DC Velocity - May 2020

Conveyor technology platform:

To address the requirementsplaced on zero-pressure-accumu-lation conveyor systems that needmore data, higher precision, andimproved power efficiency, material flow solutions provider Interroll has developed a powerfultechnology platform.

With the new DC Platform, systems integrators and OEMs(original equipment manufacturers) in the Americas can nowchoose from a range of conveyor technology solutions froma single supplier. According to the company, this technologyallows a more customized and user-specific approach to meetingthroughput needs, data management, and power savings.

The new platform is capable of collecting 100+ parametersof data from the conveyor system. This level of visibility providesquick system optimization and flexibility, the company says. TheDC Platform is designed for precision positioning of totes andgoods. This can be critical for robotic applications and other situations where millimeter-accurate placement is required.

The modular DC Platform includes options for 24- or 48-voltpower. (Interroll Group, www.interroll.us)

Enterprise analytics solution: Best known for its Jennifer voicetechnology, Lucas Systems has added a new enterprise analyticssolution as part of its Lucas Work Execution Solution for warehouses and distribution centers.

Lucas’s Work Execution Solution was already providing sitemanagers and supervisors with real-time analytics on what ishappening right now in the DC. This new solution takes thosecapabilities a step further by allowing supply chain managers tolook across multiple distribution sites and track key performanceindicators (KPIs) and trends over a longer span of time, the company says. The analytics will enable managers to make betterdecisions about workforce planning, handle process exceptions,and see which products are selling better through which DC.

(Lucas Systems, www.lucasware.com)

IoT wooden-pallet management program: Pallet Alliance,a creator of comprehensive pallet management programs formultisite manufacturing companies, has added LoRa devicesand the LoRaWAN connectivity protocol to its IoT (Internet ofThings)-enabled IntelliPallet platform, a flexible, efficient, andeconomical supply chain managed service for wooden pallets.

Pallet Alliance offers IoT-enabled location and environmentalsensors to be integrated into wooden pallets, which account formore than 90% of the worldwide palletized shipping markettoday. The company’s IntelliPallet platform was introduced inNovember 2019 with both AT&T mobile (cellular) and CalAmpBluetooth connectivity options.

To extend the LoRaWAN open protocol to the IntelliPalletplatform, Pallet Alliance collaborated with Semtech, a supplier ofhigh-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors andadvanced algorithms, and custom LoRa IoT solutions providerViaanix. Semtech provided high-level guidance on capabilitiesand infrastructure, while Viaanix supplied devices and integration services, and assisted in establishing the effectiveness ofLoRa technology in the IntelliPallet platform. (Pallet Alliance,www.tpai.com)

Walkie straddle stacker: Material handlingcompany Crown Equipment Corp. has updatedits stacker lineup with the new small-footprintM 3000-20 walkie straddle stacker. The M

3000-20 replaces the Crown M walkie straddlestacker with design changes and new features.

With a shorter head length, quieter operation,and a 2,000-pound capacity, the M 3000-20

is designed for smaller spaces. This new stacker also adds anadditional lift height of 144 inches.

The ergonomically designed X10 handle improves operatorcomfort and allows the operator to control the vehicle whilestanding safely to the side, the company says. The handleincludes a thumbwheel, raise/lower buttons, and a brake-over-ride feature. Brake override enables the M 3000-20 to travel withthe handle in a near-vertical position while staying within thefootprint of the truck.

The M 3000-20 can be used in many applications as a mobileworkstation and is also available as an optional snap-on workplatform that creates a work surface for a variety of applications. Options include Work Assist accessories, keyless on/off,a remote raise/lower control, fork locks, a load backrest, a soft-start hydraulic package, and Crown’s InfoLink operator and fleetmanagement system, which monitors performance and utilization of connected equipment, people, and processes. (CrownEquipment Corp., www.crown.com/en-us) ;