BellHawk-in-a-Box Architecture

BellHawk is real-time  data capture software which is used for work-in-process, operations and materials tracking  in manufacturing plants and industrial warehouses.

For those situations where it is desired to not rely on the Internet for real-time manufacturing and warehouse operations tracking and management for security or reliability reasons

Then it is recommended that a "BellHawk-in-a-Box" approach be used.

In this system:

1. The BellHawk software, which consists of a specialized BellHawk website and SQL Server database, run on a Windows IIOT (Industrial Internet of Things) computer. All user interactions takes place through the website interface using web-browser based devices and all tracking data is captured in the SQL server database. These small rugged computers are highly reliable and are able to run unattended 24x7.
2. Ruggedized mobile computers, tablets and PDAs, usually with integral barcode scanners are used to capture data by means of barcode scanning. These use a web-browser to communicate with the server over the LAN or wireless network in the manufacturing plant or warehouse and thus do not need any special software to be loaded onto the devices.
3. PCs equipped with a corded or cordless Bluetooth scanner can be used to capture data by barcode scanning using a web-browser over the plant LAN, thus avoiding the need for  wireless communication. If there is no external Internet connection then this can be run as an isolated secure network.
4. PCs, Laptops, Tablets and Mobile Phones that can be used to view and control operations over the plant LAN. If there is an external Internet connection then this can be done from anywhere and at any time they have an Internet connection to the Windows IIOT box, through a web-browser interface.
5. PCs that are used, through a web-browser interface, to run reports, enter system setup data, and perform Excel imports and exports. PCs are also used to enter purchase orders, work orders, pick orders, and ship orders and to monitor their progress.
6. Barcode label printers which can be used to print barcode labels on demand, through any data collection device as part of the data collection process, using the BellHawk TAG software, running on a separate Windows IIOT box. This is done in conjunction with the BarTender Automation software, which is also installed on the IIOT box.

One or more BellHawk-in-a-Box units can communicate with an Industrial Customer Order Management (ICPM) system running at a remote data center. This enables centralized monitoring and control of operations in multiple geographically distributed warehouses and manufacturing plants. It also enables integration with a single ERP or accounting system, which is used for the whole organization.

A major benefit of this approach, because the IIOT computer is small, is that the KnarrTek team can ship in a complete system, with the software already installed and configured, ready to be plugged into the LAN within the facility or warehouse, thus avoiding the need for on-site IT support.

Also, if an external Internet connection is available, KnarrTek can remotely maintain and support BellHawk in the box, over the Internet, just like any other "Cloud" based system.

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