—
Robotic Small Package
Singulation (SPS)
Creating order from chaos
Traditionally, inducting packages or items
to a sortation system has been a manual
operation. It’s dull, repetitive and hard to
find people to do it. That is now changing.
ABB, together with a leading perception
company, has developed a robot-centric
solution that accurately and consistently
identifies each package, picking and placing
it on the induction conveyor, every hour
of every day. Creating order from chaos
one package at a time. It is just one of the
new robotic solutions for the warehousing,
distribution and order fulfillment market
from ABB. www.abb.com/robotics
www.dcvelocity.com AUGUST 2019 DC VELOCITY 53
b Oily surfaces: Featuring adhesive backing
that absorbs oil, these products adhere direct-
ly to lubricated surfaces, textured or smooth,
without having to be cleaned or degreased.
b Wet surfaces: A high-tack rubber-based
adhesive keeps these labels adhered in wet,
damp, andw cold conditions.
b Solvent exposure: Designed to stand up
to the harshest conditions for extended periods, these labels, placards, and marks offer
chemical and abrasion resistance, while also
resisting acids, humidity, high temperatures,
and UV exposure.
b Ultraviolet exposure: These labels’ topcoat resists fading and deterioration for up
to two years and offers resistance to acids,
moisture, and solvents from - 40 degrees F to
257 degrees F. (Labelmaster, https://www.
labelmaster.com/extreme-conditions)
Reverse logistics solution: Dematic, a supplier of integrated supply chain automated technology, software, and services, has
introduced the Dematic Merchandise Returns
System, a reverse logistics processing solution
for omnichannel retailers. The new solution is
a material handling subsystem for the distribution center that is designed to accelerate
and streamline all of the processing steps
required to provide customer credit, enter the
exchanged order, and make returned items
available for sale.
The Dematic Merchandise Returns System
consists of an automated material handling
subsystem managed by Dematic iQ Optimize,
the company’s warehouse execution software. Workstations are dedicated to a function: credit/exchange, inspection, repairs/
special services, or re-pack. The conveyor
network connects the workstations and optimizes material flow, with automated sorters
diverting items to the appropriate worksta-tion or functional area of the distribution
center. The system interfaces with devices
such as auto-baggers and other subsystems,
including storage, picking, and the Dematic
Pouch System (for buffering, sequencing,
sorting, and order consolidation). (Dematic,
dematic.com)
Propane safety resources: The nonprofit
Propane Education & Research Council has
added a collection of safety tips and resources to its website’s new forklift-safety landing
page, http://propane.com/safetyfirst. The new
resources include a safety guide, a video featuring important safety reminders for crews,
and a briefing on how a facility’s propane
supplier can help keep users safe. (Propane
Education & Research Council, propane.com)
Self-propelled truck-tug: Material handling equipment manufacturer Air Technical
Industries has developed a heavy-duty self-propelled platform truck-tug. The new
device is powerful enough to pull several trailers or loads simultaneously, saving time
by doing it in one trip instead of multiple trips, the company says.
The travel speed is from zero up to 4 mph, and the unit is equipped with automatic braking. The truck-tug is available in capacities of 2,000, 4,000, 6,000, and
10,000 pounds. The platform height ranges from 14 to 24 inches, depending on the
capacity and size required. An optional lift platform can be built in to lift the load to
the desired height. (Air Technical Industries, www.airtechnical.com)
