Barcode warehouse management software is used to control the movement and storage of products or goods within a warehouse and process the associated transactions including, but not limited to, shipping, receiving, put away and picking through the use of barcode automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) technology.

Warehouse management systems manage the following core functions:

• Receiving – The ability to properly handle a shipment when it arrives. This process can be individualized to each warehouse or product type. In some cases, goods are not received into a facility, but rather cross-docked, which is a logistics procedure where products from a supplier or manufacturing plant are distributed directly to a customer or retail chain with marginal to no handling or storage time.  Cross docking takes place in a distribution docking terminal; usually consisting of trucks and dock doors on two (inbound and outbound) sides with minimal storage space.  The name ‘cross docking’ explains the process of receiving products through an inbound dock and then transferring them across the dock to the outbound transportation dock.
• Put Away – Put-away is normally thought of as the process of moving received inventory from the dock, kitting area, or production department to a storage bin. The put-away process is also used to relocate inventory within the warehouse and to replenish dedicated storage bins with inventory from a reserve storage bin. Any time inventory is being placed in a storage bin it is being put away. System directed put-away is when the WMS chooses the destination storage bin rather than the operator.
• Inventory – Inventory Technology refers to the supervision of supply, storage and accessibility of items in order to ensure an adequate supply without excessive oversupply. It also helps companies keep lost sales to a minimum by having enough stock on hand to meet demand. The inventory can be real-time or in the form of a cycle count, which is an audit procedure designed to verify the inventory accuracy for a small subset of inventory in a specific location on a specific day, thus providing an ongoing measure of inventory accuracy.
• Picking – Picking consists of taking and collecting articles in a specified quantity before shipment to satisfy a customer’s order. The following are different types of picking:
  • Piece Picking (or Pick to Part) – Order pickets move to collect the products necessary for one order.
  • Zone Picking – Each order picker is assigned to one specific zone and will only realize order picking within this zone.
  • Wave Picking – Order picker moves to collect the products necessary for several orders.
  • Sorting Systems Method – No movement of the order picker, as the products are brought to picker by an automatic system.
  • Pick to Box Method – No movement of the order picker, as the picking area is organized so that there are a number of picking stations connected by a conveyor. The order picker fills the box with the products from his station and the box moves to the other picking stations until he customer order is complete.
  • Packing – Packing occurs after the picking process and entails prepping a product or good for shipment by re-packaging, affixing with a shipping label, including an invoice and staging in preparation for shipment. Additionally, for certain goods or customers, there may be the requirement for kit building.
  • Shipping – Shipping entails the delivery of the right product or good to the right customer or location using the right method of shipment, all while minimizing the cost. If a customer is doing their own delivery, incorporating proof of delivery allows for more accurate information and quicker confirmation to the customer. Furthermore, our software has the ability to integrate shipment tracking for customers.

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Xplore has announced the release of the Bobcat—a fully-rugged Windows tablet boasting the most comprehensive standardized interfaces available, an extensive array of options through its proprietary Xpansion Port and a sleek lightweight design. The Bobcat operates Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 Pro operating systems and continues to build upon Xplore’s reputation for fully-rugged durability with a MIL-STD 810G certification and IP65 rating. The Windows tablet is an ideal choice for a variety of industries including manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, and utilities.

The Bobcat offers a robust suite of standard inputs and outputs that make the transition across different business applications as frictionless as possible. The tablet comes standard with two full-sized USB 3.0s, Micro SDXC, Micro SIM, Micro HDMI-Out, RJ-45 Ethernet, GPS engine and a true serial port connection. The Bobcat is the only fully-rugged tablet on the market to offer GPS, RJ-45 Ethernet and a true serial port connection in one device. With this comprehensive selection of ports, businesses are not forced to making compromises on port selections upon purchase.

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Microscan has announced the availability of the Vision MINI Xi industrial compact smart camera with embedded Ethernet. As part of Microscan’s award winning AutoVISION machine vision product suite, this tiny powerhouse is packed with features for close-range industrial auto ID, inspection, and other machine vision applications.

Microscan’s new industrial Vision MINI Xi is the world’s smallest fully-integrated smart camera with embedded Ethernet, measuring in at 1 in (25.4 mm) x 1.8 in (45.7 mm) x 2.1 in (53.3 mm) and weighing 3.2 oz (91 g). The Vision MINI Xi features both Ethernet and serial connectivity, a 24-volt interface, and optically isolated I/O in one compact package.

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Motorola is offering the third generation of the industry’s most successful mid-range mobile computer to retailers, manufacturers and distributors to help improve customer satisfaction through more efficient and accurate inventory management. The new, lightweight MC3200 mobile computer is ideal for inventory-related tasks on the store sales floor, in the warehouse aisle and on the loading dock where mobile workers need to rapidly and accurately pick orders to ensure customers receive the right items on time.

The cost-effective MC3200 is the industry’s first enterprise-class mobile device available with support for both the Android and Windows Embedded Compact (CE) 7 operating system (OS) – enabling businesses to standardize on one OS for all of their enterprise applications. With Premium models of the MC3200, companies can swap between Android and Windows CE 7, enabling them to purchase the OS that best meets the needs of their businesses and workers today and in the future.

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Code has announced the release of the Code Reader 6000 (CR6000), an industrial grade direct part mark (DPM) reader that enhances data collection with the latest advancements in barcode reading.

The CR6000 employs Code’s latest imaging technology to achieve consistent first pass read rates of dot peen and laser-etched barcodes, regardless of surface type. Combining advanced illumination control and patented anti-glare technology with a propriety decoding platform, the CR6000 excels in reading low-contrast, hard-to-read barcodes, even those that are damaged by every day wear and tear.

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Now available with Windows CE, the CipherLab CP60 is the ideal solution for even the most demanding applications. With the most advanced features, such as LTE option, IP65 / IP67 ruggedness, 2.4 m impact resistance, and 3.8G HSPA+ with GPS tracking, the CP60  is the handheld terminal designed for various verticals including transportation and logistics, manufacturing, warehousing, field service, and field sales. Running on a powerful 1 GHz processor, along with the function of laser reader, long range laser, and 2D barcode reader, CP60 mobile computer is the perfect device designed for mobile workers to complete their jobs.

For assistance finding the right CipherLab device for your application, contact us at Barcodes Inc.

Intermec  has announced the PM23c, a new 2″ mid-range industrial printing solution and an extension of Intermec’s PM43 and PM43c printer platform. The PM23c is an all-metal barcode label printer primed for mission critical markets and applications such as airline passenger services, manufacturing, and retail, including product labeling and food traceability, where maximizing productivity drives results.

The PM23c offers all of the same advanced capability of the PM43 and PM43c, and is one of the industry’s best communicating printers with a full color touch-screen featuring 10 languages or an easy-to-use universal icon User Interface. This family of printers also offers a multi-lingual intuitive web-based device management interface, and WiFi- and CCX-Certifications. Also, with optional Bluetooth connectivity, the printer offers a leading range of industry standard and supported wireless connectivity choices.

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From the chemical market to the food and beverage sector, manufacturers rely on labeling solutions to enhance brand image, support product safety, comply with regulations and manage supply chain logistics. To help manufacturers that produce a high number of SKU’s manage the chaos associated with different label varieties and meet new regulatory labeling standards, Epson has developed its ColorWorks Label Printer technology including the Colorworks C831 label printer.

Epson’s latest innovation offers improved image quality and production speeds. The new technology helps reduce total labeling costs by up to 50 percent for a wide range of packaging and manufacturing applications.

The  ColorWorks C831 Wide Label Printer was designed especially to help chemical manufacturers and transporters comply with Globally Harmonized System (GHS) labeling standards. GHS provides a universal system for communicating physical, environmental and health hazard information. The first critical deadline is December 1, 2013, when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all employees be trained on new GHS labeling elements and Safety Data Sheet formats.

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Motorola announced their new  high-performance MC9190-Z RFID mobile computer, designed for demanding medium- to long-range applications in industrial environments. Ideal for manufacturing, warehouse, and transportation and logistics applications that require reading tags that are often out of sight or more than 10 feet away, the MC9190-Z is one of the longest-range RFID handhelds in its class available on the market.

The MC9190-Z handheld RFID reader leverages Motorola’s unique long-range linear antenna that enables more accurate data capture. The ergonomic features of the MC9190-Z also allow more frequent and accurate inventory-counts to better manage on-the-floor, back-room, warehouse and distribution inventory – reducing out-of-stock and excess inventory carrying costs.

With a rugged design to handle indoor or outdoor environments and offering multi-modal data capture that combines integrated RFID, direct part marking (DPM) and barcode reading, the MC9190-Z provides enterprise customers with a lower total cost of ownership.

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Mobile computers and barcode scanners can be found in every type of business and environment today.  Especially in manufacturing  locations, dust has become a big concern for many companies.  It may seem insignificant at first but many materials can become very combustible when they are in very small, dust-like particles.  Plastics, resins, and even sugar can become a dangerous hazard when in dust form. These small particles are very easy to ignite with a simple spark that could be generated by a scanner or mobile device.

Organizations such as OSHA and the  U.S. Chemical Safety Board have begun to push for greater regulation and stricter requirements to ensure the safety of every work environment.  One of the easiest things you can do is ensure all scanning devices you use in dust filled environments are rated as I-Safe.  Devices like the Honeywell MX9HL are completely sealed from dust and are certified for nonincendive electrical equipment that can be used hazardous locations. Getting the right device can be the difference between safety and lost lives.

For a more detailed review of what to be concerned with in a dust prone environment this article is a great place to start.

To find the right I-Safe device feel free contact us at Barcodes Inc.