Project Expansion: Tablet PC Vehicle Inspection System

Role: Lead Software Consultant (KnightTech)

KnightTech was engaged by a National Car Auction company to modernize their high-volume vehicle intake process. The project involved the design and development of a mobile Vehicle Inspection System deployed on ruggedized Tablet PCs. This system replaced manual, paper-based workflows with a real-time digital solution, providing immediate data synchronization between the auction floor and the corporate IBM AS/400 mainframe.

Technical Implementation & Responsibilities

• Software Architecture:

  • Developed a high-performance front-end application using Visual Basic, optimized for touch-screen input and pen-based data entry in outdoor, fast-paced auction environments.

  • Engineered low-level system modules in C to handle hardware-specific functions, including power management for mobile use and peripheral driver interfacing for barcode scanning and imaging.

• Mainframe Integration & Data Sync:

  • Designed a robust data-interchange layer to bridge the Windows-based Tablet PCs with the IBM AS/400 (iSeries) backend.

  • Implemented secure synchronization routines to ensure that vehicle condition reports, high-resolution imagery, and grading data were instantly accessible to the centralized auction management system.

  • Developed custom middleware to handle batch processing and real-time record locking, preventing data collisions during peak auction hours.

• Workflow Optimization:

  • Collaborated with site inspectors to translate complex vehicle appraisal criteria into a streamlined, logical UI, significantly reducing the "time-per-inspection" metric.

  • Integrated automated validation rules to ensure data integrity at the point of capture, reducing the need for back-office corrections.

Key Technical Stack

• Hardware: Ruggedized Tablet PCs (Mobile Windows Platforms).

• Back-Office: IBM AS/400 (iSeries) Mainframe.

• Languages: Visual Basic (UI/Logic), C (System Integration).

• Connectivity: Wireless synchronization (802.11) and cradle-based data transfer.

• Domain: Automotive Logistics, Large-scale Auction Management, Mobile Data Capture.