Innovations

keeping track

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New solutions for maintaining control over inventory and assets

Cool chain tracking

Cooltrax, a global provider of industrial IoT solutions for cold chain fleet management, has introduced a next-generation remote temperature monitoring solution for food safety compliance. The totally wireless Cooltrax TempTracker system installs in minutes, the company says. The solution is backed by a telematics platform and offers a wireless, plug-and-play option for remote temperature monitoring of trailers, fixed storage locations and mixed and rental operations. The Cooltrax TempTracker solution includes wireless microsensors that monitor return air temperatures in single or multiple trailer zones/ compartments. The sensors transmit data every 15 minutes to the web portal. Automated reporting can be configured to prompt instant email and/or SMS text message alerts if temperatures fall out of preset ranges. The Cooltrax TempTracker web portal also provides access to a variety of data points, tools and satellite mapping. The solution offers embedded motion detection and geofencing capabilities to automatically record trip start/stop, arrival times, and temperature readings in transit for proof-of-delivery. The sensors, which offer 10-year battery life, are fully operational when received by the fleet and can be installed in minutes, functioning through a local gateway connected to 4G cellular networks.

Integrated parcel shipping and WMS

Extensiv and Pitney Bowes are working together on a joint offering that provides faster response times for high-volume label production, guaranteed delivery on qualified expedited shipments, multiple payment options, and easy returns. It has been made available in time for the 2022 peak holiday shopping season. Extensiv has just released its Parcel API, a connected shipping solution for Extensiv 3PL Warehouse Manager. The partnership will make Pitney Bowes shipping capabilities available to Extensiv’s network of over 1,500 connected 3PLs, and Extensiv’s warehouse management software available to Pitney Bowes clients. Extensiv 3PL Warehouse Manager is a SaaS-based paperless warehouse solution for 3PLs that offers ecommerce and omnichannel fulfillment functionality designed to support high volume shipping. The Extensiv Parcel API is included as a part of 3PL Warehouse Manager’s Small Parcel Suite.

Encoding for RFID tags

RF Controls (RFC), a provider of wide-area passive RFID RTLS systems and dock doors, now offers overhead encoding to commission and update Electronic Product Code memory stored on RAIN RFID labels, tags and cards. This software driven product enhancement employs over a decade of RFC’s unique, steerable phased array expertise, design innovation and software development. It is now possible to identify, locate, track and encode with all CS Smart Antenna models. Patent applications are filed and pending. RFC uses dynamic, field-proven beam steering algorithms, to deliver high scan speeds, the long read distances and accurate pinpoint location data of any overhead system. This performance works underpin the commercially scalable, overhead encoding processes. Previously deployed CS Smart Antennas, both CS445B and CS490, are backward compatible and can be upgraded to encode an EPC from up to 40 feet away.

Automated storage and retrieval

Cutter & Buck will implement an AutoStore system from Kardex in their Renton, Washington, location to support their apparel picking and fulfillment operation. Cutter & Buck selected AutoStore, an automated cube storage technology solution from Kardex, for its speed and density. The Kardex Control Center software (WCS) will control the AutoStore goods-to-person fulfillment solution. AutoStore is a fully automated and intelligent goods-to-person storage and retrieval system. Bins are stacked vertically in a grid and retrieved by battery-powered vehicles that travel on top of the grid system, sorting, carrying and delivering bins to the respective workstations (ports), where a variety of warehouse operations can be performed (picking, replenishment, inventory control, etc.) by warehouse personnel. The flexible system fits even unusually shaped facilities, allowing the grid to be placed around columns, on mezzanines and on multiple levels. The bins are stacked on top of each other in a condensed grid-style system, increasing storage capacity by up to four times and performance up to 10 times that of traditional storage methods. AutoStore can easily adapt to changing order fulfillment requirements through a flexible configuration of the robots, ports and quantity of bin locations.