Technology Showcase

ProMat 2017 delivers thousands of supply chain solutions

Kardex Remstar Vertical Buffer Module — Kardex Remstar introduced the LR 35 storage and retrieval unit, which is a goods-to-person bin handling solution ideal for companies involved in handling single-part or small-volume orders.

Rite-Hite vertical leveler — Rite-Hite’s RHV-4100 Vertical-Storing Hydraulic Dock Leveler features a constant-radius rear hinge to create a smooth transition between the leveler and the warehouse floor to minimize the effects of whole body vibration.

Intelligrated shoe sorter — Intelligrated’s IntelliSort HDS sliding shoe sorter is an ideal solution for high-throughput e-commerce operations, offering fast, precise diverts of a variety of product and packaging types.

Storax Poweracks — Poweracks, from Storax, is a mobile racking system that provides direct access to every pallet location.

Westfalia Firefly — Westfalia Technologies showcased Firefly, part of its Savanna.NET WES application suite, which provides a 3D, augmented view of the warehouse, inventory and automated systems to help facilities run more efficiently and recover from automation faults more quickly.

Swisslog AIP with CarryPick — Swisslog’s new automated item pick is a robotics application for picking single items, making it possible to pick both identical and different products from storage.

Ametek Prestolite WBID — AMETEK Prestolite Power’s enhanced Wireless Battery Identification Device allows operators to monitor battery and charger usage for an entire fleet through continuous data collection.

Qimorex mk5 lift — Qimarox’s Prorunner mk5 vertical transport and sorting lift is designed to transport a capacity of 2,000 products per hour.

3GTMS — 3Gtms released version 16.1 of its 3G-TM transportation management system software.

Signode Octopus machine — Among the many innovations on display at Signode Industrial Group’s booth was Muller’s Octopus “1825 B” automatic rotary ring stretch wrapper, designed to accommodate a wide range of pallet load sizes and a variety of applications.

Cimcorp 3D shuttle — Cimcorp’s 3D Shuttle system is a fully automated goods-to-man order picking solution that consists of a robotic AS/RS, high-speed conveyor system and ergonomic order-picking stations.

BOLZONI-AURAMO highlighted its damage-free logistics and material handling solutions.

Yale Materials Handling displayed its team of data-driven fleet management solutions, including Yale Vision, as seen here, which monitors equipment, truck and driver performance to help minimize total cost of operation.

Raymond Seegrid tow tractor — Raymond’s and Seegrid’s Raymond Courier 3020 tow tractor automated lift truck automates horizontal towing in a number of operations, including the transfer of parts to production lines and finished goods to warehouse facilities.

FreightSnap dimensioner — FreightSnap’s new FS PARCEL is a small package dimensioner and cubing solution that offers fast, certified measurements of boxes, poly envelopes, bags and other cubic and irregular-shaped objects.

Adrian’s safety strap — Adrian’s Safety Solutions introduced the Rack Safety Strap, designed to mount to the back of the storage rack to prevent large and palletized items from pushing into the longitudinal flue space.

Interroll MCP — Interroll displayed its modular conveyor platform, which can be customized to form a complete material handling solution for uninterrupted flow of product.

Wildeck RiderLift — Wildeck introduced the new RiderLift Rideable Material Lift, designed to increase the utilization of facility capacity gained from mezzanines, rack systems and pick modules.

KEB H6drive — KEB's R6 regenerative drive units are designed with advanced processing hardware and control algorithms to return otherwise unused energy to the grid.

PS Doors SAFEMEZZ360 — PS DOORS showcased its ANSI- and OSHA-compliant SAFEMEZZ360 mezzanine safety gate, which utilizes a counterbalanced gate system to provide 360 degrees of mezzanine ledge protection.

Regal Beloit MODSORT — Regal Beloit debuted its MODSORT modular transfer and diverter station, which eliminates the need for a lift or pneumatics.

ACT BATTview — Advanced Charging Technologies extended the capabilities of its BATTview battery monitors to effectively measure critical battery parameters, including voltage, current, electrolyte temperature, water level, AHR throughput and state of charge.

Orion Packaging AG360 — Orion Packaging introduced the company’s first automatically guided portable stretch wrapper, designed for those distribution centers and manufacturers looking for greater flexibility in securing pallet size and larger loads.

Dematic E’gv Compact — Dematic Egemin (formerly Egemin Automation Inc.) added functionality to its E’gv Compact mid-sized AGV with the addition of a straddle fork component.

Douglas LegaC2 — Douglas Battery showcased its LegaC2 high-frequency modular chargers, designed to maintain peak efficiency at all times.

Absolute E-Z Up partnered with Zallys to debut a new line of electrical utility vehicles.

Delta-Q ICL1200 battery charger — Delta-Q Technologies released its first lithium-specific battery charger—the ICL1200—a 1,200-watt charger, designed to optimally charge lithium battery systems with any lithium-ion chemistry.

Orbis OPTE Bulk — The OPTE Bulk from ORBIS is a collapsible bulk system comprised of a plastic pallet, reusable sleeve and top cap that protects bulk products and tote systems during shipping.

Intelligrated IntelliSort HDS — The IntelliSort HDS from Intelligrated offers an innovative dual-sided design that fits a high density of chutes in minimal floor space, an ideal solution for zone-skipping applications that pre-sort orders according to destination prior to releasing them to parcel carriers.

Havis computers — Havis Inc., Warminster, Pa., displayed new docking and mounting solutions, designed to increase mobile productivity for in-vehicle material handling applications, including forklifts, mobile carts, and pallet jacks.

Forever lamp GS Series — Foreverlamp showcased its LED lighting solutions that enable customers to re-use their existing lighting fixtures in an eco-friendly manner by simply replacing a light bulb.

Magline LiftPlus — Magline launched LiftPlus, a versatile all-in-one system that encompasses an electric screw drive system providing smooth and quiet operation.

Manitou 316 — Manitou Group launched a new range of industrial forklifts, including the new ME316, which offers a lift capacity of 3,520 pounds and a lift height up to 21 feet x 4 inches.

AeroVironment PosiCharge ProCore — AeroVironment launched a patent-pending advanced version of its ConnectRx for its PosiCharge ProCore line of electric forklift chargers.

Tetra Pak Services infographic — Tetra Pak Services’ offerings include a wide variety of products and services, such as consumables, upgrades, personnel evaluation and customized training, remote equipment monitoring and remote support and consulting.

Box Latch Products are a reusable alternative to tape, staples and bands, and can be incorporated into closed loop systems, work-in-process and parts inventory storage operations.

Muratec UniShuttle — Murata Machinery USA dubted its new Uni-SHUTTLE HP, a high-performance AS/RS, which combines flexible storage functionality, high-capacity transport and sorting capabilities in one material handling solution.

Paxxal pallet — Paxxal’s new pallet, available in the U.S. market, is made from 100% recyclable, patented composite material with impact resistance and durability properties.

Vecna Logistics Solution — Vecna unveiled Logistics Solution, an end-to-end logistics approach that re-imagines automation for manufacturing, warehousing and omni-channel fulfillment.

Delta wireless charger system AGV — Delta Group launched a line of wireless battery charging systems that can be applied to a wide range of industrial vehicles, including forklifts and AGVs.

Liftking multiloader ML series — The Liftking ML series of 4-way multi-loaders from Liftking Manufacturing boasts capacities ranging from 6,000-22,000 pounds and lifts from 12-24 feet.

Mac Rak Advantage — Mac Rak showcased its line of repair and protective guarding solutions.

Datalogic RFID solutions — Datalogic showcased its portfolio of supply chain solutions to be used in every facet of the supply chain to efficiently and effectively detect, identify, mark, sort, ship, receive and fulfill.

Voxware AR solution — Voxware partnered with Vuzix to develop an AR offering that brings voice and scanning together with vision and image capture to create a comprehensive personnel optimization solution.

Hyundai Forklift BCS-9 — Hyundai Forklift introduced the BCS-9 stand-up counter-balanced battery lift trucks for narrow aisle operation in distribution and manufacturing environments.

Mallard Extend-A-Rail — Mallard Manufacturing introduced Extend-a-Rail, a mobile, expandable pallet flow lane that provides temporary pallet staging where and when it’s needed.

EMH Model LS Hoist — EMH released the new Model LS Load-Stabilized Hoist, ideal for transporting loads quickly, securely and safely.

Komatsu BX50 Series — The new BBX50 model 4-wheel electric forklift from Komatsu offers lifting capacities ranging from 4,000-6,500 pounds.

Mobile Demand xTablet T8650 — MobileDemand designed an innovative 8-inch rugged tablet with integrated 3D camera that features a high-performance 2D barcode imager, fingerprint reader, 4G LTE, GPS, dual color cameras, hot swappable batteries, vehicle mounting and more.

KION Baoli KBD Series — KION showcased its offerings together with Dematic, including the Baoli KBD Series, as seen here, which features a Kohler Tier 4 Final diesel engine and load capacities up to 7,000 pounds.

I.D. Systems Vision Pro — I.D. Systems’ new Vision Pro software features an exception-based, intuitive and easy-to-navigate user interface with advanced technologies that allow for tighter integration with WMS, ERP and maintenance software packages.

Designed for durability in a variety of environments, OTTO Motors’ redesigned OTTO 100 self-driving vehicle meets the rigors of industrial environments, while continuing to maintain the flexibility to work in a lab, at manufacturing plants and everywhere in between.

Hoist Lifttruck — Hoist Liftruck expanded its electric tractor line to include flooded lead acid, fast charge, hydrogen fuel cell and lithium ion charging options.

Trelleborg Pit Stop Line Elite — Trelleborg showcased a sampling of its full range of tires for the material handling market, including the Pit Stop Line Elite XP resilient, which features a built-in, visible line that appears when the tire has just 100 hours remaining before replacement.

Exide battery — Exide Technologies announced the GNB Marathon FPX Premium Flat Plate battery, designed for medium to heavy-duty industrial use and for opportunity charging applications.

Scandit MatrixScan — Scandit released Barcode Scanner SDK 5.2 with MatrixScan, which enables users of any camera-equipped device to locate, track and decode multiple barcodes at once.

Magnet Source sweeper trio — Master Magnetics (The Magnet Source) provides workhorse magnets for the supply chain and distribution industries, including magnetic sweepers, ideal for the fast and efficient removal of hazardous scrap metal debris from warehouses, loading docks, parking areas, runways, manufacturing and shop areas, job sites, workshops and other high-traffic areas.

Opex Perfect Pick — OPEX released Perfect Pick HD, a unique, robotic goods-to-person order picking technology that stores custom totes two deep on either side of the aisle.

TAB Wrapper Tornado Skinny Series — The new TAB Wrapper Tornado “Skinny Series” orbital wrapping machines from TAB Industries wraps low-profile and limited-length products in plastic film for secure storage, warehousing and transportation without the need for pallets, boxes or containers.

Lenze smart drive — Lenze Americas delivers out-of-the-box smart product solutions for clearly specified roller and chain conveyor applications.

viastore’s updated viadat 9.0 WMS is independent of databases and operating systems, and its scalability and multi-client capability make it suitable for e-commerce businesses and logistics service providers.

ROBOTIC GOODS-TO-PERSON TECHNOLOGIES

OPEX Corp., Moorestown, N.J., released Perfect Pick HD, unique, robotic goods-to-person order picking technologies for warehouses and distribution centers. The HD in Perfect Pick stands for “high density,” storing custom totes two deep on either side of the aisle. New features include:

Twice the storage density provides a smaller footprint with greater flexibility to slot items across a warehouse.
80-pound capacity of the iBOT allows for heavier payloads.
Over-height detect eliminates jams due to overflowing totes.
Integrated pick-to-light workstation streamlines picking operation and reduces latencies.

Perfect Pick HD operates on a single automated component, the iBOT, same as its companion, Perfect Pick, but has been enhanced to deliver heavier payloads – up to 80 pounds. The patented iBOT is a wireless, robotic delivery vehicle that navigates along an integrated track system to retrieve, store and sort inventory items. iBOTs are powered by onboard ultra-capacitors, which recharge as the iBOT moves through the system. OPEX traffic control software monitors the position of all iBOTs and directs their movements for maximum efficiency and throughput. Perfect Pick HD is engineered for scalability and flexibility– iBOTs can be added or removed from the integrated track system in a matter of minutes without disrupting ongoing operations.

Also new is Sure Sort, a highly scalable and configurable single item sorting system. Sure Sort is a robotic eaches and small item sorter that delivers a wide variety of items into a compact array of customizable sort locations. Regardless of size, packaging or orientation of an item, Sure Sort will scan items and deliver each piece in a single pass.

OPEX Corp.
856-727-1100
www.opex.com

ELECTRIC CHAIN HOISTS

Engineered for operator comfort, the new CM Rocket universal pendant control from Columbus McKinnon Corp., Getzville, N.Y., delivers precision control and accuracy for any application. The CM Rocket pendant control’s unique rocker switch and comfort‐fit design give operators ultimate load control while reducing thumb strain and fatigue. The wide shape of the rocker switch, along with its rugged, no‐slip directional indicators, allows for easy operation with or without gloves. Its curved, well‐balanced shape fits comfortably in the palm of your hand, requiring minimal wrist flexion for operation. And, the ribbed grip helps ensure the operator maintains a secure and comfortable hold in all environments.

The CM ShopStar VS electric chain hoist now comes with a variable speed, and features a high, H4‐plus duty cycle and compact design. The ShopStar VS features a lifetime‐lubricated gear train and a fully enclosed hoist frame designed to protect the hoist motor from environmental contamination. Its H4‐plus duty cycle delivers more than 300 motor starts per hour and Class F motor insulation for heavy‐duty use. It also comes in capacities from 250 to 1,100 pounds, and features speeds up to 63 feet per minute.

The new CM Tornado 360° features the revolutionary Sidewinder lever handle and its ergonomic design allows operators to be more productive with significantly less effort compared to conventional ratchet lever tools. The Sidewinder lever handle features a 360-degree rotating lever and a fold-out revolving handle to reduce repetitive wrist action.

The CM Hammerlok coupling link with a CM web sling attachment features the CM Weblok Assembly for synthetic sling lifting applications. The CM Weblok boasts a double load pin retention system, using both traditional and bolt/lock nut retention, preventing the load from backing out during extreme use.

Columbus McKinnon Corp.
800‐888‐0985
www.cmworks.com

ORBITAL WRAPPING MACHINE

The new TAB Wrapper Tornado “Skinny Series” orbital wrapping machines from TAB Industries, LLC, Reading, Pa., wrap low-profile and limited-length products in plastic film for secure storage, warehousing and transportation without the need for pallets, boxes or containers. Ideal for wrapping bars, tubes, tires, building products, rolled goods and more, this semi-automatic orbital wrapper allows a single operator to feed the products from a roller conveyor or roller ball table and wrap them hands-free via foot pedal control. A variable frequency drive provides operator control over the wrapping speed for fast production and safe operation. TAB Wrapper Tornado Skinny Series wrappers are designed on a compact footprint with a wrapping ring diameter from 40-80 inches and a choice of 5- or 10-inch wide machine-grade stretch film rolls.

Meanwhile, the Perfect Storm features patent-pending technology that automatically senses the presence of a pallet load, then automatically wraps plastic stretch film 360 degrees around and under both the pallet and its load. The Perfect Storm includes an integrated, powered conveyor to stage and automatically feed the palletized loads into the wrapping ring and discharges them wrapped and ready for warehousing and transportation. Developed to increase speed and improve efficiency in packaging and material handling, the TAB Wrapper Tornado Perfect Storm wraps common pallet loads in 15 seconds, and accommodates pallet loads of virtually unlimited lengths. It also includes a PLC controller with selections based on the size of the pallet, number of wraps and locations of wraps on the pallet load to customize wrapping to the weight, shape, dimensions and other characteristics.

TAB Industries, LLC
610-921-0012
www.tabwrapper.com

OUT-OF-THE-BOX SMART PRODUCT SOLUTIONS

Lenze Americas, Uxbridge, Mass., delivered out-of-the-box smart product solutions for easy commissioning and operation of roller and chain conveyors.

Lenze Smart Products deliver a superior mechatronic drive solution for clearly specified roller and chain conveyor applications. Drive selection, definition, installation and parameter setting help streamline the process of defining the conveying system, selecting the installation version and fixing the payload. Smart Product solutions come equipped with engineering documentation and design of ready-made modules, including CAD blueprints, dimensioned drawings and EPLAN macros for easy integration by machine builders.

Plus, the built-in intelligence can be paired with a smartphone for remote authenticated user access in Industry 4.0 initiatives.

Lenze Americas
800-217-9100
www.lenze.com

BULK CONTAINERS, WMS UPGRADES

The packaging systems division of SSI Schaefer Systems International, Charlotte, N.C., introduced the GlobalStac bulk container, which collapses for easy return shipping. The GlobalStac offers 95% cube utilization in both 40-foot sea containers and 53-foot tractor trailers. It delivers a 12.9-inch collapsed height and allows up to 256 containers upon return shipment for tractor trailer truckloads and 176 units in 40-foot sea containers.

SSI SCHAEFER also introduced the latest upgrade for WAMAS, a warehouse management software (WMS) suite, designed to optimize order fulfillment and labor management. This latest version enables the utmost efficiencies in both manual and fully automated warehouses. WAMAS optimized fulfillment creates a smooth run time throughout the entire day, and provides complete visibility in real-time across multiple facilities.

New to SSI SCHAEFER’s portfolio is the Weasel, an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) that integrates into production utilizing only a small footprint. The Weasel is designed for low throughput and long distance transfers, and masters almost any transport task with minimal implementation. The Weasel AGV navigates along an optical track eliminating physical barriers, and can transport weights up to 35 kg and unit sizes from 120 x 120 x 45 mm to 650 x 450 x 510 mm in temperatures ranging 5°C up to 50°C. The Weasel is powered by rechargeable battery packs with operating times to accommodate 2 shifts or up to 16 hours between charges.

SSI Schaefer Systems also opened a new manufacturing facility in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

Schaefer Systems International, Inc.
704-944-4500
www.ssi-schaefer.com

REPORTING SERVICES FOR BATTERY STEWARD SOFTWARE

Flow-Rite, Byron Center, Mich., unleashed Battery Steward Reporting Services, a cloud-based solution that helps operations managers proactively identify neglected, misused and abused industrial batteries.

The 14 new reporting services include:

Missed Task Report. Manage by exception and discover what battery maintenance tasks have not been completed.
Equipment Age Report. This report delivers relevant age information of the fleet.
Battery Condition Report. At a glance, gain insight into the cable condition, cleanliness and contact condition of battery inventory.
Activity Reports. Dig into specific tasks to see what, when and who completed maintenance activity. And, review activity trends over time to uncover hidden and useful information about internal processes.

Flow-Rite Controls Ltd.
616-583-1700
www.flow-rite.com

ORDER PICKER

Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc. (MCFA), Houston, Texas, introduced the new 3,000-pound capacity Jungheinrich EKS 314 order picker to its North American product line. This new energy-efficient model can run up to 16 operating hours on one battery charge.

The new model can reach order-picking heights of up to 366 inches, and is specifically designed for high pick rate and high-density storage applications. The EKS 314 boasts top travel and hydraulic lift speeds in addition to extended 1,000-hour service intervals.

Unique benefits include:

Advanced proprietary 3-phase AC technology. The EKS 314 utilizes advanced 3-phase AC technology, ensuring strong acceleration, high lifting and lowering speeds, lower energy consumption and longer run times. Combined with regenerative braking, regenerative lowering offers immediate use of generated power, providing prolonged battery life. This advanced technology allows operators to run the order picker up to 16 hours on one battery charge.
Stable control handle base. This solid, intuitive control handle allows operators to grip it securely during travel, yet retain precise control of travel and lifting functions. The angle and height of the base are engineered for maximum operator comfort to enhance on-the-job confidence.
Fold-up monitored side gates. The side gates are nested and out of the way when in the up position, giving the operator maximum access when picking products.
Stable operator platform. Designed with the operator in mind, the platform includes an ultra-comfort cushioned floor to help isolate the operator’s feet and legs during order picking and driving, providing enhanced stability. Removable storage bins and 5-volt, 2 Ampere USB power supplies allow operators to store their items and charge accessories while working.
Sealed components. For greater longevity, the EKS 314 includes more reliable operation and added protection in dusty or moist environments.
Full-color interactive display. The display panel shows key performance indicators and truck status information in an easy-to-read manner for increased awareness.

Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc.
877-543-6757
www.jungheinrich-lift.com

WMS’ NEW USER INTERFACE OFFERS MULTI-CLIENT CAPABILITY

viastore, Grand Rapids, Mich., upgraded its warehouse management system (WMS) viadat 9.0 to include a new, easy-to-use and intuitive user interface. viadat 9.0 is independent of databases and operating systems, and its scalability and multi-client capability make it suitable for e-commerce businesses and logistics service providers. viadat 9.0 includes more than 2,500 functions in 16 languages for manual or automatic storage, picking and distribution. This means that the WMS can be used across multiple locations and international borders, and allows for uniform, streamlined intralogistics processes company-wide. Viadat 9.0 can be connected to all ERP systems, implemented using the configuration wizard and customized to meet individual requirements. With a simple mouse click, the user can create new forklift or picking workstations, add additional storage zones and integrate further warehouse equipment components such as shuttle systems or driverless transport systems. The user interface also minimizes the time needed for training, reduces errors to a minimum and provides a valuable basis for monitoring and decision making.

viastore also presented viarobot, a robotic system that allows operators to automate their conventional manual warehouse without additional infrastructure such as rails or special racks. The system automatically stores, retrieves and relocates containers and cartons and transports them to the order picker. Thanks to the use of intelligent software, viarobot adjusts to all structures of the building, regardless of obstacles and without interruption. The robot operates at a speed of 6 feet per second and at a storage height of up to 13 feet. When the lithium-ion battery is running low, viarobot automatically drives to its charging station. The device can also work in the dark and in unheated environments.

viastore SYSTEMS Inc.
616-977-3950
www.us.viastore.com

The NFRA Convention offers the opportunity to meet with the entire industry in one place. Product showcasing and sponsorship opportunities put your brand or new product front and center.

Come to experience innovative solutions in action, explore educational sessions, problem-solve in real time and enjoy networking and idea-sharing across industries.

ProMat 2017 delivers thousands of supply chain solutions

ROBOTIC GOODS-TO-PERSON TECHNOLOGIES

ELECTRIC CHAIN HOISTS

ORBITAL WRAPPING MACHINE

OUT-OF-THE-BOX SMART PRODUCT SOLUTIONS

BULK CONTAINERS, WMS UPGRADES

REPORTING SERVICES FOR BATTERY STEWARD SOFTWARE

ORDER PICKER

Get our new eMagazine delivered to your inbox every month.

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ProMat 2017 delivers thousands of supply chain solutions

ROBOTIC GOODS-TO-PERSON TECHNOLOGIES

ELECTRIC CHAIN HOISTS

ORBITAL WRAPPING MACHINE

OUT-OF-THE-BOX SMART PRODUCT SOLUTIONS

BULK CONTAINERS, WMS UPGRADES

REPORTING SERVICES FOR BATTERY STEWARD SOFTWARE

ORDER PICKER

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