Apator Group Electromechanical Equipment Case Study
How we helped Apator Group succeed
The Customer
The Apator Group is an electromechanical conglomerate that develops equipment for metering and switchgear applications. In early 2020 they partnered with the developer Mobile Labs to create an Android application to read and write water meter data using Socket Mobile’s DuraScan D600.
The Challenge
Prior to implementing the D600, Apator's customers serviced water meters using an industrial PDA that could be connected via a wired interface. This was not ideal. It complicated the process by requiring the technician to carry a connecting cable, plug it into both devices, and then wait for the data to transfer. In addition, the wired interface prevented their PDA from being hermetically sealed, resulting in a less durable device.
With the D600, they now connect over NFC.
The Socket Mobile Solution
Apator water meters are IoT (internet of things) devices. The D600 acts as a bridge between them and the Android application developed by Mobile Labs. Their application is designed for use in the field, where technicians use it to retrieve and store water flow data, alter device configurations, and perform essential water meter maintenance.
Mobile Labs developers made extensive use of Socket Mobile's D600 Script and D600 Maintenance mobile applications in their development process. This helped them to create a feature-loaded application that was tailored to Apator's needs. Their final product included: four encapsulated PC/SC (personal computer/ smart card) commands to deliver and retrieve payloads from the MCU (microcontroller unit); card tracking, which allows their application to control power to the water meter card; and CCID V3 (chip card interface device, version three), which enables fast and reliable connection to Apator's meters.
This bevy of technical features is paired with a user-friendly design that—amongst other instructions—will tell users to “Bring [the D600] closer to save.” The final product is an application crafted with an attention to detail that puts it at the top of its class. In practice, this has resulted in an improved product and improved user experience, making work more productive and efficient.
The Results
Going wireless with Socket Mobile has made life easier for Apator customers in a variety of ways. From a design perspective, NFC has allowed Apator’s solution to be hermetically sealed; this has created a more secure, durable product. It has removed the need for a battery to power the circuit—the D600 acts as a power source when interfacing. Neither UL nor FCC certifications are required because NFC is a passive RF (radio frequency) system. And finally, it's a cyber-secure solution: the link between the D600 and the meter can be secured, ensuring that convenience doesn’t come at the expense of security.
