Shoe sorters: Hytrol Conveyor Co. has introduced new features for its 421 and 431
ProSort high-speed shoe sorters. The features include new shoe and slat designs and
maintenance features that increase throughput without increasing conveyor speed. The
design also allows for longer sortation length. For example, Hytrol has installed a 720-
foot-long sorter for one customer. The new slat design eliminates gaps between slats,
reducing chances of debris falling through the sorter. And the sorters now require less
maintenance and fewer spare parts than earlier models did, the company says.
The 400 series is designed for applications requiring high speeds and positive and
gentle sortation. (Hytrol Conveyor Co., www.hytrol.com)
Bar-code reader: Cognex Corp. has
announced a new series of compact bar-code
readers designed for one-dimensional bar-code reading. The new DataMan 50L measures 23.5mm by 27mm by 43.5mm (0.9 by
1. 1 by 1. 7 inches) and features an IP65-rated
housing. It is suitable for mounting in very
tight spaces on production lines and in
machinery. The DataMan 50L is also equipped
with Hotbars, a proprietary
image analysis technology that
delivers the highest read rates
in the industry, according to
Cognex. Hotbars permits the
DataMan 50L to even read bar
codes that are damaged, distorted, blurred, scratched, low height, or low
contrast.
The reader comes with the ability to analyze “no reads” by letting the user see what
the reader sees, either live on a monitor or
through image archiving. It is designed with
no moving parts that can wear out and
require replacement.
The DataMan 50L features a three-position
lens and an integrated aimer for easy setup at
different working distances. The small form
factor enables the reader to integrate into virtually any new or existing installation.
(Cognex Corp., www.cognex.com/50L.aspx)
AS/RS: ITW Warehouse Automation has introduced its StorFast ultra-high-density automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) to the
North American market. The company says
that StorFast’s cart-based system provides one
of the highest-density storage and retrieval
systems in the industry.
One of the benefits of a cart-based AS/RS is
that companies can implement it in their
existing distribution centers, says Doug
Stambaugh, general manager. Unlike AS/RS
systems that use cranes to store and retrieve
product, a cart-based system does not have
any height requirements.
Carts navigate through aisles in the storage
system, placing and retrieving pallets by moving under them. The carts operate on each
level of the system and are even able to
change levels.
StorFast has a modular, scalable design that
can be expanded as capacity requirements
and SKUs increase. The system can be
designed to follow the contours of the building, and in some cases, has doubled the
capacity of a building, says Stambaugh.
The AS/RS utilizes the same warehouse
control system that the company uses for its
Vertique case-picking solution. (ITW
Warehouse Automation, www.itwwa.com)
