DC Velocity - March 2020

WLAN and mobile devices: The new CU8210 series WLAN and mobile devices from Beckhoff Automation are designed to establish reliable wireless communication via the USB port of an industrial PC. They also provide all necessary physical protection for components that stick out of control cabinets, the company says. As a result, wide-ranging applications can benefit from reliable and powerful wireless connections to the machine controller without using attenua-tion-prone antenna cables. The C8210-M001 cabinet domes support efficient and globally usable wireless solutions for PC-based control technology when combined with the appropriate CU8210-D00x USB- 2.0 sticks from Beckhoff for WLAN and 4G mobile communication.

Designed for industrial WLAN and mobile communication components, the cabinet dome boasts an IP 66 protection rating when installed. The components inside the housing dome, such as the USB- 2.0 stick for wireless connection, are completely protected against physical contact, dust, and moisture in industrial environments. The cabinet dome can therefore be mounted both in the panel of the control cabinet and also directly on the machine or outside of control cabinets. The material, which is suitable for radio applications, is characterized by high stability and impact resistance and thus, offers a high level of protection against deliberate and accidental damage. Locking the dome in place from the inside of the control cabinet provides additional security, ensuring it cannot be removed from the outside. (Beckhoff Automation, www.beckhoff.com)

Heavy-duty forklift: Cargo-handling solutions provider Kalmar, a division of Cargotec, has released a new-generation version of its heavy-duty forklift for demanding loads of up to 54 tons. The Kalmar DCG380-540 is designed to offer the heavy-lifting power needed to handle the heavy loads typically seen in the stevedoring and metal industries combined with the smooth, precise control of a smaller-capacity machine.

The new Kalmar heavy forklift features built-in connectivity as standard to enable customers to take advantage of the Kalmar Insight performance-management tool, which provides a clear overview of fleet operations and helps to turn data into actionable insights.

The new forklift also features the Kalmar “EGO” cabin, with industry-leading ergonomics and unobstructed visibility right around the machine. The cabin setup can be fine-tuned according to driver preference to ensure safe, comfortable operation and optimal productivity. (Kalmar, www.kalmarglobal.com)

Forklift telematics solution: TVH in the Americas (TVH), a supplier of replacement parts and accessories for the material handling and industrial equipment industries, now offers telematics solutions from GEM One, a manufacturer of industrial-equipment monitoring systems.

With these remote monitoring systems, users can receive real-time updates of incidents; track and record all pre- and post-op-erational checklists, ensuring OSHA compliance; determine who is operating the vehicle; and more. The systems can be installed on any make and model of forklift, making them suitable for mixed fleets. (TVH in the Americas, www.tvh.com)

Telematics-equipped transport refrigeration units: Thermo King, a manufacturer of transport refrigeration solutions, has introduced the Thermo King T-90 Series of truck transport refrigeration units (TRUs) with standard integrated telematics hardware that easily connects fleets with their cargo. Fleets can activate Thermo King’s web-enabled tracking system, TracKing, with the flip of a switch to easily monitor, control, and analyze their refrigerated fleet operations.

The Thermo King SR Control System is easy to use, the company says. The powerful and simple controller ensures accurate temperature control and efficient operation with industry-leading fuel savings and uptime. In addition, the OptiSet Plus technology optimizes and locks in operating parameters to maximize fuel efficiency and cargo temperature control for the end-customer’s specific needs. (Thermo King, www.thermoking.com)

Wearable scanning devices: ProGlove, a maker of wearable scanners, has added two new units—“Mark Basic” and “Mark standard range”—to its Mark scanning glove product family. Designed to address the needs of workers in logistics and assembly lines, the new wearables were designed to boost efficiency and help users save up to four seconds per scan, while reducing picking errors by up to 33%, the company says.

Mark Basic is designed for a scanning range of up to five feet, which makes it suitable for picking applications in logistics. The device can be quickly hooked up to the corporate network via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and comes with ProGlove’s Worker Feedback option. This feature structures the flow of information with regard to key objectives such as traceability. By means of a combined optic, acoustic, and haptic alert, workers know immediately whether they picked the right item—thus ensuring process reliability. Mark Basic can handle up to 3,000 scans per charge and is designed to last an entire shift.

Mark standard range lets users scan bar codes at distances of up to 32 inches. This scanner, which processes up to 6,000 scans per battery load, is suitable for use in high-frequency scanning environments such as assembly lines. The device can be connected to the corporate network via BLE or 868 MHz radio frequency. It also supports the Worker Feedback option. (ProGlove, www. proglove.com)