Buying fifty terminals is the easy part. The question that decides whether the rollout works is what happens at the end of the shift: where do the devices go, how do they charge overnight, and how does the next shift pick up a full battery instead of a flat one. This page collects the multi-slot charging and communication cradles we stock — the hardware that turns a pile of devices into a managed fleet.
How many slots do you need?
| Fleet size |
Typical setup |
| Up to 10 devices |
One or two 4- or 5-slot cradles at the point where devices are handed over |
| 10–50 devices |
Several 5-slot cradles at each shift-change point, plus a 4-slot spare battery charger |
| 50+ devices |
A dedicated charging room: 5- and 10-slot device cradles plus 16-, 20- or 30-slot battery chargers |
The practical rule is to have a slot for every device, plus spare capacity. A cradle that is always full means someone leaves a device on a bench overnight — which is how devices get lost and shifts start with flat batteries.
Device cradle or battery charger?
These solve different problems and most fleets need both:
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Device cradles charge the terminal with the battery inside. Simple, and the device is stored safely. But the device is out of use while it charges.
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Spare battery chargers charge batteries on their own, so a worker swaps a flat battery for a full one in seconds and keeps working. This is what makes multi-shift and 24/7 operations possible without buying extra devices.
A common setup: one cradle slot per device for overnight charging, plus a 4- or 20-slot battery charger holding a rotating pool of spare batteries for mid-shift swaps.
Charge only, or Ethernet too?
| Type |
What it does |
Choose when |
| Charge only |
Power to the device, nothing else |
Devices are managed over Wi-Fi — the most common case, and the cheaper option |
| Charge + communication (Ethernet) |
Power plus a wired network connection while docked |
You push software updates, configuration or large data sets overnight, or Wi-Fi coverage in the charging area is poor |
Ethernet cradles cost more per slot, so a practical compromise is one Ethernet cradle for staging and updates alongside charge-only cradles for the rest of the fleet.
Before you order
Cradles are model-specific. A cradle is designed around the exact shape and contact position of one device family — an MC9300 cradle does not fit an MC9400. Check the model your cradle is listed for before ordering.
Booted or unbooted. If your devices wear protective boots, confirm the cradle accepts a booted device; some require the boot to be removed every time, which staff will stop doing within a week.
Plan power and space. A 20-slot battery charger needs a dedicated socket and ventilation. Charging rooms fill up faster than expected — leave room for fleet growth.
All cradles below are CE certified and supplied with EU power supply where applicable.
Looking for the terminals themselves? Browse all handheld terminals → or see the long range models →
