As more and more companies realize the value of having an automated supply chain, it’s important to realize the capabilities needed before deciding on a solution. Use the following list below in order to determine what to do.

Conduct a Supply Chain Audit
Document what current manual processes are used and what is already automated. Also make note of any areas that are slow throughout the supply chain and look for processes that rely on one another for functionality. Make not of any changes that could be made.

Develop a Plan

• Prioritize areas to implement new technology and ask yourself what would gain the most value at a fast pace
• Define your current processes, changes and improvements
• Look for internal and external dependencies that affect the project and be sure that there are no missing links
• Look into hardware and software solutions. Be sure to choose vendors and partners that have a proven history within your industry.
• Include everyone that will be impacted by the automation, including employees, suppliers, and vendors. Make sure everyone understands the changes that will be made and what results they will provide for the company.
• Build in contingency time in case anything unforeseen happens.
• Plan for growth and implement a system that will grow along with your company.
• Define the ROI and go into the project knowing how its success will be measured, in addition to how the data will be collected.

Rollout Automation Methodically
Rather than attempting to begin everything at once, take your time and plan your automation implementation step by step.

Measure the Results
After each automation process is installed, measure the success in order to streamline future implementations.

Source: Intermec White Paper
Download the full version barcoding industrial automation.

A recent study regarding the use of RFID technology in the supply chain was published by the RFID Research Center at the University of Arkansas. The 13-week item-level tagging experiment was conducted at Bloomingdale’s stores last fall, and ultimately improved the store’s accuracy by 27 percent Let’s take a look at how these results were achieved.

In the experiment, two Bloomingdale’s stores in the northeastern United States were used, one was a test store, and the other a control store. At the test store Avery Dennison EPC Gen 2 passive UHF RFID tags were placed on men’s and women’s jeans. The RFID tags were attached to the jeans as they arrived to the test store, and the sales staff removed the tags once the jeans were purchased. Returned merchandise was retagged via a RFID printer/encoder. In order to properly count the tagged inventory, staff were supplied with handheld Motorola EPC Gen 2 UHF RFID readers.

Throughout the initial five weeks of the pilot, the test store staff used RFID readers and barcode scanners to count the RFID-tagged stock. They also scanned the barcodes attached to the same SKUs in the control store. They both performed counts three times per week, both on the sales floor and in the back room.

From there, the data was used to establish a baseline for the inventory in the men’s and women’s departments in both the test store and the control store. For the remainder of the experiment, both barcode and RFID counts were conducted two times a week via a contracted inventory service.

In the test store, inventory counting through barcode scanning and RFID technology provided a comparison of accuracy and efficiency. In addition to inventory counts, RFID readers were mounted at all employee and customer exits and entrances in the test store, allowing tagged merchandise to be more closely monitored.

Ultimately, researchers found that accuracy levels declined over the 13 week experiment when software was not adjusted by actual counts done with the RFID readers. However, once the inventory management system was adjusted to the actual counts done with the RFID readers, inventory accuracy improved by 27 percent, with overstocks decreasing by 6 percent and under-stocks decreasing by 21 percent.

Aside from accuracy, the amount of time it took o conduct the physical inventory counts decreased drastically. While barcode scanners could count approximately 209 items per hour, an astounding 4,767 items per hour could be counted with RFID. Thus, there was a net result of a 96 percent reduction in cycle-counting time by using RFID instead barcodes. By saving so much time, Bloomingdales would ultimately be able to perform more physical inventory counts, rather than just doing them a couple of times a year. The RFID system implemented at Bloomingdales was also able to prevent inventory losses.

Ultimately, the researchers plan on using the Bloomingdale’s study as a part of a more grandiose effort to demonstrate the ROI of RFID in retail environments. It will be interesting to see if further studies can influence other brands to make the move toward implementing an RFID based solution in their stores.

Do you think RFID technology will become a retail store staple?

Longaberger has been providing handcrafted baskets to loyal consumers since 1973. Recently, they decided to diversify into several product lines such as furniture items. However, when it came to packaging the items, employees would have to insert a care card into the protective packaging and affix a label with the item number and barcode on the outside.

Inserting the care cards significantly slowed the process and creative a labor intensive task for employees to complete. Rather than manually placing all of the care cards into the package, Longaberger needed a label that was large enough to incorporate the care card in addition to the item number and barcode.

After much research, Longaberger decided to go with the Intermec EasyCoder® 501XP printer with Intermec Duratherm® Labels. With the new printers, Longaberger was able to produce a high-quality label with care and item tracking information on it, which eliminated the arduous and costly step of having employees manually insert the care cards. Also, since the 501XP can operate as a stand alone printer, they can be programmed with all of the product and care information, allowing them to run without a PC controlling it. Ultimately, this saves space on the manufacturing floor, in addition to saving money by not having a dedicated computer for every printer.

Aside from the problem-solving hardware, Intermec was also able to provide Longaberger with an adaptable software programming language called Fingerprint, allowing them to design custom labels and streamline their manufacturing process.

Now, Longaberger just needs one label to hold all of their information, making Longaberger purchases easier for workers and customers alike.

With all of the data capture solutions on the market today, choosing a barcode scanner may seem overwhelming. However, after analyzing all of your needs, making the right choice should come easily.

It’s important to analyze both the requirements of your business and what your budget allows. Firs and foremost, ask yourself, “what barcode symbology will I need to be scanning?” While laser scanners are a cost-effective option, they aren’t able to scan 2D barcodes (aside from the PDF-417, a 2D-like symbology), which digital imagers can. With the use of 2D barcodes on the rise, it may be wise to invest in a digital imager so that it will better accommodate future progressions in technology. However, there are many advantages to laser scanners, including:

• Long distance decoding
• Cost effectiveness
• Scanning applications requiring motion tolerance

On the other hand, digital imagers can decode 2D barcodes, which can be encoded with a significantly greater amount of information than their 1D counterparts. In addition, imagers allow for omni-direction barcode reading, eliminating the need to accommodate the scanning device. Area imagers can even read Direct Part Marking (DPM), a method of permanently marking a product, allowing the product to be tracked throughout its life. Area imagers should be used in the following applications.

• Decoding 1D and 2D barcodes
• Reading DPM
• Scanning critical tracking information
• Capturing images for inventory management
• Combining barcode reading, image capture, and signature capture into one device

For more information on laser scanners and digital imagers, you can learn more here.

Perma-Codes offer a permanent barcode solution that involve pre-encoded stencils which can be directly applied onto a part at the point of manufacturing. Perma-code is an individually traceably, public domain data symbology that can withstand the harshest of conditions and is perfect for anyone that wants to keep track of work in progress, establish a just-in-time manufacturing system, measure and improve the efficiency of operations, develop a more efficient inventory system, and ensure a more efficient and reliable warranty after the sale.

By using encoded stencils, they can be pre-verified and submitted to the IUID (individual unique identification) registry, creating high quality, compliant barcodes that meet all of the MIL-STD-130 standards. Best of all, since the marks are non-invasive, it makes them one of the most durable barcodes on the market.