Supply Chain & LogisticsTechnology Showcase

MODEX—the biggest supply chain show of 2016

Caster-Concepts-Drive-Caster — Caster Concepts created what is said to be the first motorized industrial caster.

Cimcorp-Kroger — Cimcorpannounced the opening of its new Norcross, Ga., office, which will provide the sales and service team with a local home base in the Southeast market.

Clearpath-Robotics-OTTO-100 — Clearpath Robotics’ OTTO 100 self-driving operating system provides autonomous transport up to 220-pound loads at speeds up to 4.5 mph, while tracking along optimal paths and safely avoiding collisions.

Exide-Tubular-Battery — Exide Technologies launched its new *GNB*-branded *Tubular LMX* battery line, designed to fit a wider range of original equipment lift trucks than its predecessor, the Tubular LM product line.

Flexcon-container-solutions — Flexcon debuted new container solutions, designed to help protect and organize goods and optimize space utilization throughout the supply chain.

Flexspace-Poweracks — Storax America/Flexspace’s mobile racking system, Poweracks (as seen here), is an industrial mobile racking system comprised of a racking superstructure installed to a powered moving base.

Hatteland-AutoStore — Hatteland Display unveiled what is said to be the largest ever demonstration of its ultra-space-efficient, high-performance *AutoStore*automated warehousing system.

Hyster-new-truck-series — Hyster unveiled new H50XT truck, designed to outperform the competition in both fuel efficiency and productivity.

ifm-O3D-pallet-recognition — ifm’s new O3D smart sensor is a 3D-depth camera designed to benefit industrial robotics, material handling and packaging applications in image recognition.

Intelligrated-IntelliSort-tilt-tray-and-cross-belt-sortation — Ideal for high-capacity unit sorting applications, Intelligrated’s *IntelliSort* tilt-tray and cross-belt sortation solutions handle a variety of product and packaging types with maximum speed and accuracy.

Interroll-modular-conveyor-platform — Interroll’s new modular conveyor platform for material handling can be assembled to form a complete material handling solution that provides smooth flow of product.

JLT Mobile Computers’ 1214P logistics computer, for example, offers enhanced performance and improved responsiveness for logistics applications ranging from warehousing and food distribution to freezer storage and cross-docking.

Kardex-Remstar-carousel — Kardex Remstar’s newly redesigned horizontal carousel works on the goods-to-person principle, where goods are brought directly to the operator at the touch of a button.

KION-Linde-series — KION North America released a number of forklifts and lift trucks, including the Linde Series 1169 (as seen here), which is a 24-volt truck that features a Linde controller, sealed AC motor, sealed connectors, stability caster and residual capacity.

Millwood-Series-800-stretch-wrapper — Millwood’s new Liberty Technologies-branded Series 800 stretch wrap system is a conveyorized, fully automatic, high-speed rotary arm stretch wrap system equipped with dual film carriages that allow for optimal pre-stretch levels of up to 300%.

Muller-Yellow-Jacket — Muller’s Yellow Jacket orbital wrapper is ideal for companies looking to secure oversized, oddly shaped, palletized loads while the pallet remains on the forklift.

Numina-RDS — Numina’s latest web-based user interface for *RDS*, the web2 dashboard user interface, allows web-based applications to have the responsiveness of desktop applications, with the added capability of being able to operate on virtually any device.

PlugPower — Plug Power debuted a new class-3 pallet jack GenDrive 3340 fuel cell, which couples enhancements learned from over 100 millionhours offield runtimewith the company’sproprietary protonexchange membrane (PEM)fuel cellstack technology.

Portalink launched what is said to be game-changing technology that converts paper purchase orders, invoices, credit notes, statements and other documents into an electronic version that can be processed automatically and with unprecedented accuracy.

Raymond-iWAREHOUSE-reach-truck — **Raymond showcased its** iWAREHOUSE system on the *Raymond Reach-Fork* series (as seen here), which is said to be the first telematics solution to integrate multiple operational systems in a single, factory-installed display unit.

RM2-BLOCKPal — RM2 USA revealed its total pallet solution—the new *BLOCKPal* engineered composite pallet, designed for use in supply chains with high-volume traffic levels and/or demanding operating environments.

Schmaltz-Jumbo-vacuum-tube-lifter — Schmalz showcased a number of handling solutions, including the box gripper for the Jumbo vacuum tube lifter, as seen here, which allows for the ergonomic handling of standard small load carriers.

Seegrid-Subway-Platform — Seegrid’s Subway Platform displays are designed to reduce downtime in the supply chain by providing subway-style estimated-time-of-arrival projections and data collection capabilities at each station where Seegrid’s vision-guided vehicles retrieve or deliver materials.

Stay-Rite-stackable-racks — The *STAY-RITE* universal platform stacking device from Stay-Rite Solutions is made with recycled plastic material and is a reusable and economical material handling solution.

Swisslog-AutoStore — Swisslog North America demonstrated its goods-to-person technology, AutoStore(as seen here), as well as a fully automated picking station, a new high-performance shuttle system and Automated Item Pick (AIP), a fully automated picking station that teams humans with robots.

TECSYS-OneSprint — TECSYS’ *OneSprint*features advanced warehouse management system capabilities synchronized to help operators achieve fulfillment and on-boarding objectives.

Voxware and Buton eBusiness solutions form a value-added-reseller (VAR) agreement to supply Voxware’s cloud voice management software and Intellestra solutions to the EMEA market.

Westfalia-Testing-Facility-2016 — Westfalia completed a multi-million dollar test facility, which allows the company to test improvements and new software user interfaces.

Wildeck-JiffyStair — Wildeck demonstrated its new *JiffyStair* modular knock-down stair system, a fully-palletized stairway system, ideal for access in tight places such as pick modules and to elevated equipment platforms or mezzanine structures.

Lithium-ion-Battery — Yale Materials Handling Corp. featured what is said to be the first Underwriters Laboratories (UL)-recognized lithium-ion battery pack available in the forklift industry.

Zebra-ultra-rugged-scanners — Zebra Technologies announced its 3600 ultra-rugged seriesof scanners, purpose-built for durability, scan performance and manageability in demanding industrial environments such as warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturingshop floors and do-it-yourself retailstores.

Ametek-TruBID — Qimarox’s Prorunner mk10 allows companies to transport up to 60 pallets up to 2,000 kg. per hour 10 meters upwards.

Automation-Plus-Pallet-Return-Device — Automation Plus developed the Pallet Return Device, designed to operate in distribution center pick modules and make handling pallets safer and more efficient without using any outside energy source.

Bell-and-Howell-PackRobot — Bell and Howell developed PackRobot, a dramatic advance in intelligent systems for consumer delivery and pickup of parcels and packages.

BEUMER-Rota-Sorter — BEUMER Group’s new *Rota-Sorter* is designed to sort a variety of items—large or small, tall or flat, of different weight categories and in different packaging—on one single line.

Big-Joe — The new J2-72 Joey from Big Joe, LLC is a low level order picker that features a 2,000-pound total vehicle capacity, the ability to lift 1,500-pound pallets up to 72 inches, power steering, an ergonomic mini-mast and an industrial battery compartment.

Buckhorn-Bottom-Drain-Bulk-Box-Door-Down — Buckhorn expanded its Intrepid intermediate bulk container product line, making it now available with or without a drop door in top or bottom discharge configurations.

Qimorex-Mk10-pallet-lift-feature — Qimarox’s Prorunner mk10 allows companies to transport up to 60 pallets up to 2,000 kg. per hour 10 meters upwards.

Orbis-Pally combines the mobility of a dolly and functionality of a pallet — ORBIS launched the Pally, which combines the mobility of a dolly with the functionality of a static pallet to enable new and enhanced material handling capabilities.

Cognex-MX-1000 — Cognex’s MX-1000 vision-enabled mobile terminal features a flexible modular design that marries industrial-class barcode scanning with a wide range of Android or Apple mobile devices.Cognex’s MX-1000 vision-enabled mobile terminal features a flexible modular design that marries industrial-class barcode scanning with a wide range of Android or Apple mobile devices.

Egemin-Egv-compact-tugger — Egemin developed the second attachment for the *E’gv* compact tugger’s base—the counterbalance fork—designed to work in many common material handling areas and for replacing manual trucks to reduce product damage and increase throughput.

Rite-Hite-LED-Virtual-Vision — Rite-Hite introduced the LED *Virtual Vision* light communication system, designed to improve worker safety in and around high-speed doors.

PALLET RETURN SOLUTION

Automation Plus, a Stoughton, Wis.-based division of CSF Inc., developed the Pallet Return Device (PRDTM), designed to operate in distribution center pick modules and make handling pallets (wood or plastic) safer and more efficient without using any outside energy source.

The PRDTM incorporates a unique method for stacking empty pallets, wherein the operator lifts the pallet over a pivot point, thereby creating a mechanical advantage to remove the back strain associated with lifting pallets.

The PRDTM uses a “carriage” to help guide the empty pallets. This feature produces a perfect stack every time, thereby eliminating the need for the fork truck driver to re-shape the stack.

The PRDTM also incorporates a shock-absorbing device that provides a smooth transition from the load position to the unload position. In use, the operator loads the carriage. When the carriage is full, the operator simply releases the load and lets the shock-absorbing device safely guide the stack to a vertical (unload) position. Once positioned, the pallets roll forward to a raised outbound location, which releases the pallets from the carriage. The operator then slides the carriage back, tilts it to the load position and is ready to receive more empty pallets.

Automation Plus, a division of CSF Inc.
800-236-7130
www.palletreturndevice.com

REDESIGNED HORIZONTAL CAROUSEL, VERTICAL LIFT MODULE

Kardex Remstar, Westbrook, Maine, displayed its newly redesigned horizontal carousel and Shuttle XP Vertical Lift Module (VLM).

The horizontal carousel consists of an oval track supporting rotating bins with shelves. Working on the goods-to-person principle, goods are brought directly to the operator at the touch of a button. The new design requires less parts than the previous model, which allows for faster delivery and improved installation time. New carriers and shelves can be configured in twice as many positions due to smaller carrier spacing and increased flexibility. These configurations can be adjusted as product is re-slotted.

The Shuttle XP (VLM) is the foundation of a smart order picking solution. The Power Pick Global warehouse management software allows for smart storage strategies such as batch picking and user-friendly features such as pick-to-light and put-to-light.

Kardex Remstar, LLC, a company of the Kardex Group
800-639-5805
www.kardexremstar.com

DEMONSTRATION OF #SupplyChainGeek EXPERIENCE

Barcoding, Inc., Baltimore, Md., showcased a #SupplyChainGeek experience, with hands-on, live demonstrations of Bluetooth low energy (BLE) asset beacons.

This “pick-to-pose” demonstration showed how asset beacons enable “pick-to-light” processes. Using BLE, asset beacons allow enterprises to track physical inventory in near-real time by turning assets into tiny sensors. These sensors continuously transmit information about each item’s presence, temperature and movement, so that users know the exact location of their inventory.

Barcoding, Inc.
888-412-7226
www.barcoding.com

MODULAR CONVEYOR PLATFORM

Interroll presented its new modular conveyor platform for material handling.

The main feature of the new platform is an entirely modular design that allows users to incorporate key elements of a conveying system. For example, it can be assembled to form a complete material handling solution that provides smooth flow of product. The components include straight sections and curves with and without drives, as well as merge components for loading and unloading goods and alignment and belt conveyors for overcoming steep inclines.

Furthermore, these conveyor modules can be equipped with various drive systems and combined with one another. Zero pressure accumulation conveyors can be built by using 24-volt RollerDrive units that operate without any pneumatic actuators. A 400-volt drive solution was also optimized to handle high conveying speeds and extremely heavy goods (up to 110 pounds) for use in high-performance applications.

And, the new high-performance divert (HPD), with throughput rates of up to 3,600 units per hour in on-the-fly mode, is used to transfer unit loads that preferably have a smooth bottom surface. This can be done to the right or left and at different angles. The HPD is designed to be a cassette system, whereby several of the cassettes that are each 120 mm in length can be combined to meet the respective requirements.

The new transfer also adapts to various application requirements, and features the Interroll MultiControl, the new network card for PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and EtherCAT that can be used in temperature ranges of between -22°F and 104°F.

Interroll Corp.
910-799-1100
www.interroll.com

SPACE-EFFICIENT AUTOMATED WAREHOUSING SYSTEM

Hatteland, Vista, Calif., unveiled what is said to be the largest ever demonstration of its ultra-space-efficient, high-performance AutoStore automated warehousing system.

Built around a 50-square-meter grid and featuring six robots and two carousel ports, the live system showed visitors how AutoStore can store up to 400% more goods in the same space as a conventional warehouse, at the same time as improving retrieval times, reducing energy costs and improving security.

AutoStore consists of five standardized modules—grid, robot, bin, workstation and controller—each tailored to suit the specific warehouse surroundings.

AutoStore’s grid-based structure optimizes the use of available storage capacity by eliminating walking lanes, empty shelves and wasted space. Fast robots driving on the top of the grid access goods stored in the bins below. These are put-away, re-ordered, accessed and delivered to the workstation required, with the system self-optimizing over time.

Compatible with any warehouse management software (WMS),AutoStore can quickly access all inventory data with extreme precision and confidence, resulting in shipment accuracy close to 100% and picking rates multiplied several times per worker.

Hatteland
760-643-4061
www.hatteland-display.com