Opinion

CONNECTIVITY

Live wire

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Talking tools Communication has come a long way in the past 60 years. Today, connectivity is the key to productivity, says Eric Streuli

B ack in the 1950s, when NICEIC began, contractors often led a disconnected existence. Even after the first mobile phone was invented in 1973, it would still be many years before workers could conveniently keep in touch with their base.

It wasn’t until the 1990s that truly portable and costeff ective handsets became widely available, forming the basis for much greater connectivity. But when mobiles also started giving access to the internet, the possibilities became almost endless.

Today, those mobile connections – whether by phone, tablet or laptop – are opening up a world of convenience and eff iciency for contractors who embrace them. The technology already exists to make tools a part of a communications network, so as well as talking to people you can talk to your tools – and they can talk back.

Let’s say you want to tell your angle grinder to apply your preferred performance settings, or to configure itself for a particular task. You can give those instructions via your mobile and the system will remember them for future reference. You don’t even need to be close to the tool, thanks to modern wireless connections. The same

network connection allows the tool to tell you things like its condition and operating history. It can also send you a warning if it’s overheating, for instance.

As well as power tools such as drills, screwdrivers and angle grinders, networking can be applied to measuring and lighting equipment. Where appropriate, devices may be operated and adjusted remotely, saving time and hassle. Measurements taken using networked devices can be saved directly into documents, in the required format, and transmitted with no risk of transfer errors.

The frustration and expense of time spent looking for lost tools will soon become a thing of the past, as the connected tool of the future will be able to tell you exactly where it is. Not only that, but it will say who you gave it to and when it is due for return. On a larger scale, this will allow you to manage your tool inventory much more eff iciently.

If any of this sounds a bit like science fiction, it isn’t. All of the advances in connectivity described above – and more – are here today, or just around the corner.

IN FOCUS// DAVID GREENBERRY

Eric Streuli is UK training manager for Bosch Power Tools (www.bosch-connectivity.com)

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» David Greenberry Greenberry Electrical

NICEIC is 60 this year, but I believe you’re close to a big anniversary too.

Yes, next year is our 30th anniversary and we’ve been with NICEIC 20 years.

How have things moved on in that time?

When I passed my exams, we were on the 14th edition and now we’re on the 17th. I’m a big believer in timeserved electricians and have seen five lads through from the age of 16.

Tell me about the business

We employ four staff , with my wife in the off ice. We’re only small, but we tackle decent-sized jobs. We’ve just finished a block of 19 properties that included a fire alarm and emergency lighting system.

What is your role?

I do a bit of work on the small callouts or fixing jobs, and I do all the testing at the end of the job.

What are your early memories of NICEIC?

We’d been operating for 10 years and were looking after a few schools, so we needed to be a member of a governing body. I’d heard all these scary tales of a Tony Lord, so I was petrified at my first assessment. But he was a mine of information and always there to help. You could always get him in a good mood if you spoke about steam trains.

Any future plans?

I’m happy where we are; we have nearly a year’s work ahead of us. I may go part-time and the guy who has been with me 15 years might want to move up.

And life outside work?

I spend a lot of time with my four daughters, but my big love is music. I see lots of live bands – Pink Floyd, Genesis.