A cradle description such as “five-slot charger” is not a complete configuration. The slots may accept devices, spare batteries or a mixture; the cradle may charge only or may also carry USB or Ethernet; the power supply and line cords may be separate; and a boot, trigger handle or interface insert may change how the handheld fits. Procurement should therefore approve the complete cradle assembly, not only the number printed in its name.
This guide uses named third-party accessory examples and an editorial fleet scenario. It does not establish that an AIDC GO handheld supports a particular cradle, battery charger, data connection or accessory. Confirm every device, battery and accessory part number for the exact regional configuration.
Start with the assets that must be ready
Count devices and removable spare batteries separately. Record how many units return at once, how many must remain available, whether batteries charge inside devices or in independent slots, and whether a replacement device must receive data or configuration while docked. A slot that charges a handheld is not automatically a slot that charges a loose battery.
The shift-charging guide defines the working rotation. The battery-health guide determines whether an identified battery remains eligible for that rotation. K102 turns those needs into an accessory and infrastructure specification.
Read the exact accessory bill of materials
Record the handheld model, battery part number, boot or case, trigger or pistol-grip accessory, cradle part number, cup or insert, power supply, DC cable and country-specific AC cord. Similar cradle names within a vendor family can require different components or accept different device configurations.
Request the exact cradle, device, battery, power supply and cord part numbers. Record each compatible charging position and its supported functions. A cradle’s appearance or slot count does not establish compatibility with the proposed handheld.
Use the handheld-terminal category to shortlist the device options, then request the exact accessory list through Integration Support.
Separate device slots from battery slots
Distinguish device-charging positions from spare-battery positions. Record which can be used simultaneously and the required power components. Compare that arrangement with the shift’s issued devices and spare batteries.
Convert the accessory description into two counts: device positions and independent battery positions. Then compare those counts with the return wave and rotation plan. Do not count an advertised “slot” twice or assume that every device position can also charge a loose battery.
Separate charge-only from communication
List battery-in-device charging, spare-battery charging, USB data and Ethernet separately. Ask which functions each quoted cradle provides and test the required path. Charge-only equipment should not be counted as a data connection.
If the application or fleet process needs docked data, configuration or network access, name that function and verify its interface. Do not infer Ethernet from a physical connector, infer configuration deployment from charging, or treat a network cradle as evidence that the application will synchronize correctly.
Compare complete cradle roles
| Cradle role | Configuration evidence to request | What the role does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Single-device charge-only | Exact device fit, fitted accessory state, power supply, cable and regional cord | Spare-battery charging or host communication |
| Single-device charge and communication | Supported USB or Ethernet path, drivers or software condition, power components | That every application can synchronize while docked |
| Multi-device charge-only | Number of device positions, allowed device/boot combination and total power assembly | Independent spare-battery positions or network access |
| Device-plus-spare-battery system | Separate device and battery slot counts, battery part numbers and supplied components | A complete fleet rotation without timing and workload evidence |
Keep vendor descriptions, assembly diagrams and regional part numbers together. A photograph of a populated cradle does not prove which power supply, cup or communication module is installed.
Run an editorial return-wave calculation
Suppose twelve handhelds return during a short shift change and six identified spare batteries must also be charged. The team lists the selected device positions and spare-battery positions for each complete assembly, then checks electrical outlets, mounting space, cable routing and the time available before the next issue wave.
The result may require several assemblies or a staggered return plan. The example does not prescribe a slot ratio or charge time. Those depend on the exact device, battery, charger and workload documentation. The spare-device pool guide helps determine which configured devices must be ready to replace a failed unit.
Check physical fit and installation conditions
Test the production device with its intended boot, strap, trigger handle and other accessories. Check seating, any removable insert and the charging indication using the actual cradle instructions. Do not infer fit from an unprotected demonstration unit.
Record the mounting surface, ventilation clearance, cable strain relief, outlet and circuit plan, operator access, status-indicator visibility and removal motion. The carry-and-scan guide can help assess whether the fitted accessory must remain attached during the work cycle; only the exact cradle documentation can confirm whether it can remain attached while docked.
Validate charging and data as separate outcomes
For each position, place the selected configuration in the cradle and record seating, charge indication, battery identity and completion state. If communication is required, test the named USB or Ethernet workflow separately and confirm that the application receives the expected data or configuration. A charge LED is not a data-transfer result, and a network link is not proof that a battery is charging.
The USB-C charging guide covers source, cable and device negotiation for that path. Do not transfer its cable assumptions to a cradle that uses a different supply and connector. Preserve the exact cradle bill of materials in the deployment baseline.
Send the complete assembly for review
Provide the handheld and battery part numbers, fitted boot or handle, number of devices and spare batteries per return wave, required device and battery positions, charge-only or communication requirement, cradle and module part numbers, power supply, DC and regional AC cords, mounting location, outlet plan, operating environment and acceptance results for every slot.
Use Contact to send the configuration. The supplier can identify available device, battery and cradle documentation for the shortlisted model; the project team remains responsible for facility power, mounting, workflow timing and application synchronization.
Devices for this workflow
