Miwaukee Tool graphic
Contractormag 2507 One Key Illustration
Contractormag 2507 One Key Illustration
Contractormag 2507 One Key Illustration
Contractormag 2507 One Key Illustration
Contractormag 2507 One Key Illustration

Milwaukee Tool’s ONE-KEY will bring power tools into the Internet of Things

July 30, 2015
The most exciting aspect of ONE-KEY will be rolled out in January with a feature that will allow contractors to program their power tools from their phones. The first phase of ONE-KEY will deliver three core benefits: tool control, inventory management and tool reporting. As a cloud based solution, updates and edits will be synchronized real-time.

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN — Milwaukee Tool is introducing a cloud-based technology called ONE-KEY™, the first digital platform for jobsite tools. By integrating tool electronics with a custom-built cloud based program, ONE-KEY will provide contractors with a new level of control and access to information that might revolutionize the way work gets done.

The most exciting aspect of ONE-KEY will be rolled out in January with a feature that will allow contractors to program their power tools from their phones. For example, if a user is drilling and driving into three different types of materials, he’ll be able to custom-program features such as ramp up speed and time and full-speed RPMs and torque.

The technology can conceivably fundamentally change the way users interact with their tools, and help solve user problems and frustrations the industry has never before been able to address.

“The first phase of ONE-KEY will deliver three core benefits that will have an immediate impact on productivity: tool control, inventory management and tool reporting,” said Christian Coulis, Vice President of Product Management for Milwaukee Tool. “The possibilities that ONE-KEY brings to the job-site are endless, and these benefits are not the end result, but just the beginning. The capabilities of the program will continue to grow and evolve, and for the first time, we will be able to deliver more and more features to our product even after it is purchased.”

Coming in September 2015, Inventory Management will be the first component available through the web and mobile app, creating a central place for users to manage all of their tools and equipment across their network of jobs and operators. This free-to-use platform allows contractors to keep detailed records of each tool — even non-Milwaukee brands — so they can easily build a budget and manage their annual spend on equipment. Supervisors will also be able to assign locations or specific owners to each asset, providing accountability, and enabling easy information-sharing between the field and back-office.

As a cloud based solution, updates and edits will be synchronized real-time throughout all levels of an organization.

In October 2015, Tool Reporting will be added to the ONE-KEY platform with the launch of M18 Force Logic 6T Utility Crimpers for electrical contractors. With the ability to wirelessly synchronize with the web-based program, the user will be able to upload data and history to create custom reports that track the success and timing of electrical terminations.

The corner stone of the ONE-KEY platform, Tool Control, will be added in January 2016 with the introduction of new M18 Fuel Drilling and Driving products that will sync wirelessly to the ONE-KEY application. The ONE-KEY app will allow users to use pre-determined set-ups for specific fasteners and materials, or completely customize their own profile with torque and speed settings for the application at hand. With a touch of the button on the tool, users will be able to easily go back and forth between these saved profiles so that each application is done with the most accurate and productive settings.

“If you think about the number of fasteners that require different speeds and torques, or the amount of repetitive applications that our users experience on a daily basis, there are hundreds of different tool profiles and setups that can be implemented,” says Coulis. “Tool Control will give users infinite customization capabilities for various applications, allowing them to make small tweaks that make a huge difference.” 

Available for initial download in September 2015, ONE-KEY will be accessible by computer from www.milwaukeetool.com/ONE-KEY, or by a mobile app interface on compatible Android and iOS smartphones.

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