|
|
|
|
|
| - |
|
For this large pharmaceutical company, the speed, accuracy and dependability of order handling for a brand new distribution centre could directly affect profitability. Their DC (Distribution Centre) has 15 packing lines with totes travelling along conveyors at varying heights. The totes are filled with various products and then delivered to retail stores across the country. As the use of barcode labelling and full integration into the company's WMS (Warehouse Management System) was critical, the modular Paragon print-and-apply solution was chosen. Working with the conveyor manufacturer, the heights and speeds of the entire conveying system were verified; interfaces between scanners and reject/gating systems were set up, as was an alternate station for re-labelling rejects. Each tote arrives with a license plate label on its front. A pre-label scanner reads the label and sends the data to the host computer. The host matches it with data for the top label, which is sent to the Paragon labeller. The Paragon prints the label and applies it to the top of the tote. A post-label scanner checks the label data. If an error is detected, the tote is automatically redirected through a gate in the conveyor for reprocessing. Because the hinged tops of the totes are uneven, it was essential that the system could apply the labels consistently, with 100% scans, and at a 55ppm rate. A special spring-loaded wheel was designed into the Paragon labeller to hold each tote's top in place while the applicator applied the custom-printed data label.Complex WMS applications such as this demonstrate how the modular design of the Paragon system can make the labelling process easier, more productive and less costly. << back |
Logistics Case Study