Episode 104 – Brother Mobile Solutions
In this episode, I was joined by Dave Crist who is the President of Brother Mobile Solutions. We discussed their new TD-4 Desktop Thermal Printers, ease of connectivity, and their hardware as a service program. Key Takeaways Brother is well known for multiple different product lines which include sewing machines and their P-Touch line of label printers. Brother Mobile Solutions focuses on printers for logistics solutions and other mobile applications such as in police cars or trucks. They started this line with a full-page printer called the PocketJet which is a thermal transfer printer and totally mobile. Recently, Brother Mobile Solutions released a new line of desktop thermal transfer printers called the TD-4 series. Dave discusses how this line was developed by taking some learnings from the mobile side on connectivity. Typical these types of printers are limited in how they can be connected but Brother was able to have these printers be connected in multiple different ways. The expansion of connectivity allows for the printers to now be connected wirelessly via wireless networks or even Bluetooth. This is a huge deal because it gives your operation a ton of flexibility on where printers can be set up and how you can move them around. It also gives you the ability to bring more printers online a lot quicker when you have a surge in demand or work. We have talked about robots as a service on the show and also are familiar with software as a service but Brother Mobile Solutions has an offering called Shift & Print which is a hardware as a service program. This is very important because it takes what would typically be a capital expenditure and turns it into an operational expenditure. With lower investment, it allows you to have newer technology without putting in a huge commitment financially. The subscription service can be tailored to your specific needs and helps to make sure you are covered during peak season with more hardware as needed. I believe this is the future of most things as it allows companies to keep up from a technology standpoint and financially it is more beneficial for a company. EP 104: Brother Mobile Solutions
SECORX-S expands to include ruggedized boxed receivers with convenient plug-and-play accurate positioning for logistics
Septentrio’s first-of-a-kind SECORX-S GPS/GNSS receiver product line offers sub-decimeter accuracy without the need for additional positioning service subscriptions Septentrio, a provider in high-precision GNSS positioning solutions, announced today an expansion of its SECORX-S product line. The multi-constellation multi-frequency GNSS* receivers of the SECORX-S family offer a novel approach to GNSS positioning. They conveniently deliver sub-decimeter positioning right out of the box, without the need for any additional correction service subscription or maintenance. Users benefit from always-on high accuracy provided by a PPP-RTK correction service integrated directly into Septentrio’s latest core GNSS technology. The SECORX-S product line, already known to offer top-performance GNSS OEM boards and modules, now also offers a ruggedized receiver in an IP68 chassis, AsteRx SB-SxTM . “By launching the SECORX-S product family a few months ago we have taken a ground-breaking step towards easy-to-use and accessible high-accuracy positioning.”, commented Francois Freulon, Head of Product Management at Septentrio. “Our SECORX-S product range now includes boxed receivers as well as compact modules and versatile OEM boards. With this expansion of the product family, our customers now have the flexibility to choose from a wider range of options a receiver which perfectly fits their needs.” By adding boxed receivers to the SECORX-S product line Septentrio brings its innovative approach of plug-and-play accurate positioning to logistic applications as well as precision agriculture and construction. Receivers of the SECORX-S family offer lifelong** sub-decimeter accuracy in U.S. and Europe. The PPP-RTK correction service integrated in these receivers uniquely combines near-RTK accuracy with short convergence time. AsteRx SB-Sx comes with built-in LOCK+ technology, maintaining a reliable positioning fix even during intense vibrations and mechanical shocks. For more product details visit the SECORX-S product page or contact sales@septentrio.com. To find out more about positioning correction services take a look at a recent insight article GNSS Corrections Demystified. * Global Navigation Satellite System including the American GPS, European Galileo, Russian GLONASS, Chinese BeiDou, Japan’s QZSS, and India’s NavIC. These satellite constellations broadcast positioning information to receivers which use it to calculate their absolute position. **Typical lifetime is five-year
IDEC enhances MicroSmart FC6A Plus CPU with EtherNet/IP
The EtherNet/IP update for IDEC MicroSmart FC6A Plus PLCs is also a free upgrade for existing CPUs, enabling interconnection with many types of I/O systems and other intelligent automation devices IDEC Corporation announces an update to add EtherNet/IP™ communications to the MicroSmart FC6A Plus PLC. This update provides more options for end-users, designers, and OEMs to integrate the FC6A Plus with many types of I/O systems and intelligent automation devices. Expanded Connectivity Options The FC6A Plus is already expandable to support up to 2,060 I/O, making it ideal for controlling machines or small-scale manufacturing operations. With the addition of industry-standard EtherNet/IP scanner capabilities, the FC6A Plus can now connect with, monitor, and control any I/O, variable speed drive, motor controls, or other intelligent automation devices using this popular industrial protocol. In addition, the FC6A Plus can be configured as an EtherNet/IP adapter, allowing it to interact with other peer and supervisory systems, such as PLCs and HMIs. Easy Upgrade Path All new FC6A Plus CPUs will ship with the latest firmware and EtherNet/IP connectivity already installed and ready for use. For FC6A Plus CPUs already in service, users can obtain the current WindLDR software (version 8.15.0 or later) for free and then use it to easily perform the upgrade. This ability to get the latest enhancements at no cost by field upgrading existing units is another benefit of using IDEC PLCs. More Flexibility Once a new or upgraded FC6A Plus CPU is deployed, Ethernet port 2 can be configured with the EtherNet/IP protocol. This enhanced connectivity gives users new options for architecting their machine and manufacturing operations. The already flexible FC6A Plus PLC platform can now interact with more industrial automation devices than ever before. As with all its products, IDEC offers free tech support for the FC6A family of PLCs, with no service or support contract required.
JLT Mobile Computers shares tips and best practices on the right rugged computer for optimum business productivity
Second expert guide by a leading supplier of rugged mobile computing devices and solutions for logistics, warehousing, and other challenging environments highlights the importance of looking beyond product specifications and prices when procuring rugged devices After 25 years in business, JLT Mobile Computers, a supplier of reliable computers for demanding environments, is making available the benefits of its expertise in a series of ‘how-to’ guides designed to help new and existing customers make the right strategic technology decisions to optimize their operations. The second guide in the series covers the many aspects of choosing and buying the right rugged computers. It is available for free download here. Compared to the purchase of office or enterprise computers, the selection of rugged computing equipment for mobile workforces in harsh industrial environments includes numerous considerations other than just product specifications and initial purchase price. Each field operation is different and has different requirements. Different types of technologies may or may not work with each other. Getting it right will boost productivity and motivate the workforce. Getting it wrong has costly implications. “Getting the exact right computers and systems for the mobile workforce, on foot or in vehicles, is a complex ballgame,” said Per Holmberg, CEO of JLT Mobile Computers Group. “They may need something that’s small and handy or something mounted in a truck or on a forklift. It may rain, temperatures may be extreme, sunlight may be a factor, how long the battery lasts, or how well wireless works. You can’t just buy rugged gear on product spec; there’s much more to it than just the computer. The workforce must be comfortable with it, everything must work together, everything must be matched to the operation. At JLT we’ve been in this business for decades. We know how it works and we know what matters. And in this guide, we’re sharing what we’ve learned about getting the right tools for the job with our customers.” Entitled “How to choose and buy the right rugged computers for your business”, the second free guide in the JLT series discusses everything that matters in filling the computing needs of mobile workforces with the exact right systems and equipment. That includes balancing wish lists with technological and operational realities. Determining the right type of form factors and technologies. Facilitating testing and buy-in from the workforce. Protecting your investment and assessing the total cost of ownership. The guide walks you through the important points and issues one by one. How to decide on the right types of mobile computing equipment as well as the pros and cons of each type. How to match equipment to your work environment so you only pay for the ruggedness you actually need. Learn about crucial key elements such as display and touch technologies. Assess the proper size and weight, making sure the equipment feels “right” on the job. Analyze power needs; unlike desktops that simply plugin, powering mobile computers means balancing factors such as weight, cost, size, lifecycles, and technologies. Decide on the right mobile connectivity, as it is much more complex than in an office or enterprise. Determine actual processing performance needs; don’t get too little or too much. And, finally, learn the importance of accessories and peripherals as part of a successful mobile system. To get the free guide and start learning what to look for and what to avoid when buying your next rugged devices, go to https://jltmobile.com/guide-how-to-buy-rugged/?utm_campaign=rugged_device_guide_pr.
BluJay’s latest software releases empower organizations to navigate disruption across global supply chains
Expanded capabilities provide advanced data sharing, capacity planning, shipment tracking and optimized payment, insurance, and compliance processes across global supply chains BluJay Solutions, a provider of supply chain software and services, has released version 20.2 of its transportation, distribution, and compliance software applications. BluJay’s latest version offers expanded capabilities to provide advanced data sharing, capacity planning, and shipment tracking to optimize payment, insurance, and compliance processes across global supply chains. “Over the last several months the supply chain industry has faced disruption in ways that it never has before. They say necessity is the mother of invention – or here at BluJay, of innovation,” said David Landau, Chief Product Officer at BluJay Solutions. “The investments we’ve made across our product portfolio accelerate our customers’ abilities to meet new and complex challenges. Across the board, our teams are partnering with our clients to bring them new features, new modules, and new ways to leverage our vast network of carriers and 3PLs, and to help them more easily navigate ongoing changes impacting their logistics operations.” Enhancements included in version 20.2 of BluJay’s software applications include: Network solutions – SpotFinder, BluJay’s streamlined capacity identification tool for the carrier network, has been enhanced to support additional equipment types, display primary and additional carrier contacts, as well as various workflow improvements to provide shippers with context around historical usage of carriers. Partner integrations – With the addition of TriumphPay’s platform to BluJay’s Websettle in the Transportation Management application, users have access to optimized freight payment services to process, settle, and manage carrier payments across all modes of transportation. This integration allows carriers to avoid waiting weeks or months to get paid, while reducing the shipper’s administrative burden and resources needed to process carrier invoices. Also, the TMS is now integrated with RMIS (Registry Monitoring Insurance Services Inc.) to provide up-to-date insurance information in the Carrier profile. BluJay’s Transportation Management supports a process for validating carrier insurance that will help prevent or warn load planners prior to tendering to carriers with insurance that is about to expire. Tailored data insights – BluIQ by BluJay users can create multiple dashboards and tailor them to their specific needs. Added flexibility and usability enhancements make the table widget easier to use and more effective. Parcel visibility – Upgrades to BluJay’s Parcel Track and Trace module allow users to track single or multiple package details of a shipment and also import shipments not processed through BluJay’s Parcel application. Users also have the ability to search for shipments using an Advanced Tracking function. With a wide range of search criteria that can be saved for future use, Track and Trace display a detailed view of each milestone status update and a summary grid with the number of shipments per milestone status sorted by location and carrier. Enhanced usability for LSP Platform – The LSP Platform has been upgraded to offer a web front-end for uploading master data (MDM) directly into the application, saving users time and reducing errors. PTV xServer2 map support has been added as well, allowing users to display map layers (truck attributes, traffic, toll, etc.) directly in the LSP Platform. Expanded compliance coverage for global trade efficiency – In Customs Management-US, country and procedures coverage has been updated to include program changes for the implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Trade Agreement, as well as the programs necessary for filing data for U.S. Fish & Wildlife-regulated goods. In Customs Management-Global, new country procedure coverage was added for France (NSTI, ECS and Exit confirmation), and the Netherlands (Venue and ECS notifications) In Germany, BluJay’s Customs Management-ZABIS® platform is now certified for New Computerized Transit System (NCTS) declarations for its new upgraded UI, and available within the same platform as Customs Management-Global. Improved fleet dispatch operations – In BluJay’s mobility solution, MobileSTAR, dispatchers can now manage and be alerted to exceptions based on maximum capacity, which means they can fully utilize the capacity of the fleet while helping ensure they do not overload the capacity of a vehicle, at the same time having the option to set caps on the job, consignment, and item levels. In addition, mobile users can now send an urgent message if a driver needs assistance due to an accident or for queries that require a quick response. A notification box will appear at the top of Dispatcher when in the planning or user dashboard area until it has been acknowledged.
Customer Portals
Welcome to the new normal. COVID-19 has left a legacy of communication obstacles that we never thought possible prior to 2020. From social distancing at parts counters to virtual sales calls, the way we interface with our customers now has to include “touchless” efficiencies, and new ways of establishing and maintaining customer dialogue without the benefit of being physically onsite. In this column, I want to ask you to contemplate the tools you now have in place to meet these new world challenges. Consider both your current digital platform and the ways in which you utilize web-based tools to enhance customer service. Let’s talk about Dealer Websites As I review dealer websites, I customarily see a common theme. New Equipment link Brochures and specification sheets Application and marketing data Links to manufacturer sites Used Equipment link – pictures and prices Allied equipment sales – Featured items and prices, and PERHAPS some catalog ordering functionality. Rental Link – We have rentals! Parts Link – We have parts! Service Link – Photos of our service trucks and phone numbers for callout repairs. Contact Link – Photos and addresses of branches Some dealers have improved their web image with a drop down “can I help you” chat-box feature, that offers “real-time” assistance with questions and requests. Many times, however, this feature is simply a “bot” designed to collect enough customer information for the dealer to make a return phone call. Rarely are they “live-ready” interactions, (especially after hours), and in many ways this is seen by the customer as disingenuous. On the plus side, however, it is an “attempt” to establish dialogue and is better by far than simply “hoping” the customer reaches out on his own. With this in mind, let me ask a few questions: Does your website offer your customer a personal connection with your employees? Does your website allow your customer to place a real-time order for anything? Does your website collect, store, and leverage customer data? Is your website simply “Image Control”, or is it a real-time “Customer Portal”? With COVID-19 changing the rules of engagement, our websites need to be robust and effective communication and customer service tools, instead of advertising vehicles. Below are four “must-have” improvements to consider if you want to use your web presence as a conduit for meaningful customer interactions. 1.) Customer Portal Every customer you currently have, and every new customer you do business with should have an interactive portal they can interface with via your website. Inside this portal, the customer should be able to do at least SOME if not all of the following things: View his equipment fleet makes, models and serial numbers The ability to add, change and delete fleet data as the fleet changes View a summary of the service history on the fleet Access a parts manual for his equipment See real-time dealer parts inventory for any requested parts Place a real-time, order for parts (with a confirming email receipt). Place a real-time rental reservation (with a confirming email receipt). See featured parts items for purchase (with special prices for commodity items) See contact data for the equipment salesman, CSR, parts counterperson, rental coordinator, and dispatcher. Have a person to person web-text capability to any employee listed above. Much of this base data should be keyed into your existing CRM system. The web portal should serve as a window into your CRM so that the customer can see SELECTED data that applies only to him. If you have been considering new or updated CRM for your dealership NOW IS THE TIME. Make sure it can interface with your website! 2.) Mobile web format The vast majority of your web interactions with customers will happen on a mobile device. If you don’t believe me, just consider how YOU do it. Our desktops (or even laptops) stay at our workstation most of the time. Our need for data however is constant, and we use the tablet and the smartphone for almost everything. The plant manager that just lost an upper radiator hose, wants to be able to access his resources from the seat of his golf cart in the plant. If he has to return to his office to access it…we are NOT being easy to do business with! Mobile, on the spot data, is what customers crave, and we need to have the tools in place to offer exactly that. It still surprises me how many dealerships don’t even know that their website has to be formatted differently for mobile viewing. Yes, your customer can view your “desktop” designed website on their iPhone, but it’s cumbersome and awkward. Once again….it is our mandate to make customer access to their portal seamless and intuitive. 3.) Security certificates If you are going to offer online ordering and data retrieval, and expand your website with a wider and more robust customer data portal, then you will need to ensure data security for your customers as well. If your website address does not start with https:// , then it is not security compliant, and customers will be reticent to conduct business with you using a customer portal. Contact your web hosting company and add this security certificate if you don’t already have it in place 4.) Virtual conference rooms Treat your website, as if it were your dealership facility. It’s OK to use Zoom, WebEx, or GoToMeeting as your virtual communication platform, but hosting remote meeting capabilities through your website constrains your customer to go to YOUR site, and be exposed to YOUR offerings. Sending the customer, a link to Zoom.com sends him to Zoom.com. This web location is “outside” of your messaging bubble. Everything you want to do remotely should be accommodated on or through the website, with YOUR branding and YOUR logos. The interaction is controlled by YOU. This sends a message of consistency and competence. These communication practices are not going away. Remote visual tools will be our PRIMARY means of communications for a long time to
ROVA names Chuck Moyer to position of President
ROVA, a revolutionary on-demand delivery platform headquartered in the Boston market, has named Charles (Chuck) Moyer of Franklin, TN to the position of President. In this capacity, Moyer will work with company CEO Thomas McGrath as the firm takes its unique concept of pairing independent contract drivers to businesses in need of deliveries to a national audience. He brings an extensive resume of service to his role with ROVA, which spans 42 years in the transportation industry. He has served as a Senior Executive in a number of Supply Chain Management capacities. Thirty-six of those years were spent in Final Mile (hub to destination) logistics, four years were in regional trucking/warehouse operations, and two years air freight. His background also includes fifteen years in private equity/M&A (mergers & acquisition) experience. Most recently, Moyer served as president of the Birmingham, AL-based PACE USA, a provider of versatile ground transportation logistics solutions. For nearly three years, he worked with the organization to help diversify the company’s client base. He was also CEO of Express Courier International (a Riverside company), from 2006 to 2014. He has been in the field of transportation logistics since his days at Northern Kentucky University. His early background also included serving as an independent contractor driver, so he understands the industry well. His work at that time was with Priority Dispatch in Cincinnati, OH. Moyer served as the president of the CLDA (Customized Logistics and Delivery Association) from 2018 to 2020, formerly known as the Messenger Courier Association of America, and is a 14-year member of the organization’s Board of Directors. He is a previous member of the National Pharmaceutical Distributors Task Force, and represents the industry with government affairs, lobbying for the organization at the state and federal levels. He has served in an advisory capacity to industry software firms, vendor companies, legal firms, state legislators, shippers, and carriers. He has spoken at numerous national events, has been quoted in trade publications as well as the Wall Street Journal and SiriusXM Radio. He said that he has known ROVA CEO Tom McGrath for years, through the CLDA. He said, “I’m excited about this opportunity. The industry continues to evolve, and Tom and his team have done a great job building out the technology that will drive this concept and is a much-needed solution within today’s supply chain.” Moyer, who has strong connections with shippers and carriers alike. Stated that the ROVA solution is timely and what many companies need to remain competitive relating to the Final Mile (hub to destination) delivery, Moyer said that he plans to work with McGrath to develop a number of additional markets, including healthcare, auto parts, mall management groups, and financial, among others. He said that they plan to take the concept nationally, and Nashville will be one of their immediate expansion markets. Moyer is a native of Highland Heights, KY, and now resides in Franklin with his wife, Pam. They have three sons and four grandchildren. Tom McGrath, CEO of ROVA, said, “We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Chuck’s caliber and breadth of industry knowledge and experience on our ROVA team. His background in supply chain management, operations, logistics and more will be of great value to us as we continue to expand. His is a hands-on, results-oriented industry leader and we are all delighted to welcome him to our family.”
U.S. Manufacturing Technology orders decreased in May 2020 to 219.4 Million
U.S. manufacturing technology orders decreased 5% in May from the previous month to $219.4 million, according to the latest U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders report published by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. New orders were 45% lower than in May 2019, and total orders through May 2020 were $1.3 billion, 31% lower than YTD 2019 orders. “We had predicted that growth in the MT sector would be flat in the first half of 2020; however, it is down about 30% due to the impact of the pandemic on the global manufacturing industry,” said Douglas K. Woods, president of AMT. “While the aerospace, defense, housing, and infrastructure sectors did better in May, growth has been uneven across industries. The automobile sector is down, and spending on medical supplies has leveled off. Significantly, very high business and consumer savings rates indicate a lack of confidence in the economy, and industry economic forecasters predict the manufacturing industry will be down about 50% before it begins to rebound in the last quarter of this year or in early 2021. “Employment figures are the positive news. Layoffs in the manufacturing sector have gone down to their pre-pandemic levels, and there have been two consecutive months of national gains in employment. These gains likely trickle down into the economy in the form of increased income, greater consumer confidence, and increased spending, and lead to a return to more normal spending cycles.”
Episode 90 – Yard Management Solutions
In this episode, I was joined by Colin Mansfield who is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Yard Management Solutions. Yard Management Solution just recently won the Innovation Award at MODEX 2020 for its Yard Management Software. We discuss how their YMS helps to increase visibility in your operation and save you time and money. Key Takeaways Yard Management Solutions is a software company that provides a software platform for, you guessed it, yard management. The founders wanted to start a logistics company and when they were looking for a yard management software to use they could not find one so they built one which the company is now based around. Having a yard management platform is vital when it comes to an operation with high truck volume. It can help you to prioritize the proper loads and also make sure there is nothing lost in the shuffle. Their software is cloud-based and updated in real-time giving you full visibility to your yard in a Google Maps like view. Additionally, their platform has multiple different options that cater to each worker involved in the yard management process. They offer modules for those working at the docks and modules for those working in the yard as well. You can also do a multi-view for operations that have multiple yards, giving management a view of everything happening at their facilities. Colin discusses how innovation works at Yard Management Solutions. They have won the innovation award at MODEX in 2018, been a finalist for the innovation award at ProMat in 2019 and won this year at MODEX as well. As Colin mentions, innovation happens by listening to its customers and solving their problems. The example he gives is where a customer was spending up to 3 hours a shift looking into trailers to determine what product is on the trailers, truly a pain, and a huge cost. YMS was able to develop the option to input the trailer contents through integration with their WMS at the time of yard entry. This allowed them to pull those employees out of the yard and allocate the resource to something more productive. The real selling point for Yard Management Solutions is visibility and time savings. What their software is able to do for your operation is to give you visibility into what is happening with your trailers and give you the proper data to make the right moves. Without a YMS the majority of operations are trying to track what is happening in their yard through whiteboards, spreadsheets, and paper logs. With YMS you can easily pull the information you need because it is recorded in the system at the time of entry so the system will tell you when you are running behind or when you are about to start incurring detention charges. The reduction in time needed to manage your yard is huge because the system is doing all of the trackings and alerting you to when action is needed. Implementing the system allows you to utilize your resources in a much more efficient way. Check out some screenshots of what the platform looks like below and listen to the episode. Let us know how this could help improve your operation in the comments. YMS Benefits Tablet View Eagle View YMS Screenshot Multi-View The New Warehouse Podcast EP 90: Yard Management Solutions
JLT Mobile Computers offers free guide on how to increase productivity in the warehouse
A supplier of rugged mobile computing devices and solutions for challenging environments announces first in a series of ‘how-to’ guides to address strategic technology implementation issues in various markets and industries After 25 years in business, JLT Mobile Computers, a supplier of reliable computers for demanding environments, is making available the benefits of its expertise in a series of ‘how to’ guides designed to help new and existing customers make the right strategic technology decisions to optimize their operations. The first guide in the series covers increasing productivity in the warehouse and is available for download now here. Technology has changed warehousing and the pace of change is accelerating. What once was a relatively simple matter of storing and retrieving goods is now a high-stakes quest for speed, accuracy, reducing inventory cycles, and eliminating error and waste. Sustainably increasing capacity, efficiency, and throughput to meet ever-rising customer demands have become a science. And one important aspect of that science in any warehousing operation is the performance and efficiency of mobile computing systems and the networks they operate on. “Warehouses are complex operating environments that present unique challenges to networks and computing systems,” said Per Holmberg, CEO of JLT Mobile Computers Group. “No two warehouses are the same. Goods change, loading patterns change, everything changes all the time. That puts an enormous burden on networks and computers on the floor. Having worked with warehouse customers for decades we’ve learned what to look out for, how to get the most out of systems, and how to do it just right. That’s why we’re now making the benefits of our experience available in a series of guides geared towards helping our customers optimize the efficiency of their operations.” The first guide in the series – How to Increase Productivity in your Warehouse – discusses the four major challenges warehouse operators are battling with: Connectivity issues such as dead spots, access point placement, and the hand-off and roaming glitches inherent to warehousing structures. Computer breakdowns that seem inevitable in demanding environments (but don’t have to be). Technological obsolescence, incompatibilities, and reliability issues. And finally, the impact unsuitable technology has on workforce efficiency. All of this amounts to overt and hidden losses in productivity that can make or break profitability and competitiveness of a warehouse operation. The guide shows how to address these issues one by one: How network surveys and suitable devices help arrive at a robust wireless infrastructure with seamless roaming even in complex settings. How equipment breakdowns can be minimized or eliminated by choosing equipment designed for the job. How to stay clear of inflexible systems and technologies that work against, and not with, your workforce. And how to get the most out of your technology investment by partnering with your workforce in systems selection, configuration, testing, and operation. The guide highlights five important key take-aways in the quest for success: Involve your workforce. Invest in your network. Get high-quality rugged devices that get the job done. Keep your technology up-to-date. And never neglect to look at the total cost of ownership.
Harpak-ULMA named as a Smart Industry Transformational Leader
Innovative multi-year, multi-phase Digital Transformation strategy paying off Harpak-ULMA, the North American arm of ULMA Packaging, has been named as one of Putman Media’s first annual Smart Industry Transformational Leadership Award winners in the category of OEM IIoT Pioneer. The program honors individuals and organizations leading the way to Industry 4.0. This year’s winners, chosen from across the globe have successfully envisioned, planned, and executed the digital transformation (DX) of one or more aspects of their business through the application of digital and disruptive technologies. The award categories and selection criteria reflect today’s most critical business transformation challenges. Awards recognize the importance of executive vision and organizational communication; the ability to build talent, manage change and collaborate across functional siloes; and the successful reinvention of operational processes, customer relationships, and business models. Harpak-ULMA is one of three machine builders or industrial original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) recognized for successfully leveraging digital technologies to increase value for their customers and generate new revenue streams. The award recognizes Harpak-ULMA’s execution of an innovative multi-year, multi-tier plan to introduce smart, connected packaging platforms. The program embraces native integration for augmented reality applications, embedded IIoT, and big data solutions that leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence to deliver predictive maintenance as well as industry performance benchmarking services. Harpak-ULMA announced the plan in 2018 as part of its newly formed partnership with Rockwell Automation and has reported strong customer adoption subsequently. Kevin Roach, Harpak-ULMA’s CEO, explained, “The first phase of our plan was to standardize our packaging platforms on Rockwell Automation’s Integrated Control and Information Architecture — which is largely complete. We are well into our native AR integration and have multiple pilot-partners in play. We recently launched phase three, which extends and deepens IIoT integration to enable digital twin capabilities. This allows plant floor personnel to interact with equipment using mobile or wearable technologies that digitally expose machine KPI’s and internal operations. We are now planning for the final phase. This will focus on building out our Big Data capabilities to introduce a new business model for delivering predictive maintenance services for packaging operations – similar to the capabilities that exist in the aircraft engine business today. Collecting anonymous equipment performance data at that scale will also lend itself to an industry benchmarking service. We know this final phase is aggressive – packaging OEM’s are not typically associated with machine learning or artificial intelligence-based solutions. But we are very pleased with customer response so far, and we believe our approach may just disrupt the industry status quo when it comes to driving line uptime.” Keith Larson, Content VP for Smart Industry, explained the first annual awards rationale, “Our mission is to facilitate knowledge exchange, explore emerging best practices and spur business development to accelerate manufacturing’s digital transformation. Harpak-ULMA’s strategy epitomizes the convergence of information and operational technologies driving that transformation – such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Industry 4.0, and big data analytics. Strategies like this are what will make the next industrial revolution a reality. We’re also pleased that our awards program sponsor, Rockwell Automation, has invited the winners to share lessons learned at the upcoming virtual DX Strategists Conference on June 10th, the first day of the company’s ROKLive Experience virtual event.”
Episode 78 – Spatial Intelligence with Locix
In this episode, I was joined by the CEO of Locix, Vikram Pavate, to discuss how they are utilizing their technology to now help track and trace individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discussed how Locix is utilizing their spatial intelligence technology to help track individuals movements within facilities, trace previous steps of potentially infected individuals and help to identify where individuals might be too close. Key Takeaways We have talked to Locix before on the show back at ProMat last year on Episode 11 and their technology was intriguing then as it is utilizing sensors to give you an idea of what is going on at your dock to help increase dock efficiency. Since that time they have expanded into utilizing spatial technology beyond the dock and inside of your facility to understand where assets are and movement patterns. Now that there has been an increase in the need for awareness of distancing due to social distancing they are pivoting their technology to be used differently. The spatial intelligence technology that they are using is now being utilized to help track movements of individuals. Vik jokes in the episode that it may seem a bit big brother but the reality is that this can help to determine what areas in your facility might be at risk if you have someone who tests positive. The ability to trace a person’s movements can give you an idea of where they spent time in the facility and who they may have potentially come in contact with. This can help to limit the spread and help you take further precautions and isolate certain individuals if needed. In addition to tracing individuals, the technology from Locix can also track assets. This is extremely helpful for any large facility that has a lot of assets to track. During the current times where hospitals are getting overloaded and resources overextended, this technology is incredibly helpful to keep track of different machines needed so that resources are being allocated and used as much as possible. As we move forward and try to figure out life post-COVID, when the time comes, one difficult hurdle is determining the work environment and how to ensure proper distancing. With spatial intelligence, you can track movements which over time can give you data to determine where there is a high frequency of movement and where there is a re-occurrence of multiple people getting close due to layout or traffic patterns. Using this data you can then determine layout changes or traffic pattern adjustments that can help to alleviate insufficient distancing. Listen to the episode below and view the video to see an example of their tracing technology. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 78: Spatial Intelligence with Locix
Episode 77 – Warehouse Engineers
In this episode, I was joined by Brandon Ashby who is the founder of Warehouse Engineers. I met Brandon at MODEX and he came by the booth to hang out for a bit and we also ended up having a discussion for the podcast. We talk about his background, how Warehouse Engineers was founded, and also about the importance of standard work. Key Takeaways Warehouse Engineers is an industrial engineer for hire that focuses on building a repeatable process that leverages your people and technology to its full extent. Brandon brings his corporate experience from working to bring standardization to multiple warehouses and also his education based in industrial engineering and lean-to help improve your operation overall. He is incredibly enthusiastic about continuous improvement, lean, and 5S. Brandon utilizes a lot of the principles of lean to implement the standardization of processes and to ensure that processes do actually exist within your operation. He discusses his background and how he began to learn about lean and then how he was able to start implementing it at a company he previously worked for which led to him eventually founding Warehouse Engineers to help other companies begin their lean journey and improve their processes. One of the biggest parts of lean and the 5S concepts is the standardization of processes and procedures. Brandon and I discuss just what this means and the importance of it. We both share the same ideal that standardization is such a key building block to optimizing your operation. There are many instances where processes are unknown by everyone within an operation and even worse there are instances where only one person knows a process or as Brandon says in the episode one person knows everything. This can be troublesome because when the individuals who know the process are absent then the process might not get done or even worse get done incorrectly. Having standard work ensures that the process is followed the same way every time and there is no chance for mistakes to happen. Listen and watch the interview with Brandon below. Let us know in the comments about how you create your standard work. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 77: Warehouse Engineers In this episode, host Kevin Lawton is joined by the founder of Warehouse Engineers, Brand Ashby to talk about his background, company, and also about the importance of standard work. For more information on Warehouse Engineers head to their website here. To connect with Brandon find him on LinkedIn here.
Patented technology designed to stop tiny errors from crashing large health care, supply chain systems
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced public health, supply chain, transportation, government, economic and many other entities to interact in real-time. One of the challenges in large systems interacting in this way is that even tiny errors in one system can cause devastating effects across the entire system chain. Now, Purdue University innovators have come up with a possible solution: A set of patented algorithms that predict, identify, diagnose, and prevent abnormalities in large and complex systems. “It has been proven again and again that large and complex systems can and will fail and cause catastrophic impact,” said Shimon Y. Nof, a Purdue professor of industrial engineering and director of Purdue’s PRISM Center. “Our technology digests a large amount of data within and across systems and determines the sequence of resolving interconnected issues to minimize damage, prevent the maximum number of errors and conflicts from occurring, and achieve system objectives through interaction with decision-makers and experts.” Nof said the Purdue technology would be helpful for smart grids, health care systems, supply chains, transportation systems and other distributed systems that deal with ubiquitous abnormalities and exceptions, and are vulnerable to cascading or a large number of failures. This technology integrates constraint modeling, network science, adaptive algorithms, and state-of-the-art decision support systems. “Our algorithms and solution apply systems science and data science to solve problems that encompass time, space and disciplines, which is the core of industrial engineering,” said Xin Chen, a former graduate student in Nof’s lab who helped create the technology. Nof said the novelty of the technology lies in three main areas. First, analytical and data mining tools extract underlying network structures of a complex system and determine its unique features. A robust set of algorithms then are analyzed based on the objectives for system performance, structures, and features of fault networks in the system. Finally, algorithms with specific characteristics are applied to manage errors and conflicts to achieve desired system performance. The innovators are working with the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization to license this patented technology. The office recently moved into the Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration in Discovery Park District, adjacent to the Purdue campus. The researchers are looking for partners to continue developing their technology. For more information on licensing and other opportunities, contact Dhananjay Sewak of OTC at dsewak@prf.org and mention track code 65241. This technology is part of the team’s work at Purdue’s PRISM Center, focused on production, robotics, and integration software for manufacturing and management.
Corsight launches Global Operations with Advanced Facial Recognition Solutions
Autonomous AI Empowers any Surveillance Camera with Next-generation Analytics Corsight AI Inc. announces the launch of global operations to provide autonomous AI software solutions for professional security and business intelligence applications. At the helm of the new venture are industry veterans Gadi Piran, Mulli Diamant, and Yoav Millet, founders and executive members previously from VMS leader OnSSI. Corsight offers advanced facial recognition solutions with autonomous AI technology built on neural network technology that emerged from research at the world-renowned Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Headquartered in the United States with an R&D Center in Israel, Corsight recently raised $5 million from Awz Ventures, a Canadian fund focused on intelligence and security technologies. Unlike AI solutions based on deep learning, the autonomous AI employed by Corsight delivers a higher level of intelligence that mimics the way humans interpret sensory inputs to better anticipate and predict events and understand their surroundings. This allows Corsight technology to recognize different faces even at extreme angles with outstanding speed and accuracy even when presented in different perspectives under diverse lighting and environmental conditions. Corsight solutions are built on a foundation of over 250 patents registered to date. By leveraging the huge volume of data captured by today’s video surveillance cameras of all types, Corsight’s innovative autonomous AI facial recognition solution makes any video surveillance camera a portal for AI data analysis. Applications include real-time facial recognition analytics for identification and access control credentialing even when faces are concealed by face-masks, goggles, or plastic shields, as well as people counting, anomaly detection, and forensic analysis. With privacy as a primary charter, all Corsight autonomous AI solutions are developed with extensive provisions engineered to protect each individual’s privacy. “The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the immediate demand for innovative security technologies. Just a few months ago we all believed that the new autonomous AI facial recognition solution we were preparing to launch was far ahead of its time. As it turns out, it is just in time,” said Gadi Piran, CEO at Corsight. “Corsight facial recognition delivers the power to unlock the massive volumes of data captured by any video source, organize it into comprehensible intelligence, and deliver actionable insights while setting new standards in performance and personal privacy. After years of expectation, it was this new level of facial recognition technology that drew Mulli, Yoav, and me back into the industry, and we are most excited to begin a new journey with Corsight.”
Harpak-ULMA announces Packaging Design & Prototyping Services
Harpak-ULMA, the North American arm of ULMA Packaging, announced a new suite of packaging design & prototyping services to help producers more rapidly and cost-effectively develop and operationalize innovative packaging concepts. Harpak-ULMA’s new suite of services enables marketing and packaging engineering teams to now access a combination of conceptual design, prototypes, and implementation guidance from a single source— the $1B industry leader in complete packaging line solutions. As a result, marketers, and engineers can more readily visualize and evaluate multiple designs by easily producing high-quality, photo-realistic 2D/3D renderings complete with branding and graphics, as well as the rapid iteration of cost-effective prototypes. Employing Harpak-ULMA’s new agile-based approach enables producer teams to compete more effectively by streamlining the delivery of tangible, realistic, production-ready concepts to their customers. The service means marketing and packaging engineering teams can now access a combination of conceptual design, prototypes, and implementation guidance from a single source. Harpak-ULMA promises to help marketers and engineers more easily visualize and evaluate multiple designs by easily producing high-quality, photo-realistic 2D/3D renderings complete with branding and graphics, as well as the rapid iteration of cost-effective prototypes. Employing an agile-based approach enables producer teams to compete more effectively by making it easier to put tangible, realistic, production-ready concepts in their customers’ hands. Traditional package design initiatives can include any combination of in-house or outsourced design, prototyping, and packaging OEM organizations. This typically is executed as a waterfall development process that essentially silos each phase, often with multiple supporting companies or teams. Such an approach to developing new packaging may not only take longer but result in a final approved design that doesn’t sufficiently account for production limitations. If a marketing team, design firm, or engineering team does not recognize and incorporate underlying machine constraints in the design phase, an approved concept may face significant production challenges. In fact, settling on the design prior to seeking operational input opens the door to potentially expensive errors. That can include package or material characteristics that aren’t reflective of the original design intent, or worse – implementation delays, redesigns, or additional costly equipment configurations. Carlo Bergonzi, Harpak-ULMA’s Product Manager for Tray Seal, explains, “A common facet that we see design teams overlook is the effect of packaging geometry on tray rigidity and feel, as well as consistent material thickness. For example, a custom multi-cavity tray design can result in as much as a 50% reduction in material gauge between the tray flange and floor. We’d recommend some changes in package geometry to alleviate this kind of production issue. Unfortunately, if the design team is not aware of material deformation induced by a tray production process, this may not be evident until after the cost of a developing a prototype has been incurred. “We also see companies limit their prototype options and stick with standard tray designs due to the expense associated with asking their standard tray vendor to produce a custom mold. This can easily run into low-to-mid six-digit figures. Our Mondini Platformer line enables producers to create custom trays with a one-year payback on that investment,” Carlo added. Dave Favret, Harpak-ULMA TFS Product Manager, cites another example, “We’ve also seen unique package designs from marketing teams which unfortunately require a specific thermoforming sealing process that’s incompatible with required throughput rates.” In both scenarios, an understanding of pragmatic material and production constraints in the design phase makes it far easier to drive incremental design change without sacrificing the original marketing intent. The package design consulting service introduced by Harpak-ULMA utilizes agile development concepts. Enabling a more collaborative process between production engineering and marketing during the design phase is the key to optimizing prototyping and implementation time and cost while encouraging design innovation. Harpak-ULMA’s iterative design process utilizes deep knowledge of equipment capabilities and digital prototyping techniques (CAD and 3D Printing) to enable rapid evaluations of functionally pragmatic packaging design features and even graphic-intensive printing options. “Historically, we’ve often helped customers bring a new design into production, including assisting them in the ideation process. We’ve always been able to work with CAD and CNC new molds for prototype production, and we have multiple pieces of equipment to produce samples. Adding 3D printing to that mix accelerates that process and offers some interesting customer alternatives for back-up molds in a pinch,” said Favret. “Over the last 40 years, we’ve developed the knowledge, resources, and tools to address the entire packaging development cycle.” Kevin Roach, Harpak-ULMA’s CEO, expressed confidence that customers would perceive substantial value in the new service. “Formalizing our capabilities into a one-stop service offering designed to help producers bring new concepts to market faster, at less cost, is consistent with our emphasis on driving innovation in this market space,” said Roach. “While producers have options available to them already, we believe we are uniquely suited to help them incorporate functional design aspects upfront while avoiding the time and expense of innovative concepts incompatible with production capabilities or expectations. “Combining our operational experience with advanced design tools allows us to present detailed, photo-realistic renderings of retail-ready presentations based on actual production parameters. We can even execute shipment and shelf-life testing using production-quality prototypes. Producer marketing teams value the ability to quickly visualize new packaging renderings and real package samples because it helps them win more business. Our service offers them an alternative to more traditional approaches for introducing new packaging –not only making the ideation process more tangible but decreasing NPI risk by avoiding costly design mistakes early on,” Roach said.
Wholesaler podcast: Episode 73 – Inspekto at MODEX 2020
In this episode, I was joined by Harel Boren who is the CEO and Co-Founder of Inspekto. Inspekto uses machine learning to do quality checks and brings a plug and play setup to the industry. Harel and I spoke at MODEX 2020 via video chat while he was about 12,000 miles away due to COVID-19 regulations just beginning at that time. It was a great discussion and a really interesting product. Key Takeaways While machine vision has been utilized for inspections for a little bit, what has been missing is a plug and play application. That is where Inspekto comes into the industry. They provide an application that can easily be set up in your operation without the need for integrators or other assistance. Harel discusses how vision systems like this have typically been for projects involving integrators but Inspekto saw the gap in the market and has been able to change that notion with their solution, the S70. I was able to try out the system in their booth at MODEX and see just how effective their system works. The system was very simple and took up just a small footprint. When they explained how to set it up and how it arrives I was really amazed at how simple the setup was. In just 30-45 minutes you can be set up with the system and it only takes about 30 captures for the system to learn the item. The great thing about the system is the use of machine vision that continues to learn the items it is seeing. As it learns it quickly catches any defects in the item. It was incredibly interesting to see at the beginning of the show how they were setting up the systems and having it learn the demo items and then to see it recognize just a little bit later defects in the items that it had learned. Definitely a great system to help with increasing QA checks and address labor shortages. Listen to the episode below and also take a look at the video showing how the Inspekto S70 learns new items. The New Warehouse Podcast Inspekto at MODEX 2020
Gorbel rolls out new G-Force® Intelligent Lifting devices
Q2 and iQ2 ILDs are more user friendly, packed with new features, offer quick and easy customization via the new Smart Connect User Interface, and are capable of networking to leverage data and communication on the plant floor Gorbel Inc. just introduced the latest models in their G-Force® and Easy Arm® Intelligent Lifting Device line – the Q2 and iQ2. The new units give users all the intelligence they’ve come to expect from the G-Force® lifting platform, like Virtual Limits, Anti-drop functionality for tooling control, and fault code history log, plus the combination of blazing speeds and precision placement that has made them the choice of industries from aerospace to machining for over 20 years. The new units are more user friendly and offer greater intelligence options than Gorbel®’s previous offering: More user friendly – Users no longer need to rely on the handle menu to program their G-Force® or Easy Arm®. Every unit comes standard with a computer-based visualization so users can configure their unit from a PC or tablet. Smarter Q2 unit – The new Q2 model has more customizable handle-based IO options, making it capable of tackling a wider range of applications than its predecessor, the Q unit. Less need for custom programming – Gorbel® added user configurable IO points on the iQ2 model to limit the need for costly custom programming Wireless option – Both units offer built-in wireless connectivity so users can service and troubleshoot their units without the need for Ethernet or USB (though Ethernet and USB cables are still available) More global appeal – The handle and visualization user interfaces are now available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian. IoT capable – Both the Q2 and iQ2 units have available G-Link Smart Connect, which will enable G-Force® and Easy Arm® units to transmit data locally or anywhere with internet access, allowing users to set parameters and view vital data remotely from their desktop, laptop, or tablet. Mark Grandusky, Gorbel®’s Product Sales Manager for the G-Force® and Easy Arm® Intelligent Lifting Line, says, “Gorbel®’s market-leading position gives us the advantage of hearing an enormous amount of customer input from all those companies currently using G-Forces and Easy Arms. I am excited and proud to be launching the new Q2 and iQ2 models because our customers will be able to see how well we have listened to them. We are giving our customers an easier to use and more powerful Intelligent Lifting Device. Auto Float Mode, the addition of input/output functionality on a Q2 unit, and the ability to easily assign a variety of new functions to any input or output are just a few of the new advancements our customers will see. We also planned for the evolving needs of the more connected factory of the future. The optional Smart Connect G-Link and G-Link Insights packages empower our customers with tools to monitor, store, trend, and analyze data as well as communicate with other devices on their network. This functionality takes the G-Force® product line to the next level and positions Gorbel® as a key partner in our customers’ Industry 4.0. journey” Patented Lifting Technology Gorbel®’s G-Force® and Easy Arm® Intelligent Lifting Devices use exclusive patented technology and an industrial processor controlled servo drive system to deliver unmatched lifting precision and speed. Their fusion of advanced technology and basic human guidance maximizes productivity while minimizing the risk of injury to operators. These innovative lifts enable operators to lift and maneuver naturally as if the devices were an extension of their arms.
U.S. Manufacturing Technology orders increased in March 2020, yet deceleration begins in second half of month
U.S. manufacturing technology orders increased 8% in March from the previous month to $301.2 million, according to the latest U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders report published by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. New orders were 29.3% lower than in March 2019. Total orders through March 2020 were $863 million, 26.1% lower than YTD 2019 orders. “We were anticipating an increase in orders from February since many companies’ fiscal years end in March, which typically drives up orders,” said Douglas K. Woods, president of AMT. “Yet while orders in the first half of March were fairly robust, order volume decelerated rapidly in the second half of the month as stay-at-home orders were put into place “Going forward, we expect April and May orders to be significantly impacted by the inability of salespeople to meet with new prospects and visit customers’ facilities. While videoconferencing is productive in some situations, it cannot effectively substitute for face-to-face meetings with customers at their facilities. “This drop-off in quotations is most visible in the contracting machining sector, which represents nearly a third of the manufacturing technology customer base and is seeing a 70-80% drop in new quotation activity. If this rate of decline is representative of other key sectors, then much of the industry can expect a large drop-off in order volumes in the second and third quarters. Bucking the downward trend are defense, space, and medical equipment – and there are encouraging signs that automotive is slowing scaling back up as well.”
Episode 72 – Jeanette Barlow of IBM Sterling
Episode 72 – Jeanette Barlow of IBM Sterling In this episode, I am joined by Jeanette Barlow of IBM. Jeanette is the Vice President of Strategy & Offering Management for IBM’s Sterling team. We discuss the current state of the supply chain during the COVID-19 Pandemic and how IBM is helping its customers to create a smarter supply chain to get through the current situation and also reduce their vulnerabilities for the future. Key Takeaways IBM Sterling is a supply chain focused software suite that gives you end to end visibility utilizing real-time insights based on your different systems as well as AI that looks into different environmental factors that could impact your supply chain. Based on these datasets the Sterling platform is able to give you recommendations on how to avoid disruption in your supply chain and even identify opportunities to pivot to help identify growth opportunities during disruptions. With the current pandemic, we are seeing a lot of change in consumer behavior for all categories of the consumer due to the shutdowns and certain businesses not being open or having a limited supply. The model for obtaining goods is changing significantly as we see more orders online, more businesses doing curbside pickup and additional fulfillment models being utilized. Jeanette discusses how there is an opportunity for companies to utilize these different distribution models to more effectively manage their inventory. If there is increased visibility to where inventory is available then it can be fulfilled from those different channels. For example, a warehouse may be out of stock but a retail store may have some stock, in this case, the order should be able to be fulfilled from the retail store just like it would be from the warehouse. In the current situation, AI is becoming more appealing as it can give you the ability to prepare for situations like this. IBM Sterling looks at different factors that can help you be prepared. The reason that AI helps to improve your business and supply chain overall is that it can look at so many different data points so quickly that opportunities and risks can be realized at a much faster rate than if it were to be done by human data mining and analysis. Jeanette discusses how customers are increasing their demand and awareness of the need for AI in their supply chain now as well. While the pandemic is a very serious thing and the impact it has had globally on humanity and the population is a negative thing, there is an opportunity within this time for businesses. The opportunity is to take a look at how your business was impacted by the pandemic and see where the gaps were that allowed the impact to happen. As Jeanette mentions, it is an opportunity to look at how you can manage exceptions instead of exceptions managing you. Take a listen to the episode below. Please remain safe during these crazy times and leave a comment below on what your experience has been. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 72: Jeanette Barlow of IBM Sterling