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Warehouse execution system: Intelligrated, an automated
material handling solutions and software provider, has made key
enhancements to its Route Manager software module, including
simplified configurability, a new user interface and experience,
and support for multiple operating systems and databases.
The updated Route Manager is a foundational component of
the company’s warehouse execution system (WES). It works in
tandem with enterprise software systems and machine controls
to route products through automated systems, making real-time
adjustments to avoid bottlenecks and transport product in the
most efficient manner possible.
Route Manager now offers simplified configurability, enabling
operators to make routing adjustments by changing method,
decision, and destination settings without using programmer
resources for coding modifications. It supports both programmable logic controller (PLC)- and PC-based control solutions
and provides on-demand routing decisions and intelligent zone
routing with forced sequential stops, adaptive location stops, and
mirrored destinations. Route Manager also supports a greater
variety of sortation methods, including round robin, lane sort
priority, first available, group consolidation and buffering, priority
destination, and translation tables.
The upgraded Route Manager uses Intelligrated’s new user
interface, which offers a common look and feel from desktop
to mobile device across the company’s entire WES platform. The
Web-based software avoids the need to install applications locally
on each client workstation. Route Manager also offers built-in multilingual support, as well as role-based security, alarms,
notifications, and transaction-level logging. (Intelligrated, www.
intelligrated.com)
LCL rail service: UPS has added a less-than-containerload (LCL)
option for China-to-Europe rail shipments. The service is available
from Zhengzhou to Hamburg and is part of the UPS Preferred
multimodal freight services portfolio. The UPS Preferred portfolio
combines air, rail, ocean, and/or ground transportation to help
companies balance supply chain speed and costs to meet customer needs.
The service is similar to UPS’s full containerload (FCL) solution for China-to-Europe shipments, which was established in
June 2014. According to UPS,
customers who have taken
advantage of UPS’s China-to-Europe FCL rail service have
experienced cost savings of up
to 65 percent versus air freight
and time savings of nearly 40
percent compared with traditional FCL ocean service on
the same routes. In addition
to providing faster and more economical options to customers,
these rail options are also a much more environmentally friendly
alternative to air and ocean freight, consuming less energy and
producing fewer carbon emissions.
The weekly door-to-door service is supported by UPS tracking
technology, which delivers full visibility and real-time updates
on shipment progress via both UPS.com tracking and the use of
GPS technology. It also includes security measures and tempera-ture-control options. (UPS, www.ups.com)
Tablet computers: Zebra Technologies Corp. has introduced the
next-generation ET50 and ET55 enterprise-grade tablet computers. Zebra says the new tablets combine the best of “consumer
styling” with the enterprise-class features necessary to boost
workforce productivity.
Consumers can choose between the Microsoft Windows 8. 1
or Android 5. 1 (Lollipop) operating system (OS). The ET50/55 is
the first Zebra tablet computer available with the Windows 8. 1
OS and is Windows
10-ready. Customers
may choose to use
the Windows OS to
provide access to
their legacy enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems
and commonality to
desktop solutions.
The Android version
of the ET50/55 tablet computer comes
standard with Zebra’s Mobility Extensions (Mx), providing enterprise-class security, device management, and data capture
capabilities. The Android tablets are equipped with Zebra’s
AppGallery—an Android enterprise app store that provides
ready-to-use apps.
Customers can also select accessories that will make the tablet
more suitable to their particular business needs. For example,
Zebra offers vehicle-mount cradles and forklift mounts; advanced
scanning capabilities that can capture photos, NFC tags, and bar
codes in virtually any condition and on almost any surface; and
hot-swappable batteries.
The ET50 features Wi-Fi connectivity, while the ET55 has 4G
LTE cellular connectivity. Both models offer an advanced capacitive touch display that enables gloved or ungloved usage and the
ability to use a stylus or a finger for annotating and capturing signatures. All configurations are designed to MIL-STD specification
for drops to concrete and have IP65 sealing.
In addition, Zebra OneCare Essential Services provide device
diagnostics and coverage for normal wear and tear as well as
accidental damage to internal and external components. (Zebra
Technologies Corp., www.zebra.com)
Upgraded motors for small-parts conveyor: Dorner
Manufacturing Corp.’s 1100 Series conveyor platform now
comes with two upgraded motor options that are 50 percent quieter than the previous version, while also being rated for 10,000
hours of operation. Customers can choose between a fixed- and
a variable-speed motor, both of which offer high strength gears
to maximize performance.
Dorner’s 1100 Series conveyor is designed for small-parts
movement. It has a compact design, featuring a frame height of
0.75 inches, making it the smallest low-profile conveyor available
in North America. This low profile enables the conveyor to fit in
tight spaces, freeing up valuable machine or worker space. The
1100 Series is designed to handle lightweight or very small products and is Clean Room Class 100 Certified, making it suitable for
medical, pharmaceutical, life sciences, and industrial applications.
(Dorner Manufacturing Corp., www.dornerconveyors.com)
