DC Velocity - May 2015

rollouts

Mobile printer: Zebra Technologies has introduced the ZQ500 mobile printer series for field-based applications. The three-inch ZQ510 and four-inch ZQ520 printers are portable print-on-demand devices that combine a military-grade design with simple functionality for printing solutions for the transportation and logistics, manufacturing, and government markets. The lightweight printers can be used for a variety of mobile applications, including proof-of-de-livery documents.

According to Zebra, the printers are easy to set up and have an intuitive display with only three large buttons and no menus. The company says this makes the printers easier for workers wearing gloves to use.

The rugged ZQ500 series has an IP54 (or IP65 with optional exoskeleton case) rating for protection against dust and liquids and has received MIL-STD 810g qualifications for shock, vibration, and temperature exposure.

The printers are equipped with cold temperature compensation, which automatically optimizes and balances print speed and quality in cold temperatures. This feature makes the printer suitable for direct-store deliveries that require refrigerated transportation.

The ZQ500 series printers come standard with Bluetooth Smart Ready 4.0 (low energy) connectivity, Print Touch device pairing, and support for all major smartphone and tablet operating systems. These printers are also Zebra’s first to support a secondary Bluetooth channel for simultaneous operations—enabling developers to create new device management solutions and helping boost worker productivity.

The ZQ500 mobile printers are now available in North America and will be available globally later this year. (Zebra Technologies, www.zebra.com)

Corrugated pallets: Lifdek Corp., which provides site-assem-bled corrugated pallet technology, has expanded its pallet offerings with fractional size (half and quarter) pallets specially designed for supporting retail point-of-purchase displays.

The new Lifdek display pallets are designed to be easy to use. The quarter pallet, for instance, weighs only 0.5 kg ( 1. 1 pounds) and is constructed from a single corrugated blank that folds together without the use of adhesives or staples in less than 20 seconds, according to Lifdek.

Because the pallets are received and stored flat, they can help reduce incoming pallet freight costs and pallet storage costs by nearly 90 percent, according to Lifdek. Lifdek pallets can be recycled by the end receiver with other old corrugated containers. As a result, they can generate recycling revenue while eliminating the need to store and then load pallets for pickup. This one-way shipping approach eliminates the chance of cross contamination from prior use, according to the company.

Lifdek licenses the pallet technology to distributors and customers, which produce their own blanks or procure them directly from their local corrugated board provider. (Lifdek Corp., www.lifdek.com)

Lithium-ion walkie: Yale Material Handling Corp.’s MPB045VG walkie pallet truck can now be purchased with the first commercially available Underwriters Laboratories (UL)-recognized lithium-ion battery pack in the forklift industry.

Although lithium-ion batteries initially cost more than traditional lead-acid units, they last longer, drastically reducing downtime and replacement costs. Yale says its lithium-ion battery pack can last up to five times longer than a lead-acid unit and has backed it up with a five-year warranty. Unlike lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion technology does not experience negative sulfation effects during short charging and extended storage. Lithium-ion batteries also do not require water and do not contain acid. The lithium-ion battery can be repeatedly charged to 100-percent capacity without an equalization charge, meaning that operators will spend less time charging. The battery is also intended for opportunity charging with no negative memory effects.

The new lithium-ion walkie is designed with a shorter, six-inch battery compartment. As a result, it has a shorter turning radius, which makes it more maneuverable in confined spaces.

Yale says conversion kits will be available for existing MPB040Z and MPB045VG trucks in the field. (Yale Material Handling Corp., www.yale.com/)

High Capacity
Spiral
Conveyors

300 Newsome Drive • Yorktown, VA 23692

Phone: (757) 898-1530 • Fax: (757) 898-1580

VERTICAL CONVEYING SOLUTIONS

Save space and increase throughput with Ryson high capacity spiral conveyors.

They are in response to our customer’s need to go higher and handle more weight. They can handle double the weight capacity of our regular spirals and can optionally have loads enter and exit the spirals at intermediate elevations.