Questions we get
Before you ask.
Who we are, what a sample costs, whether your app runs, and what happens when a device breaks in the field. If your question is not here, send it — the answer goes into this page.
PART 01 · WHO YOU ARE DEALING WITH
Who you are dealing with
Company questions, answered without the brochure.
01Who is behind this site?
Bastion Rugged is the trading front of Bright Alliance Tech Limited, Shenzhen. We design and build rugged mobile hardware — barcode scanning, UHF RFID, NFC, biometric capture — and we sell it to system integrators and solution providers rather than to consumers. The tooling, PCB and antenna work happen with our own engineering team, not through a trading desk.
02Are you the factory or a reseller?
Both, deliberately. We hold the product chain from mechanical design and tooling through PCB and antenna integration, and we also keep stock of the public models on this site. That means a sample ships this week from stock, while a custom build runs on the factory line behind it.
03What can you actually do for my project that a catalogue cannot?
Three things: match the hardware to the software you already have, supply one unit so you can prove it, and stay the same supplier when the pilot becomes a fleet. If the honest answer is that no device we make solves your problem, we say so before you order.
04Why do buyers switch to you from a larger distributor?
Distributors need volume and factories need containers. Most solution builders sit between those models: one unit to test, thirty to deploy, and nobody willing to answer the integration question. We are set up for exactly that gap.
05How long have you been doing this?
The team has shipped more than 100,000 rugged units across consumer and industrial programmes, with the same engineering group supporting both. Firmware lines are kept stable so a fleet bought two years ago is still serviceable.
PART 02 · SAMPLES, MOQ AND PRICE
Samples, MOQ and price
The commercial questions, before anyone talks about a specification.
01Can you supply five units for a pilot?
Yes. A pilot is the normal entry point. We quote single units at sample pricing and support the pilot with spare parts on the same order — a spare battery and a cradle, not a pallet.
02What is the minimum order?
One unit. There is no container minimum, no distributor agreement and no annual commitment. Mixed models can ship together: a handheld, a tablet and a vehicle terminal in one carton.
03How fast does a sample ship?
Stocked models usually leave within 48 hours of payment; allow 3–7 working days for delivery depending on the destination and the courier service you choose. Models built to order are quoted with a lead time instead of a promise.
04How is the price built up?
Base unit, then the options that actually change the bill: scan engine, RFID module, ID reader, memory, screen brightness, accessories. We quote the configured unit rather than a headline price for a stripped model.
05Do you support OEM and ODM?
Yes. Function-module changes, boot logo, packaging, housing colour, extra interfaces and firmware defaults are all possible. Typical lead time for a custom build is 2–6 weeks depending on what changes.
06Can I buy accessories separately later?
Yes, and you should plan for it: cradles, grips, spare batteries and vehicle brackets are quoted with the fleet so the second order does not become a sourcing project.
PART 03 · SOFTWARE AND INTEGRATION
Software and integration
The questions that decide whether a rollout works.
01Do the Android units ship with GMS?
Most Android models ship with GMS. For builds where Google services must be absent, we supply a GMS-free firmware on the same hardware — say so at the quotation stage, because it is a firmware decision, not a setting.
02What about MDM and Android Enterprise?
The devices support standard Android Enterprise enrolment. We can also pre-configure a kiosk or launcher lock before dispatch so the pilot units arrive ready to use instead of needing a setup day.
03Is there an SDK?
Yes, a free SDK for the scan engine, RFID module and ID reader, with sample code. If your app already talks to a Zebra or Honeywell engine, tell us which one and we will confirm the closest equivalent rather than guessing.
04Will my existing app run on it?
Send the Android API level, the target architecture and how the app talks to the scanner (DataWedge, intent, or a vendor SDK). We answer that before the order. A Win32 client on an Android device is a rewrite, and we will say so.
05Can the scanner be used as a keyboard wedge?
Yes. The engine can emit keystrokes, intents or raw broadcast data. Which mode you need depends on the app; we ship a note with the unit describing how to switch.
06Do you lock the firmware?
Only if you ask. Default builds let you install your own APK. For fleets we can disable settings access, hide the launcher or fix the rotation, so a store manager cannot leave the app by accident.
07Can I get a Linux or Windows build instead of Android?
Several chassis are offered in more than one OS — the same 10-inch tablet exists in Android, Windows and Linux variants. The model suffix tells you which; if you need a specific OS on a specific chassis, ask before ordering.
PART 04 · DEPLOYMENT, SERVICE AND RISK
Deployment, service and risk
What happens after the first thirty units.
01What warranty do you give?
One year as standard, covering the unit and the battery against manufacturing faults. Extended cover and advance-replacement terms are available for fleets — ask for them with the quotation, not after the first failure.
02What happens when a unit fails in the field?
We diagnose from the serial number and the fault description, then repair, replace or ship a spare — whichever gets the site running sooner. Our after-sales and software team is around thirty engineers, not a ticket queue.
03Are spare parts available after the model is discontinued?
We give an end-of-life notice and keep consumables — batteries, cradles, styluses — for the service period. Buy the spares with the fleet if the deployment is long; that is the cheapest insurance.
04Can you pre-configure the devices before shipping?
Yes: language, time zone, Wi-Fi profile, launcher, kiosk mode, APK pre-install and asset tags. Pre-configuration is the difference between a pilot that starts on day one and one that starts after a week of setup.
05Do you ship to my country, and who handles duty?
We ship worldwide by express or air freight and quote the Incoterm explicitly. Duty and import VAT are normally the buyer's, but we will state it on the quotation so there is no surprise at customs.
PART 05 · ON THE DEVICE ITSELF
On the device itself
The handful of questions that come up on almost every model.
01Why does a scan fail on a screen or a crumpled label?
A 1D laser engine cannot read a phone screen — that is physics, not a fault. 2D imagers read screens and damaged labels far better. If your workflow includes either, specify a 2D engine from the start.
02The ID card reader is slow or intermittent. Why?
The card has to sit flat against the reader zone. A gap of a few millimetres drops the coupling and the read either fails or takes seconds. Hold the card on the marked area, not near it.
03How long does the battery really last?
Expect a full shift on a scanning-heavy workflow with a healthy pack, less if the screen stays at full brightness on 4G. Removable packs matter more than the headline mAh: a spare in the charger beats a bigger sealed battery.
04Can the device be used in a freezer or a washdown area?
IP67 covers water and dust, not condensation on the glass or a battery that loses capacity at −25 °C. For cold stores, specify a heated-battery build and glove-compatible touch; for washdown, a unit rated for it rather than a case.
05Which models are certified for hazardous areas?
Only units carrying a real ATEX or IECEx certificate may enter a classified zone. IP67 and MIL-STD ratings are not explosion protection. Use the hazardous-area finder, and check the certificate number before you specify.
Still unanswered
Ask it directly.
Some questions only make sense against a specific job — a client version, a freezer temperature, a zone classification. Send those instead of hunting for them here. The reply comes from the person who quotes the project, not from a queue.
- Reply
- One working day, from the engineer who quotes the job
- Sample
- One unit, accessories included, dispatched in 48 h
- Warranty
- 12 months, advance replacement on stocked models
