RFID reader: The 1861 handheld RFID reader from CipherLab
provides users with extended RFID reading and writing capabilities via most Bluetooth mobile devices. The 1861 device
can read ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID tags at distances of
up to three feet and can write data up to 1. 6 feet away. This
capability makes it much easier to scan tags on products as
pallets are moved through a dock door or scan cases on a high
shelf in a warehouse, according to CipherLab.
To accommodate users that want to integrate bar-code capture and RFID data collection in a single device, the 1861 RFID
reader is designed so that users can snap their mobile computers onto a custom mount
attached to the device.
The 1861 handheld RFID reader is also engineered for durability. It is certified with an IP64
rating and can withstand 1,000 tumbles at three feet. It also sustains multiple drops on concrete from five feet.
The 1861 handheld RFID reader can be configured through PC, Windows mobile computers, CipherLab terminals, and a .NET SDK for user development. (CipherLab,
us.cipherlab.com/)
Inventory management system: XPress Pix Go-Fetch inventory management software from
Sapient Automation is an entry-level software system that can be used to manage order picking and replenishment activities.
Go-Fetch inventory management software is designed to retrieve parts stored in vertical
carousels, vertical lift modules (VLMs), horizontal carousels, and pick-to-light devices and
systems.
With Go-Fetch software, inventory can be managed by location within the storage unit, by
item or part number, by description, or by location quantity. The selected item can be picked
immediately or placed in a queue and picked later with other items in the order. The carousel
or VLM will deliver the items to the operator by the shortest path.
For automated storage system replenishment, users can input the minimum amount they
want to have on hand for each item. Go-Fetch software prints a report that displays a list of
items that need reordering as well as the quantity that is generally reordered. (Sapient
Automation, www.GetSapient.com)
Industrial vehicle analytics: I.D. Systems Analytics, a new solution from I.D. Systems Inc.,
provides insights into the performance of industrial vehicles such as lift trucks, pallet jacks,
and tow tractors across multiple locations.
According to I.D. Systems, distribution operations typically have a site-centric view of industrial vehicle activity and have limited or no ability to compare material handling asset performance across the enterprise. I.D. Systems Analytics offers a set of software tools that gives
executives and facility managers a single, integrated view of historical asset activity across
multiple locations. It can also generate site-to-site comparisons so that managers can create
enterprisewide benchmarks for their material handling operations.
I.D. Systems Analytics does a number of things. It ( 1) quantifies best-practice enterprise
benchmarks for industrial vehicle utilization and safety; ( 2) reveals variations and inefficiencies in material handling activity across both sites and geographic regions; ( 3) identifies
opportunities to eliminate or reallocate vehicles; ( 4) helps balance vehicle mix and informs
decisions on rentals vs. leases vs. capital purchases; and ( 5) uncovers activity trends over time
to forecast material handling asset requirements.
In addition, the system enables companies to compare their performance against broad,
industrywide benchmarks. As a provider of wireless systems for managing industrial vehicles,
I.D. Systems has accumulated a database of historical asset activity from more than 50,000
vehicles over a long period of time and across diverse facility types and industries. This database enables customers to compare their own performance with general industry and facili-ty-type benchmarks.
I.D. Systems Analytics features 18 primary pre-built dashboards based on more than 80 key
performance indicators. Users can click through the dashboards for progressively deeper data
details. The data can be delivered to mobile devices as well as computers. (I.D. Systems,
www.id-systems.com)
