Southern California Edison Automates Field Crews with Fujitsu Mobile Computers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — August 15, 1994 — Southern California Edison (SCE), the nation's second largest electric utility, has fully implemented a work crew automation and timekeeping system based on Fujitsu Personal Systems Inc.'s (FPSI) 325Point mobile computers.
The solution in use by SCE's 425 foremen eliminates paper-based reporting, thereby increasing the utility's productivity and data quality.
SCE's distribution crew foremen are responsible for the daily management of hundreds of field crews, made up of two to five field workers per crew. These field workers are responsible for installing, replacing and maintaining poles, lines, underground vaults and wires in new homes and buildings.
Each foreman uses a Fujitsu 325Point mobile computer with software designed by Digital Inspections, an Oregon-based VAR, to input timekeeping data and crew activities. The foremen use the pen-based computers to track hours worked on a job, activities performed at each site, and general job site information. The information is then networked into the utility's central timekeeping system located at the Rosemead, Calif. headquarters.
In order for Southern California Edison's foremen to transmit the data collected within the last 24 hour period to the central database, each 325Point computer is docked into wall-mounted docking cradles that automatically recharge each pen computer's batteries and download crew information via an infrared (IR) transmission and high speed modem.
All new information regarding the day's crew activities is then transmitted back to the 325Point computers, and the information collected in the central host system is printed into daily activity reports. Ultimately, crew members' paychecks are printed from the information each foreman enters into the mobile tablet computers.
"In the utility industry, the timely and accurate collection of information is critical. At Southern Cal Edison, we needed a method for expediting job site data collection and a more efficient means of getting that information into our network," said Bob Schafer, project manager for Southern California Edison.
"We selected Fujitsu's 325Point computers because they provided a means to simplify data input and a direct network link through the wall-mounted cradles, thus eliminating paper and data entry steps."
"Field utility workers are ideal candidates for mobile computing applications, and Southern California Edison's prominent position within this industry provides further testimony to our leadership," said Lou Panetta, executive vice president of Fujitsu Personal Systems. "We continually excel in the improvement of productivity, customer service and data quality for our customers in all segments."
Southern California Edison is the second largest electric utility in the nation, providing service to more than 4.3 million customers in a 50,000-square-mile service territory covering Central and Southern California. The utility's commercial and industrial customers generate more than half of California's economy. In the face of some of the most stringent air quality regulations in the nation, Southern California Edison is striving to keep its customers productive, competitive and in compliance.
Fujitsu Personal Systems Inc., headquartered in Santa Clara, is a leader in providing solutions for data collection and decision support applications through the development of super portable palmtop, pen-based and communicating computers. Its solutions are designed to meet the needs of applications where light weight, small form factor and long battery life are essential. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Ltd. Fujitsu Personal Systems has North American offices in Santa Clara, Irvine, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Toronto and international offices in England, France, Spain, Germany and Italy. Fujitsu Personal Systems Inc. corporate headquarters can be reached at 408/982-9500; product information at 800/831-3183.
CONTACT:
Fujitsu Personal Systems, Santa Clara
Jeff Tingley, 408/982-9500
Southern California Edison
Jim Koch, 818/302-0753
Walt & Sommerhauser Communications
Erin Curtis or Cynthia Lempert, 408/496-0900