Portable wireless operator interface terminal shipments expected to rise

Portable wireless operator interface (OI) terminal shipments are expected to grow to more than $80 million by the end of 2005, a recent VDC Corp. study shows.

By Control Engineering Staff May 13, 2004

Portable wireless operator interface (OI) terminal shipments are expected to grow to more than $80 million by the end of 2005, a recent VDC Corp . study shows. The increase represents a compound annual growth rate of more than 50%.

The report on monitoring and control products in discrete and manufacturing processes shows notebook computer shipments rising from $12.8 million to $31 million, handheld computers and PDAs going from $13.4 to $31 million, and other wireless OI products increasing from $7.5 million to $18.6 million, during this same time period. Portable wireless OI terminals include notebook computers, handheld computers, PDAs, and tablets and wearable OI terminals. All offer significant advantages in mobile programming and maintenance and repair applications over fixed/stationary devices.

Recent survey by VDC Corp. shows shipments of portable operator interface (OI) terminals should grow to more than $80 million by the end of 2005. (Graph courtesy of VDC Corp.)

The market analysis included telephone and Web surveys of current and potential end-users and OEMs. Respondents cited significant advantages of implementing portable wireless OI terminals. These include:

  • Allowing personnel to move around a machine and throughout a plant;

  • Allowing more efficient and cost-effective maintenance and repair of plant machinery;

  • Providing faster detection and rectification of faults to reduce downtime and lower total cost of ownership;

  • Saving time, labor, and travel costs by providing the ability to remotely monitor and control operations and processes without personnel present; and

  • Cutting costs by allowing the implementation of lower cost solutions (PDAs, for example) in situations that require less hardware functionality.

For more on the survey, click here

For information on obtaining a copy of the report, click here: ” Operator Interface (OI) Terminals, Monitors and Software: North American Market Demand Analysis, Fifth Edition “

—Jeanine Katzel, senior editor, Control Engineering, jkatzel@reedbusiness.com