DC Velocity - May 2017

It’s Simple Math

Pickers Travel Less = You Save Money

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Comparison

Path Optimization 305.2 feet - 33.3%

Location Sequence 457.7 feet 0.0%

Pick Location
Pick Path
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RFID inventory solution: Tecsys Inc. has introduced a radio-frequency identification (RFID)-based “kanban” inventory replenishment system that addresses the just-in-time needs of supply chains at point-of-use inventory settings. Designed to provide clear visibility of products anywhere in a distribution network, the system also automates replenishment based on real-time consumption.

The company says the system brings optimum ease-of-use and efficiency to a point-of-use setting, cuts costs, and relieves workers of time-consuming inventory management chores, enabling them to access supplies quickly and easily from anywhere in the organization’s distribution network. Product and usage information are captured in the Tecsys system, allowing purchasing organizations to track usage, re-order automatically, and plan the demand accordingly, virtually eliminating all stockouts.

Under the system, users divide inventory into two compartments of a storage module on the kanban shelf, instructing the last person to pick a product from the first compartment to transfer the product’s RFID tag to Tecsys’s nearby “smartpanel.” Placing the tag on the smartpanel triggers an automated replenishment request before critical supply levels are reached, helping to automate replenishment based on real-time consumption, the company says. (Tecsys Inc., www.

tecsys.com)

Robotic grippers: On Robot, a Danish manufacturer of grippers for collaborative robots (cobots), has expanded its technology to North America. The company’s two-finger RG2 grippers, available in both single and dual versions, mount easily on the arms of cobots without any external wires. For robots that have infinite rotation of the last joint, this enables flexibility and productivity. The RG2

grippers can be easily programmed directly from the same interface as the robot, and the gripper can be modified by users without previous programming experience.

The RG2 lets operators easily choose what they need the gripper to do, and the gripper responds with motion as flexible as the cobot itself. From 0 to 180 degrees in 30-degree steps, in both the single- and dual-gripper setup, the gripper ensures flexibility and adaptability for comprehensive tasks.

The gripper finger supports the use of customized fingertips, which can be designed by end users to fit production requirements.

Users enter the value of the payload and the robot calculates the rest, making programming easier. (On Robot, www.onrobot.dk)

Hazmat training: Labelmaster now offers three new online training courses to help dangerous goods (DG) shippers transport hazardous materials safely and comply with fast-changing, complicated regulations.

The courses, “General Awareness Hazmat Training,” “Shipping Excepted Lithium Batteries,” and “Shipping Fully Regulated Lithium Batteries,” are available online to provide shippers with the flexibility to take the classes anytime and anywhere the Internet is accessible.