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Battery identification device: Ametek Prestolite Power, a
supplier of industrial battery charging and fleet management
solutions, has created an advanced wireless battery identification device (WBID) that continually reads and stores information
about lift truck batteries. Battery identification devices can be
used to monitor motive power batteries for voltage, temperature, and amp-hour usage.
Ametek Prestolite Power also updated its data analysis software, DataLink 2, which is used in conjunction with WBIDs and
battery charger interface devices (CIDs). Together, the devices
can greatly enhance the ability to collect data from the charger.
Working together, the WBID and DataLink 2 are designed
to improve warehouse efficiency by gathering data wirelessly,
monitoring battery usage, and identifying potential problems
that could lead to downtime.
The new WBIDs provide critical information that can help
extend battery life, solve service issues, and address warranty
claims, according to Ametek Prestolite Power.
DataLink 2 and the WBID wireless fleet management system
transfer data over the company’s proprietary wireless network,
which uses a powerful transceiver. The system doubles the typical communication range between chargers from 1,500 feet to
3,000 feet in a normal operating environment.
DataLink is compatible with Ametek Prestolite Power’s most
advanced charger controls. It is also compatible with Microsoft
Windows’ Vista, 7, and XP operating systems. (Ametek Prestolite
Power, www.prestolitepower.com)
Narrow-aisle picking cart: The
new narrow picking cart from
Creform Corp. is designed to be
stable yet easily maneuverable for
use in space-restricted aisles. For
example, two carts should be able
to pass each other in an aisle while
also allowing room for pickers to
walk around them to load boxes. The carts are suited for order
picking or kitting operations in the narrow aisles of warehouses
or in component storage areas. The cart has angled shelves,
canted to provide good ergonomics and visibility of the content
in boxes or totes.
The cart, which has a footprint of 31 by 86 inches, is designed
to hold up to 600 pounds. It has “ergo-vertical” C-shaped handles with cross bars on either end that make it easy to push while
allowing automatic hand positioning for associates of different
heights. For convenience, it has a cup holder and a small storage
bin to hold incidental supplies.
The cart features six casters with two fixed-center wheels for
pivoting and enhancing maneuverability. The four corner swivel
casters help support loads while ensuring stability and safety
during loading and transport.
Creform offers additional components to enhance the carts,
such as hooks, label holders, clipboards, and hitches. Because
Creform offers a wide variety of standard pipe colors, customers can color-code carts for different departments. Electrostatic
discharge pipe and components are available for static-sensitive
operations. Carts can be customized with higher capacities.
(Creform Corp., www.creform.com)
Bag-filling machine: The new fillpac machine from Beumer
is designed to ensure that all bags of packaging material are
filled to the correct weight. The fillpac is equipped with a special
weighing unit that assures that each bag weighs the proper
amount. This feature allows the packaging line to run more efficiently, as the user no longer has to weigh all bags and remove
those that are underweight or overweight.
The fillpac machine can fill 300 to 6,000 bags of packaging
material per hour and is designed to handle various bag types.
If equipped with a special bag placer, it can even fill HDPE bags.
The machine is equipped with a large filling impeller, which
reduces fill times and increases throughput.
The new machine can be integrated with existing packaging
lines and can be adapted to the customer’s operation.
Almost all built-in components of the Beumer fillpac are available commercially, which reduces delivery times for spare parts.
Also, the system is designed so that it is easily accessible for
maintenance. (Beumer Group, www.beumergroup.com)
Air freight: UTi Worldwide Inc., a global supply chain services
and solutions company, has scheduled a weekly charter service
from Shanghai, China, to the United States.
The company is now offering dedicated premium lift service to
the U.S. Midwest. The 747 charter flights can carry over 100 tons
of air freight, with virtually no size, weight, or commodity restrictions. The flights will arrive at Chicago’s O’Hare International
Airport, and UTi can arrange for cargo to be forwarded to other
destinations. (UTi Worldwide Inc., www.go2uti.com)
