Learn the ins and outs of finding the right POD system.

Do you remember the 2006 spinach scare, or perhaps the 2009 peanut butter recall? Events such as these, in addition to the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI), which outlines a course of action to achieve supply-chain wide adoption of electronic traceability on every case of produce by 2012, has made food traceability an increasingly important issue.

However, it’s important to recognize that these recalls could have been prevented, or at least handled faster, had the proper mobile distribution solution been used. A quality Proof of Delivery (POD) system would increase accuracy in deliveries, but also ensure food traceability. Knowing that a POD can improve food traceability and ensure PIT compliance by 2012, how do you choose a system that’s right for you?

Here’s some tips and next steps to ensure your POD implementation goes as smoothly as possible:

Step 1: Conduct a Mobile Assessment
Determine your technological needs by asking:what is your operational purpose?

• Are you satisfied with your current level of automation or do you want to improve it?
• Are your customers satisfied with your solutions or are they demanding improvement?
• What are your competitors doing and why?

Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re wondering whether or not UID labels need to be verified, the answer is yes. In order to comply with MIL-STD-130 standards, contractors have a choice of verifying every label, or instigating a military approved statistical sampling program.

Since verifying UID labels can be very time consuming and expensive, combined the robust Datamatrix code used for UID markings, contractors will often take their chances and not put a verification process into place. However, this can lead to problems when labels fail to scan.

It is important that UID labels be tested with barcode verifiers, not just scanners, in order to ensure that they will properly scan. Even the simplest error, such as adding a space within a part number in the barcode can cause errors, as UID labels only allow certain characters, which does not get accounted for by only scanning the code.

The MIL-STD-130 verification rule was added by the DoD in order to ensure that items being added to the supply chain contain the correct data and meet all quality guidelines, ensuring that UID marks can be read every step of the way.

While skipping the verification process may seem like and easy way to save time and money, there is a good chance that something could go wrong, which is far more expensive to correct.

When it comes to MIL-STD-130 standards and UID labels, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so save yourself the headaches and make use of your barcode verifier!

The GS1 provides standards for barcodes in addition to general business standards such as electronic messaging and data synchronization. The GS1 also provides training and support for the implementation of international standards.

The GS1 also works collaboratively with the ISO, or the International Organization for Standardization, which is the world’s largest developer of standards. The GS1 and ISO both share the same passion for the importance of global standardization. For this reason, many of the GS1’s standards are ISO-compliant and the GS1 has adopted many ISO standards such as identification, GS1 barcodes, electronic data interchange and RFID.

For more information about the relationship between GS1 and ISO, download the brochure here.

With ever-changing business standards and the constant need to invent new ones, there becomes a need to keep track of all the terminology associated with such standards. The storage for these terms is the GS1 Global Data Dictionary, or GDD, which allows users to search for the information they need in a variety of different ways.

GDD Search
Look up business terms and display associated documents, definitions and data types.

GDD Reports
View all of the information related to a business message in a technical document.

GDD Code Lists
View code list values and value definitions of GS1 code lists.

Extended Attributes
The GS1 realizes that there are local data needs and specific trading partner needs that are not supported in the global standard today, thus the need for extended attributes.

GS1 Standards Knowledge Center
Access published GSMP standards documents and implementation guides.

Read the rest of this entry »

Healthcare providers throughout the world have been implementing Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) systems in order to ensure traceability of their surgical instruments, improve patient safety and optimize asset management. An area of particular concern was the instrument reprocessing cycle, particularly to and from sterilization. Ultimately, the goal of the system is to save costs through a more efficient process and better asset management.

Healthcare providers have already started to implement two-dimensional barcodes directly on their surgical instruments. Because of this, the GS1 Healthcare established a group to develop appropriate industry standards, which underwent the GS1 Global Standards Management Process (GSMP) and Application Standards for Small Medical/Surgical Instrument Marking have now been established. The implementation of this standard is definitely a significant accomplishment towards the goal of improving patient safety.

Read the rest of this entry »