The use of tablets for Site inspections is probably the biggest revolution in the construction industry since the introduction of CAD about 30 years ago.
On the other hand, tablets are probably the first computer that is being used on the field (excluding of course calculators and laptops for special uses).
There are many solutions in the market at the moment.
See below our articles with some of the most interesting solutions currently in the market:
7 more Apps for Inspections on Site
The use of tablets on the field will be the normal for every construction project within the next 10 years, in exactly the same way as CAD solutions are for every Designer today.
Unfortunately, construction industry is quite conservative and resistant on implementing new technologies .
However, the solutions that were introduced in the market 5-7 years ago were not mature enough to provide speed, flexibility, efficiency, reliability and ease of use.
Now, the industry is booming with apps and solutions that support field inspections and every year more and more construction companies make the step and start implementing these solutions in their projects.
It’s not really the use of tablets (or handheld devices) for inspections on site itself, that will revolutionise the industry.
More than anything else, it’s the ability to have live and instant information regarding the progress, quality control, assurance and conformity of what is being built on the field. Monitoring the site has always been challenging because the information and data are scattered throughout different people, trades, teams and even locations.
The use of tablets could easily change that and give access to information that would normally need months to be compiled.
Regarding the Quality Management System of a Project, tablets can give instant access with statistics on nonconformities, passes and failures of tests/inspection and quick and easy traceability of what went wrong and why.
If the data coming from the field through the tablets, could easily be integrated or combined with a BIM solution that would implement a “quality vocabulary” (attaching NCRs, ITPs, Audits and observations) it would probably provide the perfect solution for any Quality Professional in the industry.
That will definitely be a game changer for the decision makers in a Project.
