Shop Computer Workstation Recommendations

ProShop is a paperless system. There is nothing in the workflow that requires printing paper until you need a packing slip. We also allow you to capture and manage all of the other documents typically seen on a shop floor besides the job traveler, such as setup sheets, drawings, tool lists, inspection forms and more. The shop can be truly paperless! Shop employees will access all of these types of documents via a web browser on devices out in the shop. This eliminates the problem of losing job packets, having old drawings which are too dirty or ripped to be legible, having an old revision of something causing confusion, scrap or rework, having to track down a job to know where it is at and how many parts are finished through which operations. All of this data is instantly available from any web browser. But these devices are not just for retrieving information. They are also used to enter information and capture tribal knowledge in activities such as documenting setups, recording problems and opportunities for improvement, recording inspection results, adding pictures to work instructions and more.

The type of device that is best used at a work cell will be determined by what activity is being performed there. We find most clients prefer to permanently mount their computer stations at every machine, and workbench where employees work. Having a keyboard and mouse is really nice for typing in notes, recording inspection and more. Having a larger screen is great for looking at drawings, or seeing lots of data at once.

Because ProShop is entirely browser based, the range of devices is nearly unlimited. Any modern browser will work, including ones on non-windows devices such as Linux, Chrome OS, Android and Apple. While smaller tablets can be used for ProShop, the experience typically isn’t great for the user doing more intensive work, and the ability at some stations to access the file storage system for things such as GCode files, is very important. Smaller tablets with limited functions work great for areas like the tooling crib or fixture storage where the functions needed are limited. And most of the workstations below are less expensive than a cheap tablet, with much greater functionality and better user experience.

Below are a few examples of devices that have been tested and approved by ProShop’s IT department with links to websites that sell them. ProShop does not sell hardware. There are also some example workstations our great customers have sent to us. All the devices are solid state, so they don’t have fans to suck in dirt or oily shop air. The keyboard and mouse are inexpensive enough that you can replace them every year or two if necessary. You can also find a short video explaining how computers are used out in the shop floor with ProShop by clicking on the thumbnail below. Also please be aware that this page was last updated in May 2020 and some of the exact items may be different prices or not available. There are many similar ones available for sale that will serve the same function equally well.

We make recommendations based on what is available today. We continue to update our recommendations on a regular basis. *

This setup has been tested and is officially recommended by ProShop*

This is our preferred set-up for a Windows device and includes Windows 10 Pro. They can drive double monitors if needed, and have all the benefits of being managed by your windows domain and user permissions. The manufacturer website is here. The same device can also be purchased for $35 less with a Linux operating system.

This setup has been tested and is officially recommended by ProShop*

Great for general ProShop work where intensive work is not needed. Browsing the file system is possible with Linux.

The price of the Odroid includes a case and other accessories. More information can be found here.

This setup is a client recommendation and has not been tested by our team*

Chrome OS devices work great for simple browsing functions. They can access linked photos and PDF files in ProShop directly in the browser. They cannot access and directly browse the file network which makes them not as good a device for accessing GCode files, etc.

This setup is a client recommendation and has not been tested by our team*

This setup uses a touch screen monitor and a custom 3D printed part to mount it off of a standard HAAS control at the top, and the ULine mount at the bottom using 10-32 screws. It uses an ODROID XU4Q like the ones above, mounted in a 3D printed case/mount. The STP files for the 3D models can be downloaded in a ZIP file with the link below.

The touch screen monitor can be used with an on-screen keyboard, or a keyboard tray could be mounted below from the VESA mount. The monitor comes in a 22″ and 15.6″ size.

This setup is a client recommendation and has not been tested by our team*

Most of our clients host ProShop on the Cloud rather than On-Premise. This means that it is important for your shop to have a strong Wifi network. Here are a few recommendations that we believe are high quality, fairly priced and work well in a shop environment