Label Printer Applicators for Multiple Food Processing Lines
PREVIOUS PROCESS:
A large food processing plant that produces and packages coffee and rice was installing a warehouse management system that was integrated with a portable radio frequency barcode system.
They needed a label printer applicator to automatically apply barcode labels to pallets while communicating with their Ethernet connected Hewlett Packard UNIX system.
ID TECHNOLOGY PROPOSAL OR SOLUTION:
ID Technology installed 6 Label Printer Applicators that were serially attached to an Ethernet to RS-232 protocol converter box.
On four production lines, the pallets varied widely in size and placement on the conveyor and were to be labeled on the side. For these production lines, ID Technology fitted the label printer applicators with "Smart Tamps" that automatically sense the position of the pallet and extend the tamp pad to that position, accurately applying the label.
On the remaining two food processing lines the labels needed to be applied to the front of the pallet. These label printer applicators were fitted with "Swing Arm Tamps" that apply labels to the pallet's leading edge.
The Hewlett Packard host system queries each printer applicator checking for a label in queue. If they do not have a label in queue the HP then sends down a new sequential tracking number for the printer applicator to generate a new label.
ID Technology also manufactured a 4" x 6", two piece, "piggy-back" label to be applied to each pallet. Once on the pallet, the label becomes 8 different labels that can be removed and then attached to other pallets or documents.
In addition, ID Technology programmed the ASCII command string that is downloaded from the HP and generates the customer's label.
