montgomery County Hospital District (MCHD), located outside of Houston, provides EMS and pre-hospital care services to a growing population of approximately 325,000 residents. To keep pace with the population growth, the organization realized that it needed an overhaul of its time-consuming, paper-based processes, which resulted in missing/inaccurate information and billing delays that compromised patient care and regulatory compliance. Using a staged approach, MCHD implemented ZOLL Data System's RescueNet suite of integrated data management products for EMS and armed their 150 field employees with rugged Panasonic Toughbook laptops and in-vehicle mobile data communications devices. This solution improved clinical documentation, accuracy and efficiency of service, and enabled regulatory compliance.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, city building inspectors were tasked with evaluating the structural integrity of approximately 130,000 damaged homes. Two-member inspection teams recording the results using an outdated paper system were only able to complete about 30 inspections per team each day. New Orleans inspectors needed a rugged, reliable laptop that would not only withstand the hazardous, still-flooded conditions, but also expedite completion of a seemingly insurmountable undertaking.

Inspectors using fully-rugged Toughbook mobile computers were able to dramatically increase the number of inspections per day to between 90 and 120. Using Toughbook laptops and sophisticated software, approximately 3,500 inspections were completed daily citywide. Every structure was entered into a database. And using the built-in mobile broadband feature of the Toughbook laptop, reports were instantly sent to a central computer at City Hall. Officials were able to search the inspection report on a specific house by scanning a spreadsheet for an address or by honing in on a particular property using a mapping program that let the user zoom in to the lot level. The database, linked to aerial images of every address, compared pictures from both before and after the disaster. In the aftermath of Katrina, reliable, capable and durable, Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers helped—and continue to help— one of America’s great cities.

Florida's St. Petersburg police department was experiencing significant performance and durability problems with its commercial-grade laptops. Needing a more rugged computer and a robust wireless solution, the Department turned to Panasonic Toughbook computers. Throughout the driving wind and rain conditions of hurricane season, Toughbook mobile computers performed flawlessly, enabling St. Petersburg police officers to focus on their first priority — protecting citizens and ensuring a safe community.

Del Taco, a major player in the quick-service restaurant category with nearly 500 locations, needed a mobile computing solution to reduce customer wait times as well as its information technology maintenance costs. In order to streamline order-taking and improve operations, the company chose to implement Panasonic Toughbook Wireless Displays. With this solution, if the line for the drive-through grew too long, an employee could walk from car to car and take customers' orders using a Toughbook Wireless Display. The order would then be sent in real time to the PC-based system inside the restaurant.

Del Taco also deployed Toughbook semi-rugged computers to its field technicians. The Toughbook laptops helped technicians monitor vendor sites and identify error messages for equipment. During the first year of this solution's implementation, Del Taco not only improved customer service and operations, but also saved $700,000 in third-party IT service call costs.

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Comag Marketing Group (CMG) helps the world's leading magazine brands stand out with comprehensive sales, marketing and promotional services offered through a network of sales venues. CMG's mobile workforce was equipped with proprietary handheld devices and laptops to collect and process in-store data. However, the handhelds could not be integrated into CMG's corporate systems and the laptops were poorly designed and suffered from high failure rates. In order to serve its customers better, CMG needed a mobile solution that could make data collection more efficient and cut data processing time.

After evaluating a number of devices - including laptops, handhelds and tablets from various vendors - CMG determined that only Toughbook U1 and Toughbook T8 provided the right combination of mobility, flexibility, connectivity and durability to handle the job. With the Toughbook rugged mobility solutions in place, CMG was able to cut data processing time from weeks to just hours, setting itself apart from the competition. And, in the first seven months of deployment, the field workforce has not experienced a single hardware failure, significantly improving productivity and easing IT management needs.

After careful consideration, Harley-Davidson decided to equip its dealers with Toughbook rugged laptops. The spill-proof keyboard, shock-resistant hard drive and durable magnesium alloy case of the Toughbook stood up to punishing use in the service bays. Bright touch screen displays provided easy use and a clear view, even in direct sunlight, allowing technicians to work outside the service bays. These advantages, coupled with the high reliability and low failure rate of Toughbook computers led to dramatic increases in productivity, allowing service managers to book more customers each day. Most importantly, customers left the dealer with a positive service experience that added to their loyalty.

International Truck and Engine sought a rugged, reliable laptop to increase the productivity of service technicians at nearly 1,000 dealers in North America. In 1999, the company chose Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers.

Over the years, the integrated wireless capabilities of Toughbook laptops have improved shop efficiency by allowing technicians to work anywhere on the shop floor, while delivering reliable performance and impressive uptime. One technician reported that his Toughbook laptop kept working after a six-foot drop. "We know that the machine is going to work when our customer pulls his vehicle into the shop," said Rob Burns, manager of dealer service tools. "We have a tool that can fix his truck and get it back on the road. He’s making money, and we’re all happy."

In order to boost productivity and improve customer service, Nissan needed to replace its aging, proprietary computer systems with a mobile PC-based diagnostic solution. The new computing solution would need to be highly reliable and rugged enough to withstand the dirt and grime of service bays.

Nissan decided Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers best met the needs of its vast network of dealerships worldwide. Takamitsu Eto, Manager, Global Service Engineering Department, remarked, "durability is a critical factor for any laptop considered for a service bay deployment" and "our new Toughbook solution offers both the dependability and flexibility we need". The rugged laptops not only stood up to the harsh environment of service bays, but the advanced wireless feature allowed technicians to quickly access technical, warranty and vehicle information. These benefits have led to increased productivity, bigger profits and sustained customer loyalty for Nissan.

Snap-on Incorporated is a global leader in professional tools, diagnostics and equipment. While designing its ShopStream software, Snap-on realized that they needed to couple the software with a rugged and reliable laptop. Snap-on chose Toughbook mobile computers for their ability to withstand drops, jolts, vibrations and spills and because of the anti-glare, daylight viewable touchscreen displays and integrated wireless capabilities.

As part of the ShopStream solution, Toughbook computers enabled shop technicians to communicate wirelessly with business management and repair information systems in the front office. This allowed technicians to achieve dramatic increases in productivity, so shop owners could book more repairs each day. In addition, part suppliers delivered orders faster and more accurately. Ultimately, these benefits resulted in highly satisfied ShopStream customers for Snap-on.