Modern Materials Handling articles from February 2004

Modern Materials Handling archives from February 2004

Benchmarks set for refrigerated warehouses.(Up Front)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... A SURVEY OF ITS MEMBERS by the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses (www.iarw.org) has resulted in some interesting performance benchmarks. For instance, the average refrigerated warehouse receives and ships a total of 800,000...

Fast Fact.(Up Front)
February 1, 2004... 3-5 years is the average length of a contract with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider in the U.S. The full range of contract length is 1 to 7 years. Source: 3PL benchmarking study by Armstrong & Assoc. (www.3PLogistics.com)

Finding lost bar codes.(Up Front)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Until now, a bar code had to be visible to be scanned. But that's not the case any more thanks to research at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (www.nasasolutions.com) in Huntsville, Ala. Now, symbols covered with as many as six layers of...

Richards-Wilcox buyout completed.(Up Front)(Richards-Wilcox Manufacturing Co.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... A RICHARDS-WILCOX MANAGEMENT TEAM has completed the purchase of all outstanding stock from its parent Dexion Group. The Norwegian-based Dexion is the world's ninth largest supplier of materials handling systems with more than $350 million in...

A good year for robots.(Up Front)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Although final numbers for sales of robots in 2003 are not in yet, all indications are it was a much better year than 2002. Through the first three quarters, sales were up 28% in units and 15% in dollars. "We're very encouraged by the fact that...

Finding the unexpected.(My View)
February 1, 2004... Election years are always interesting, especially early in the primary season. It seems that each week we learn something new, and often unexpected, about the candidates. For instance, we now know Howard Dean can shriek and John Kerry can...

NA 2004 moves to Cleveland: from a new venue, this year's leading materials handling show provides a wide scope of hardware and software solutions.(Event)(North American Material Handling )
February 1, 2004... WITH LESS THAN TWO MONTHS to go until the big show, it's time to make your plans for Cleveland. The 2004 version of the North American Material Handling show (NA 2004) is set for March 29th--April 1st at the I-X Center in Cleveland, Ohio. More...

3M purchases HighJump.(Acquisition)(Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.)
February 1, 2004... WHAT DO YOU GET when you cross a warehouse management system (WMS) with scotch tape? We don't exactly know yet. But following the last month's announcement that 3M (www.mmm.com) is purchasing HighJump Software (www.highjumpsoftware.com),...

PACs continue to grow.(Conveyors)(programmable automation controllers )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... COMING OUT OF BETA TESTING at the end of last year, the Gen2 modular conveyor control system from Humphrey Products (www.humphrey-products.com) is the latest addition to what is becoming known as programmable automation controllers (PACs). ...

Vision for real-time supply chains.(Software)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... RUNNING THE SUPPLY CHAIN in real time is becoming not only more common but more important to distribution success. That's the view from Manuel Pietra, Descartes Systems Group Inc. chief executive officer and president. At the company's...

Task forces to study reusable pallets/security.(Research)(REUSABLE PALLET & Container Coalition )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... THE REUSABLE PALLET & Container Coalition (RPPC) (www.rpcc.us) based in Washington, D.C. has announced the formation of two task forces, one to examine secure supply chain management and the other to study reusable pallets. [ILLUSTRATION...

CCMI's take on key supply chain issues of 2004.(Management)(Capital Consulting & Management Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... IN A RECENT VISIT with Modern Materials Handling, Scott Elliff, president of Capital Consulting & Management, Inc. (CCMI), shared the ten critical supply chain issues he sees for this year. The ten were released in the company's annual "Supply...

WMS works says WERC.(Research)(warehouse management systems, Warehousing Education and Research Council)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... "WMS AND WAREHOUSE PERFORMANCE," a new publication from WERC, the Warehousing Education and Research Council (www.werc.org), examines the benefits and challenges WERC members are realizing from their warehouse management systems (WMS). "We...

People to know.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Appointments/promotions: Keith Nosbusch is named president and chief executive officer at Rockwell Automation Inc.... Steve Bowers is promoted to senior vice president of operations and Todd Thompson is hired as senior vice president of...

Get ready for more inventory: inventory management is going to be more challenging and mistakes more costly in 2004.(Outlook)
February 1, 2004... MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION will be coping this year with both lower inventory to sales (I/S) ratios and more absolute inventory at the same time. That pattern will push I/S ratios down to record lows. Yet, there will actually be more...

Out the door in 7 minutes: changes to end-of-the-line sorting and greater reliance on advanced shipment notices have transformed Boscov's DC into a highspeed crossdocking facility.(Warehouse of the Month)(Boscov's Department Stores Inc.)(Cover Story)
February 1, 2004... What had until recently been a distribution bottleneck is now a virtual gusher, thanks to some innovations at the distribution center for Boscov's Department Stores. On paper, the end-of-the line materials handling improvements at the...

Tips on planning and selling a system upgrade.(One-on-One)(Interview)
February 1, 2004... The distribution center for Boscov's department store chain underwent a significant upgrade to its sortation and information systems that greatly improved throughput and efficiencies (see Warehouse of the Month, page 18). Bob Goonan, director...

How to make docks safer; ensuring that docks are safe is a combination of the right equipment and the know-how to use it to best advantage.(Equipment Report)
February 1, 2004... Docks are a busy place, whether they are found in a warehouse or at a manufacturing facility. Inventory, materials handling equipment and people are constantly on the move, which makes it an area where the risk of injury is high. "Anywhere...

WMS TMS & YMS go on the clock: to comply with new regulations and control costs, managers will need all the help they can get from warehouse, transportation and yard management systems.(Information Management)
February 1, 2004... While RFID (radio frequency identification) initiatives by Wal-Mart and the Department of Defense have been dominating the headlines lately, another acronym--HOS--is having an immediate impact on warehouse and distribution operations...

The power of flexibility: at Cummins, a new towline with advanced controls and radio frequency tags ensures that each engine is built precisely to customer specs.(Manufacturing Spotlight)(Conveyor system)(Cummins Inc.)
February 1, 2004... Sometimes, timing is everything. That's certainly what Cummins' Jamestown, N.Y. engine plant found after a new towline conveyor system was installed. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] While the system replaced a basic in-floor towline that was...

Retail distribution strategies to watch: retailers and their suppliers are making tough decisions to centralize, regionalize, outsource and collaborate to ensure future success.(Special Report)
February 1, 2004... DISTRIBUTION IS THE BACKBONE OF EVERY RETAIL BUSINESS. Inventory must get to store shelves when customers are most interested in buying. It's equally important that distribution be efficient and cost-effective. Clearly, it is the strategies...

Make a sure bet on the right people: looking to find and keep the best warehouse employees? Here are some tips that can take the gamble out of the process.(Management)(Materials management)
February 1, 2004... During the recent lean economic times, many warehouse managers found they had their pick of workers. Yet just because labor is plentiful, doesn't mean it's easy to find the right people for your operation. And with the economy showing signs of...

2004 productivity winners: distribution corporate express warehousing mckesson manufacturing bmw.(Special Section)(Corporate Express Inc.)(McKesson Corp.)
February 1, 2004... Corporate Express: Customer service reigns Near perfect order accuracy, lower costs, higher throughput, and extended order placement hours are the hallmarks of this DC consolidation. WITH JUST FOUR major players in the office supplies...

Cost-saving strategies for picking.(Modern Materials Handling)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... AS MORE COMPANIES look to cut costs and improve productivity within the distribution center, picking has come under increased scrutiny. Between the time an order is released to the DC and the time it takes to reach its destination, there's...

Product profiles.(A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(System Storage Solutions)(Remstar)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... We are the original inventors and manufacturers of High Volume Low Speed fans. With diameters up to 24 feet, and moving up to 230,000 CFM in up to 20,000 square feet of space, our MacroAir[TM] fans with WhisperFoil[TM] anodized aluminum blades...

Change label data easily.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... For packaging line compliance label applications, a 64-bit microprocessor-based printer features high-speed printing and corner-wrap labeling capabilities. The ALX 924 corner-wrap print/apply system is well suited for tasks involving...

Print from variable data streams.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... Added to the 6000 Fastmark series of thermal printers is a feature enabling users to print any type of data stream without reprogramming the system's software. PAL, a printing and programming language, uses variable fields into which current...

Label applicator also writes data to RFID tags.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... The 360 RW label applicator writes realtime information to radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. Incorporating a read/write head into a label applicator, the system inspects and writes to 13.56 Mhz ISO and other HF transponders embedded...

Printer features touch screen controls.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... An operator interface featuring custom touch screen controls is adaptable to a variety of label printer applicator systems. Through the touch screen controls, users start-up and shutdown the entire system and receive alerts of the applicator's...

Printing in large formats.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... Compact and easy to use, the MP300 large format thermal transfer printer features label throughput rates up to three inches per second. Nine character fonts are available, three of which are scalable. The printer operates in several modes...

Labeler automatically adjusts speed.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... To ensure accurate labeling, a wipe-on labeler features an automatic speed following feature, which matches the system's speed to varying product input speeds. The model 3155 labeler applies pressure-sensitive labels at speeds up to 5,000...

Five thermal printer options.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... The I-Class printer line includes five thermal models. Printhead resolutions range from 203- to 600-dots per inch while print speeds vary from 4 to 12 inches per second. Accessories are field-installable and removable for increased flexibility....

Print and apply 110 labels per minute.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... Fast and versatile, the PA/5000LT prints and applies up to 110 labels per minute. Possible panel applications include top, bottom, adjacent, side, leading and trailing. Three resolutions are available: 203-, 300- and 600-dots per inch. A...

Printer for RFID Pilots.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... A radio frequency identification (RFID) printer enables pilot projects. Smart Label Pilot Printers used in conjunction with the Smart Label Developer's Kit let users deploy multiple printers to expand the testing and process development of...

Adjacent-panel labeling.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... A thermal/thermal-transfer label printer prints and applies two labels in line on adjacent panels. The model 5100 Twin-Tamp system is available with a choice of print engines, including 203- and 300-dots per inch units. Label sizes can range...

Compact unit saves space.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... Featuring a small footprint, the V-series label printers are equipped with both direct thermal and thermal transfer modes. Its thin-film print head provides high-quality printing at 203- and 300-dots per inch resolutions. A 300-meter ribbon and...

Create RFID labels on demand.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... Create radio frequency identification (RFID) smart labels and bar code labels on demand without changing the label stock. 250VAC is a smart label print-and-apply engine that uses a two-step process. After printing the label, it encodes a...

Integrate with packaging lines.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... A print-and-apply labeling system is ideal for packaging applications requiring logic control and systems integration within an open architecture environment. PLCS-250VAC easily integrates with automated packaging lines to label products,...

Label any side of a product.(Focus on Label Printers)
February 1, 2004... The Online Pro thermal transfer series prints and applies labels with variable information, bar codes, date codes, lot numbers and serialized numbers. Labels can be applied to the top, bottom, sides and corners of cartons, pallets, multi-packs...

Medium-rate sorter.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... The Pivot Arm Sorter offers positive, medium-rate carton sort ation from 30 to 74 cartons per minute. Its pivoting arm diverter and integral vertical belt drive provide a variety of divert configurations. Single-side and I-directional sorter...

Lift 17,000-pound loads.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... A heavy-duty lift truck handles loads up to 17,000 pounds. The reach truck, which maneuvers in four directions, features an LP gas engine and hydrostatic drive and brakes for precise speed control. Its slim profile permits load access in aisles...

Bar code scanner for tight spots.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Measuring only 1.9 X 1.5 X 0.6 inches, the Model 7 laser bar code scanner is designed for low-range, limited space applications such as embedded scanning. It performs 600 scans per second and automatically discriminates a variety of codes....

Repair rack quickly.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Quickly repair storage rack without unloading products. A structural repair kit including a pre-assembled frame section allows users to perform fast "cut and weld" repairs to damaged frames within selective pallet rack systems. The one-piece...

Plastic belt conveyor.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Designed for applications where fabric belts cannot be used, a plastic belt conveyor is effective as a transport belt on conveyors with right-angle pushers and pull-offs to maintain belt tracking. The conveyor transports, accumulates and...

Lift elevates to 75 inches.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... An operator positioning system elevates workers up to 75 inches. Its low 4.25-inch closed profile and air-lift technology provides a 1:1 lift ratio, eliminating the need for mechanical components. A modular design allows various configurations....

Articulated truck for narrow aisles.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Increasing the reach and load capacity of a line of lift trucks, the 44WH narrow-aisle articulated lift truck handles 4,400-pound loads at more than 20-foot heights. Its articulated design permits the mast, forks and front wheels to turn 180...

Modular distributed Input/Output control.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... A modular distributed input/output (I/O) system integrates I/O modules, power distribution and device integration into a single design. Telemecanique Advantys STB system makes it possible for only one fieldbus node to distribute I/O across an...

Control software for AGVs.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Compatible with many automatic guided vehicles (AGV), the De'Carte AGV control software is an open system based on Windows platforms and devices. It provides fast routing and traffic control of AGVs via a user-friendly real-time graphic...

Wash 100 pallets an hour.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Keep pallets clean using an automated tunnel pallet washer. Model WR-1500 EPW washes and sanitizes between 50 and 100 pallets per hour, depending on their condition. The 10-foot long machine is available with gas or steam water heating. Douglas...

Deep cabinet drawers save space.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... HyperSpace cabinets have 18-inch deep drawers, which fully extend for accessibility to all contents. The cabinet, measuring 22 1/2 inches deep, requires only 4 1/2 square feet of surface area per drawer. The load capacity of each cabinet drawer...

Easily stack nested trays.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Fitting onto any crane or hoist, a compressed air-powered vacuum lifter has adjustable vacuum suction pads, allowing one operator to easily stack and unstack nested trays. Trays are attached and released using an ergonomic front handlebar and...

TMS with instant messaging.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... A transportation management system (TMS) provides instant messaging capabilities using Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2003. Roadshow Transport with instant messaging brings real-time synchronization to load tendering. Users can...

Pallet trucks lift up to 5,500 pounds.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... A range of manual and powered pallet trucks is available in various capacities. The 5,500-pound capacity truck is offered with 43- and 48-inch forks. A 4,400-pound capacity model is equipped with a scale and printer. Manual and powered...

High-density storage, small footprint.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Offering high-density storage yet requiring only a small footprint are the 2100- and 2200-series of vertical carousels. For light-duty applications, the 2100 model features a maximum pan size of 102 inches wide and 18 1/2 inches deep. The...

Computer with GPS tracking.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Offered with the 700 Series mobile computer, GlobalPoint is a 12-channel global positioning system (GPS) receiver. It attaches to the bottom of a handheld computer to provide GPS location data to the computer's software. Suitable...

Zero-pressure accumulation conveyor.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... The PosiGrip accumulation conveyor features non-contact zero pressure accumulation to keep products separated as they are conveyed. Accumulation zones are driven by motorized rollers, each of which has a drive card with settings for adjusting...

Curved conveyors for U-shape paths.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... The CU-Series double-curve conveyor features two curves in the same direction, enabling users to adapt the equipment to a variety of designs requiring a U-shaped path. Variations in the angle of the curves and in the length of the straight...

Light-duty scale has 10,000-pound capacity.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Available in 2,000- to 10,000-pound capacities, the Summit 3000 is a low-profile floor scale suitable for light industrial applications. Its green diamond treadplate features a rugged steel deck design. Four alloy steel load cells are recessed...

Charger for many battery sizes.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Offered in 16 different models, the Bronco SCR industrial battery charger is programmable and designed for applications requiring charging flexibility. It can be programmed to charge any lift truck battery type and size within its operating...

Closed-loop battery formation.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Environmentally friendly, the ACE (Advanced Clean Energy) system is a closed loop battery formation process that uses computer-controlled technology to form lead-acid batteries more efficiently than other formation processes, according to the...

Vision technology supports four cameras.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... MVS-8501 frame grabber is designed for a line of analog cameras using the latest progressive scan CCD sensor technology. It provides high-speed acquisition capability in a single-channel architecture that supports up to four multiplexed...

Manually guided vehicle for assembly.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... As an alternative to automatic guided vehicles, a manually guided vehicle called an MGV is designed to move products throughout the assembly process. It incorporates a lift that presents work to workers at ergonomic heights. Custom built, the...

Two pallet trucks offer high performance.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2004... Available in 6,000- and 8,000-pound capacities, walkie and walkie/rider pallet trucks are redesigned to offer increased performance and comfort. Standard features include soft-touch, low-effort switches and a 5.1 horsepower drive motor. The...

Delivering on promised ROI: here are some tips on how to make good on the promised return on investment for materials handling capital expenditures.(Great Ideas)(return-on-investment)
February 1, 2004... FORTY YEARS AGO, SID GILBREATH, my favorite professor at Georgia Tech, drilled us on the time value of money in our course on Engineering Economy. As a result, I have always felt myself to be pretty proficient at calculating the...