Solutions in Action
Success Stories
Our customized solutions have realized cost savings, improved processes and increased the level of quality assurance for our customers.
Distribution Center, Athletic Shoes Manufacturer
Objective
Eliminate bottlenecks in the packing operation that reduce throughput.
Solution
A tilt tray sorter packs several pairs of shoes into cartons for shipment to the designated retailer. Manual application of labels to the cartons is inefficient and prone to errors. Two labels are applied to each carton by the two printer/applicators installed on each sorter. One label is printed with shipping information while the other performs as a packing slip. The printer/applicators receive correct shipment information from the interface to the facility’s WMS. Shipment information is verified via a scan of the barcode which is uploaded via RF to the WMS prior to loading pallets on the truck.
Benefits Achieved
The result was a 25% reduction of packed cartons diverted to the packing area for re-labeling. Now cartons are loaded directly onto the truck effectively decreasing the manual labor required to verify Finished Goods inventory.
Manufacturer, Greeting Cards
Objective
Accurately account for all greeting cards received from customers for restocking. Unsold greeting cards are returned for restock or destruction to receive credit from the manufacturer. Credits were inaccurate due to the lack of a verification system for the number of cards returned.
Solution
Upon receipt of a shipment of returned cards, the operator enters the unique customer number into the system and the cards are placed into a hopper with a feeder. The cards are fed individually from the hopper into the feeder with a fixed mount scanner to read each card’s barcode. The scanned codes appear on the operator’s screen until all cards are processed at which point the batch is completed. All information pertinent to the processed batch is stored in a database developed by Verilogic.
Benefits Achieved
Accurate count of all cards received by individual customers and proper credit applied to the appropriate accounts. Viewable database of all cards processed. Increased inventory accuracy from 80% to 99.9%.
Manufacturer, Snack Food
Objective
Track the origin and destination of every product shipped in real time for maximum control of the customer’s delivery system. Identify product, record information and report it to the WMS to identify and locate individual pallets rather than a shift or day of production.
Solution
An intelligent front end system was developed, in Windows, to communicate to the customer’s WMS. Several application modules communicate with each other to perform specific barcode functions for eight production lines. The correct product code for the production line is entered into the Controlling PC prior to the production process. Packaged snacks are automatically stacked on pallets and assigned a License Plate Number (LPN) containing unique identifying information for that lot of product. The stretch-wrapped pallets are transported to the sizing station where fixed barcode scanners read the LPN and four completed labels are printed with the LPN, UCC128 barcode and other information and applied automatically to all sides of the pallet. Another verification scan is performed to ensure all labels are accurate and match. The WMS server is updated to signify successful label application and production activity. If the system detects a mislabeled or unlabeled pallet, the system signals the AGV to divert the pallet to another area for re-labeling.
Benefits Achieved
Significant improvements in quality, control and service from production to inventory to shipment. The ability to pinpoint product shipments to their exact warehouse and delivery location throughout the corporate system in the event of recalls.
Manufacturer, Auto Parts
Objective
Improve quality control in the packing process to insure that items are packed in the correctly labeled carton.
Solution
To verify that the proper parts are packaged into a carton, a solution measuring the weight of the parts as they are placed in cartons was developed. Manufactured parts are transported to the packing station for inspection before being placed into shipping cartons. The operator hand applies preprinted labels to the carton prior to placing it on a scale. The weight is sent via RS232 to a database containing characteristic information about the parts. The barcode is scanned and the Part number data is transmitted to the PC for a comparison between the carton weight and the part. If the weight is within the specified range assigned to the part number, the operator receives an audible signal to ship the product. If an error message is received, the carton is removed from the scale for re-inspection.
Benefits Achieved
The recording of accurate weight information ensures the proper part is shipped to the customer and that the correct shipping charges are applied. A reduction in returned parts was realized.
Manufacturer, Air Conditioners
Objective
Carton labels printed prior to production travel with the unit throughout the manufacturing process and can be damaged, lost or applied to the incorrect product carton. The customer desired to eliminate the inefficiencies in the shipping process and maintain an accurate database of serial numbers used throughout the process.
Solution
Custom label software was installed to print the rating plate and carton labels for products by extracting the necessary information from the database. The software is Interfaced to the company’s mainframe for tracking all serial numbers used during the printing of labels. Flexibility was designed into the system to allow printing of user-defined serial numbers. The label software updates the mainframe as the labels are scanned to record used serial numbers.
Benefits Achieved
Printing of rating plate and carton labels at the point of application has reduced shipping errors and improved cycle time.