How developments in GPS and tracking are making building sites more efficient

This article from Francesca, on behalf of Milwaukee Tools, explores how developments in GPS and tracking are helping to increase the efficiency of building sites.

The construction industry always endeavours to be efficient, with building sites focusing on the productivity of workers, the quality of builds they provide and the safety of all on their sites.

Technology has been developed around these crucial areas, aiming to protect the best interests of the sector for the long-term future.

However, further innovations in GPS and tracking have made headway through ONE-KEY technology, which has gained traction alongside the strong growth the sector has experienced in recent years. But what is ONE-KEY achieving? How are building sites utilising this technology to its fullest potential?

Consequently, here’s how the developments in ONE-KEY GPS and tracking are making building sites more efficient.

Fewer lost tools

A construction worker greatly depends on his or her tools. While a protective storage box is often used for ensuring that equipment is safely stored, some things will miraculously disappear here and there between uses throughout the working day.

There’re obviously a lot of tools switching hands, and a mixture of bad luck and human error will always result in a tool or two going missing on occasion. There’s really nothing one can do to avoid the odd bit of misplacement… or is there?

Well, ONE-KEY is a custom-built cloud-based programme that is easily accessible through an app. One of its uses is to allow construction workers to wirelessly synch tools to smartphones, boosting the user’s visibility of their gear.

It can automatically keep records of the last time the user’s smartphone device was within 30m of their tool, which allows users to retrace their steps and find their stuff. It’s real-time data that can be accessed anywhere, which mean delays in misplacing equipment are minimal.

Inventory exchanges

Often, tools move between sites. After all, it’s rare for a construction business to channel all their efforts into a single concentrated site and eventually they’ll need to pack up and leave anyway, so naturally some back and forth with equipment will follow.

However, complications can arise here. It all gets chaotic, especially if there’s no way to track the gear that’s being lugged around from place to place…

Obviously, now we know of tool tracking, there is a way to keep tabs on it all. Not only will ONE-KEY unearth lost items, but it’ll also help the trade and transfer of goods go more smoothly from site to site.

Tools in other construction zones can be found and identified instantly, and inventory is moved much quicker between jobs. Ultimately, there’s less room for mix-ups and mishaps here too.

Greater reliability

When it comes to GPS and tracking, many people struggle to fully rely on technology that’s very vulnerable or easily broken.

This is especially true when it comes to GPS and tracking tech, where often fragile chips or tiny little sensors are responsible for a person’s sense of awareness.

It’s an understandable concern, but it’s not entirely valid where ONE-KEY tracking is concerned.

This is because the tracker, titled TICK, is infused with rugged protection materials and practices that’re resilient to just about anything.

It’s built to withstand water, dust and even long-term exposure to the sun, which means nothing can interfere with its functionality.

Knocks and scrapes also occur on construction sites, but this tech can withstand it all. Ultimately, efficiency is improved here simply because the industry can really grow confident in the technology, instead of using it sparingly or gingerly.

Conclusion

GPS and tracking technology are ensuring that construction sites are becoming increasingly well-organised. Tools are accounted for and remotely managed, which means workers can pay greater attention to the task at hand, instead of being delayed or distracted by misplaced gear.

When both the worries and realities around misplaced tools are gone, efficiency can only be boosted!