The Trimble Connect augmented reality app is created for construction projects. It enables contractors to bring their BIM data to the job site and to visualize 3D models in real life, on-site and in context at a 1:1 scale. It takes and logs augmented reality site photos to communicate issues.

Safety Reports’ incident app reduces the amount of time it takes to record injuries, illnesses and near-misses. Users can professionally document incidents on a smartphone, tablet or computer in minutes. Users can take incident photos and can use the front/back body chart to visually highlight the location of injuries.

Chat by Storyboard is an audio application that enables deskless and field teams to communicate through voice messaging. It replaces text messages, voicemails and emails with voice messages that receive an A.I.-powered text transcript. Users can create a team channel and share shift briefings, end of day notes, tasks and process updates.

The Condoit app features built-in simulations and load calculations for electric vehicle charger installations and solar arrays. It automatically imports infrared photos, builds inspection reports and digitally logs information for instant arc flash analysis.

CerroWire’s Raceway Fill calculator app helps users determine what size conduit to use for copper and aluminum building wire. Two calculators determine the maximum number of conductors that will fit in a type and size of raceway and what size raceway is required for the types and sizes of conductors in the circuit. It can be used to calculate raceway size or fill for EMT, PVC, RMC with insulated and bare copper and/or aluminum conductors.

Pinpoint’s Mobile Alert app connects with Pinpoints’ InstantAlarm 5000 system. When an alarm is activated a push notification appears on the user’s screen along with a vibration and an audible alert. A full notification indicates the severity level of the call, the system it originated from, the zone and the address of the call button or personal transmitter. The display differentiates between active and resolved alarms on separate tabs, and each user sets up a personalized profile that can be accessed from any device with the correct username and PIN.

Greenlee’s i-press battery tool-monitoring smartphone app enables crews to track their Next Generation Greenlee Gator tools. Using the navigation display, workers can view the battery charge, last service date, last five pressure measurements, tool temperature and the number of cycles completed. Users also can create a project within the app to save and combine crimping operation data and track tool performance. When the project is complete, an overview report is generated and sent as a PDF.

Bosch Building Technologies’ Project Assistant app is designed to assist system integrators and installers to plan, configure and install a video security project. Users can share projects through the cloud with multiple stakeholders, providing a clear, detailed overview of the status at any time during the project. It also enables users to contact and check every camera in the project then deliver a final client-ready report with field-of-view snapshots.

IDenticard Access Control’s Resident Manager mobile app enables multifamily property administrators to manage Schlage wireless locks on residence doors using a smartphone or tablet. Users can use one database to manage locks and readers on residence, common-area and perimeter doors.

With the Clairity mobile app from  Acuity Controls, electrical contractors, salespeople and facility maintenance professionals are given complete command of their nLight AIR lighting control system.

Users of nLight AIR can use the Clairity app to wirelessly start, configure and troubleshoot the system on a smartphone or tablet. Settings can be modified, and operation of the fixtures, wall sensors and switches can be altered in one group using Bluetooth low-energy communications. This enables end-users to easily meet energy-code requirements. No hardware or remote controls are required.

The app also is flexible. Multiple people on large projects can use the app simultaneously, and it can be operated completely offline if there is no Wi-Fi or wireless signal.

The NFPA eLibrary app is designed to give users one free place to store their ebooks and PDFs from the National Fire Protection Association.

These codes and standards are vital to getting the job done safely, and apps such as this make it easier than ever to store all of this information at the user’s fingertips.

Text within the documents can be searched and highlighted to find important sections and reinforce concepts. Content can be bookmarked, saved and copied and pasted into other documents and presentations. These customizations can be synced across devices. Font size is also adjustable based on user preference.

The app is available as a free download from the iTunes and Google Play stores. Users sign in with their free NFPA account. All ebooks and documents are sold separately.

Smartphone users don’t have to search very far to find the answer to a question or the solution to a problem. Usually, they can just pull out their device and have it in a few seconds.

Eaton’s PowerEdge app is one such problem-solver. Users can view and share Eaton’s catalog of electrical products, watch videos and find nearby product retailers. The app also provides contact information for these channel partners.

Individual chapters and pages in the catalog can be saved and emailed directly from the app. With the tools function, users can be directed to the product that will meet their needs based on application attributes.

Videos on the app include business overviews, product training and expert interviews.

PowerEdge is available for free on the iTunes and Google Play stores.

As complicated as modern lighting-­control systems may seem, it is becoming much easier for users to take charge of this new technology. In fact, the power is now right in their pocket.

For example, customers with an Audacy ­lighting-control system (by Ideal) can download the Audacy Lighting Controls app. Once programmed, it works with the Audacy web interface to operate the system.

With the app, the system is customizable and proprietary to the user’s operation. Every installed component can be managed 24/7 as part of the overall lighting system. Every device can be uploaded during installation, and customization begins immediately.

The app is available as a free download for iOS and Android users. For more information, visit www.audacywireless.com.

Nothing brings a job site to a halt like a missing tool. For that reason, merely checking tools in and out isn’t enough.

With the tool-tracking system by ShareMyToolbox, contractors can keep track of all of their tools no matter how scattered they become. First, administrators import tools into a web interface manually or with an Excel spreadsheet. Once all accounts are created, tools can be located and assigned using the mobile app. With transfers, the tools can move from employee to employee while in the field.

From there, using a simple search, the app can find out who has the tool and where it is located. All information is synced in the cloud.

The app is free to download from the iTunes and Google Play stores, but a subscription is required for business use. For more, visit www.sharemytoolbox.com.

No matter the size of the team on the job site, getting everybody on the same page is critical. These days, mobile apps, such as Fieldwire, are around to connect crews and store vital, updated information in one convenient place.

Fieldwire features a plan viewer that works offline and includes markups, annotations, photos and attachments. These plans and documents can be shared across project teams.

Tasks for team members can be created, assigned and tracked. Push notifications inform users whenever a task is updated. Detailed building inspection and punch-list reports can be created and shared.

The app is free to download on the iTunes and Google Play stores; in-app purchases may be required. For more, visit www.fieldwire.com.

The entire Philips Lighting luminaire portfolio can be accessed on mobile devices using the Philips ProLuminaire app, available for smartphones and tablets.

The catalog can be browsed in any number of ways. Products are sorted by brand name, catalog number, family code, keyword, and indoor or outdoor application. A search function is also available.

Other features of the ProLuminaire app include the ability to share information with others, including clients and customers; access specification sheets and installation information; and mark products as favorites for future reference. Various Philips Lighting images, videos, brochures and presentations can also be accessed. A locator enables users to find their local Philips Lighting sales office.

Philips ProLuminaire is available for free from the Google Play and iTunes Stores.

There is a lot of talk about everything that mobile technology can help accomplish on the job site. In particular, it can be used to interact with, track and manage tools, and even more.

 With One-Key, described by Milwaukee Tool as “the first digital platform for tools and equipment,” all of these capabilities are available in one app that continues to develop and expand its offerings.

One-Key features include inventory management, where tools can be organized and cataloged within the app; tool control, including programming and customizing tool settings around the user’s type of work; and tool tracking and reporting, which tracks tool location and usage and stores that data in the cloud. With One-Key, users can know all there is to know about their tools.

Milwaukee One-Key is a free app available for use on all current Android and iOS smartphones.

Kantech entrapass go install, a free mobile app from Tyco Security Products, is designed for door-control installers looking to streamline the installation process and pass cost savings onto customers.

Scanning a QR code will automatically install Kantech door controllers connected to EntraPass security software. Users can connect to EntraPass servers by selecting an existing server or adding one manually. Prepopulated fields for doors can be modified and labeled to the user’s liking.

The app includes test activities that create commissioning reports once all tests are finished. The report can be saved with photos of the system.
Among other benefits, the app’s main selling point is it prevents manual entry errors, which can lead to costly call-back visits. 

Mobile apps that have the ability to integrate with existing tools and systems can give contractors a whole new way to approach the job. The FLIR Tools Mobile app is one example.

The app enables users to stream live video to mobile devices from any compatible FLIR E-Series and T-Series infrared camera, so images can be monitored from a distance. These images can be captured and incorporated into reports, sent to others by email or uploaded to the cloud.

Users also can remotely control FLIR infrared cameras, adjust the temperature span and contrast levels, change color palettes, add temperature measurement tools and more. All of this is accomplished using Wi-Fi.
FLIR also has a new augmented reality app, FLIR Live! Download it from your mobile app marketplace, and try it out.

The labeling process is crucial, but it can be time-consuming. A new app from Brother Mobile Solutions and Fluke Networks looks to streamline the process, saving time and money, and increasing efficiency.

With Brother LabelLink, installers no longer need to navigate several different project databases. Now, cable and component identifiers can be stored in a single, centralized data file on Fluke’s LinkWare Live service, and then downloaded wirelessly to Brother PT-E550W labelers and Fluke Versiv testers.

This cloud-based solution enables information to go from the office to the job site in just a few steps. Data only needs to be entered once, which saves time and minimizes errors.

The free app is available in the iTunes Store only. Android support is coming soon. Visit www.BrotherLabelLink.com for more information.

Brother Mobile and Fluke Networks’ LabelLink app integrates Fluke’s LinkWare Life API with Brother’s Edge industrial label printer. LabelLink allows users to access a single, centralized LinkWare Live data file where identifiers for network cables and components can be stored then downloaded wirelessly to Brother PT-E550W labelers or Fluke Versiv testers.

Speed is the greatest benefit of many mobile apps. What used to require several steps can now be accomplished in a few seconds on a touchscreen.

Leviton’s latest app, the Industrial Wiring Device Selector, guides users through the company's hospital- and industrial-grade wiring devices based on specific needs. It features five different device categories: NEMA Locking, Non-NEMA Locking, Locking Power Interrupting, NEMA Straight Blade, and IEC 60309 Pin and Sleeve.

Users can also find related products, create and share product lists, and download PDFs. The app is based on the company’s Hospital and Industrial-Grade Slide tool.

The app is available for free through the iTunes and Google Play stores.

Staying safe on the job is always the goal, but sometimes it is easier said than done. The NECA Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Selector—2015 Edition removes much of the guesswork regarding job safety.

Based on the 2015 NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, the app enables electrical contractors to identify the appropriate PPE based on the tasks to be performed as well as NFPA 70E risk-assessment guidelines.

It provides a mobile alternative to NECA’s print version of the guide, which has long been one of the association’s most popular publications.

The app is available in smartphone and tablet versions on iTunes and Google Play for $9.99.

One of the benefits of using mobile apps on the job is the ability to easily and quickly connect employees in different locations.

With the Ideal AnyWARE app, it’s even easier to get everybody on the same page. Essentially, it enables users to wirelessly send test reports to whomever needs them, specifically coworkers and clients.

Using Wi-Fi, the app connects to an Ideal cable or network tester and sends test reports to a mobile device. It also provides a PDF report that can be viewed and forwarded to other interested parties. Because Ideal testers are also Wi-Fi hotspots, another potential hassle is eliminated.

As of this writing, SignalTEK CT, SignalTEK NT, NaviTEK NT Plus, NaviTEK NT Pro and all LanTEK III models support this app.

If you manage a lot of employees, it can be difficult to keep track of where they are, what they’re working on, and how much time they spend on a particular task. The TSheets Time Tracker app simplifies the entire process.

With the Crew functionality in the app, managers can clock in the entire crew, see which crew members are on the clock, and view a crew’s day and task totals in real time. The app continuously syncs and provides GPS tracking, so at any point, employee locations can be verified.

The app can also be used to manage payroll and invoicing, and it integrates with Quickbooks software. It is free to download on iTunes and Google Play, but use requires an active TSheets account.

The connected home is the future, and the Lutron App for Caséta Wireless provides a strong foundation for that future. This app allows users to adjust their home’s lighting from anywhere, including controls for shades and temperature.
Use of this app first requires Lutron’s Smart Bridge. Once everything is set up, control of a home’s lighting will be in the palm of a user’s hand. The user can create personalized “scenes” and automatically schedule lights and shades to adjust based on the time of day and user behavior. For those who want to use Siri to control their lights, the Smart Bridge contains Apple HomeKit technology. The app is free for all Caséta Wireless users on the iTunes and Google Play stores.