Labeling solution: Loftware Inc. has released
a new enterprise labeling solution, Loftware
Spectrum, which uses a completely browser-based interface. Spectrum includes a label
designer, enterprise integration, a business-rules engine, device management, and on-demand printing in a single software solution.
The browser-based label designer not only
includes label design templates but also version
control capabilities. Spectrum’s universal templates streamline label maintenance by allowing a single template to output to any printer.
Spectrum uses the latest Web services technology to connect to any source of label data
and integrates with SAP and Oracle applications.
Spectrum’s business-rules engine allows
companies to update their enterprise-labeling
requirements as changes are made in regulations, customers, and geographies. Spectrum
allows users to define business rules and apply
them to all integrations and sources of label
data without undergoing expensive and time-consuming coding in external applications.
Users can easily define rules to dynamically
select printers and templates, populate label
data, and apply conditional formatting to labels
based on the incoming stream of data.
Spectrum offers visibility to both print and
job status that can be tailored for each user
based on location or role. Users can subscribe
to “feeds” that will proactively inform them
about issues with printers and print jobs.
(Loftware Inc., www.loftware.com)
Outdoor wireless solution: The new AWK-
6232 wireless access point/bridge/client from
Moxa seeks to meet the growing need for
faster transmission speeds and wider coverage.
This new outdoor wireless solution allows networks to scale to higher bandwidth demand
while providing maximum availability, according to Moxa.
Suitable for hard-to-wire outdoor locations,
the AWK-6232 delivers a net data rate of up to
300 Mbps and supports IEEE 802.11n technology, assuring the most dependable high-speed
wireless connectivity. In addition, the AWK-
6232 eliminates costly interruptions in WLAN
transmissions thanks to its dual 2.4/5 GHz RF
modules that permit two independent wireless
connections over different frequencies.
Because industrial and outdoor applications
expose network devices to extreme heat and
cold, moisture, corrosive liquids, and shock,
Moxa housed the AWK-6232 inside an IP68-
rated metal enclosure complete with water-proof/dustproof M12 (anti-vibration) RJ45 connectors. (Moxa, www.moxa.com)
Picking solution: ITW Warehouse
Automation (ITWWA) has introduced the “Swift Pick” solution.
The solution incorporates proprietary software that enables operators to use a mobile device or
tablet as their case-picking monitor. It further allows users to pick
at a pace that keeps the conveyor
line full of product, increasing the
overall units per hour moving
through the system.
According to ITWWA, Swift Pick improves case picking from flow racks or pallets, increasing both individual picking rates and efficiencies. Traditionally, operators get their pick order from overhead monitors that are located adjacent to their
pick area. With Swift Pick, they have the information attached to their arm or
wrist. As the operators go up and down the aisles to pick the assigned cases, they
no longer have to refer back to the overhead monitor to indicate that the item was
picked and placed on the conveyor. With Swift Pick, they can simply refer to their
handheld device, tap on the item picked, and immediately move on to the next
task. In addition, the operator can view several picks at once as opposed to one
at a time.
Swift Pick can be set up in a matter of hours, according to ITWWA. It requires
minimal training and can be incorporated into new or existing systems. Users can
also seamlessly add program applications. For example, Swift Pick can also be set
to alert operators where additional pick support is required in the warehouse. (ITW
Warehouse Automation, www.itwwa.com)
