With December just around the corner, it’s important to be aware of all the great ADC events coming up. Many of them are Webinars, so you won’t even need to leave your chair!

UID Summit

When:December 2-3, 2009
Where:The Amsterdam Hilton
Description: The UID Summit is dedicated for European defense officials and industry suppliers discuss Unique Identification (UID). The Summit will focus on opportunities for improvements in asset management, item visibility, UID compliance, implementation tactics, and efforts to tie UID to RFID for complete in-transit visibility.
For more information, learn more here.

DotCode: The New 2D Symbology Webinar

When:December 9, 2009, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST
Description:AIM, the global trade organization for automatic identification, is hosting a Webinar featuring the DotCode. Conducted by the inventor of DotCode and Aztec Code, Andy Longacre, will provide an in-depth look at the 2D matrix symbology.
To register for this event, learn more here.

Seminar – Field Operations Information Session

When:December 15, 2009, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM EST
Where:Pier V hotel in Baltimore, MD
Description:Barcoding Inc., Honeywell and Apacheta will be hosting an Information Session on field service solutions.
To register for this event, learn more here.

Mobilizing SAP in a Day Webinar

When:December 16, 2009
Description:Barcoding Inc., PsionTeklogix and Sky Technologies will be hosting a webinar about some of the latest advances in mobile SAP integration, including how to mobilize SAP in a day.
For more information, learn more here.

Data Capture and Bar Code Series: Long-Range Scanning

When:December 31, 2009
Description:Tracy Hillstrom, Group Manager for Data Capture Systems at Intermec, will discuss long-range barcode scanning and the latest technologies that help make it possible.
To register for this event, learn more here.

The 2D Revolution – Take Your Data Capture in New Directions

When:December 31, 2009
Description:Find out what impact 2D barcodes could have on your business.
To register for this event, learn more here.

Learn How to Assess the True Cost of Mobile Computing Ownership

When:December 31, 2009
Description:Learn how to assess TCO and properly evaluate the costs of an IT investment.
For more information, learn more here.

McNeilus Steel, one of the largest steel suppliers in the Midwest, needed to upgrade their warehouse processes to improve order accuracy inventory visibility. More specifically, customers began wanting more accurate proof of pull and ship, documentation that includes the chemical composition of the steel based on test reports from the mill. After searching for the answer, McNeilus discovered Barcoding Inc., a Solutions Integrator with expertise in providing complete automated data collection solutions.

In order to meet McNeilus’ needs, Barcoding Inc. decided on a solution that would integrate barcode technology with pre-existing IT infrastructure and warehouse processes by using the Zebra Z4M and QL320 thermal/thermal transfer printers in conjunction with the right mobile computers and software. After researching the environment, Barcoding Inc. recommended the Motorola MC9090 and MC9090k mobile computers because of their enhanced ergonomics, large screen and streamlined keyboard. In addition, McNeilus’ pre-existing software from Paragon Consulting was modified with the help of Barcoding Inc. in order to accommodate the new tools.

With their new upgraded system, McNeilus workers now receive advance ship notices from suppliers that include mill test certificates for each SKU, and items cannot be received without the document. From there, the data is used to receive the product, which is then marked with a barcode label printed from the Zebra Z4M printer, and then put away in pre-assigned location. Sales staff can also use the data to locate inventory in real time, allowing them to be confident that their items will still be there when it’s time to be picked.

When it comes to items being picked, picks are printed out on pick tickets, which Pickers take to the location and scan the order number, location and picked item. Since many stell products are cumbersome, pickers used to have to move one product out of the way to reach another, but now, rather than searching, workers can use their Motorola MC9090 to update the location in the database so that the item can be easily located for future orders. With over 50 mobile terminals and printer combinations, Barcoding Inc. also implemented Cloudsync mobile device management, a software tool that allows McNeilus to track the location, health and performance of all terminals and printers on the netowork in order to better monitor their devices.

In addition, Barcoding Inc. also helped McNeilus add a shipment verification step to their process before trucks leave for deliveries, making orders much more likely to go out correct and complete the first time.

Once everything was installed and running, McNeilus was able to achieve its goals:

• Order accuracy increased at least 2%.
• Productivity rose through more efficient processes.
• Order fulfillment rates increased.
• Customer satisfaction improved.
• Credits issued for mis-shipments decreased.

Interested in how McNeilus upgraded their processes? Take a look at the full case study here.

I receive a lot of questions about the longevity of mobile devices. While choosing the proper mobile device for your needs is important, it’s just as important to choose the proper battery.

The cycle life and performance of a battery pack is related to the quality of the cells used, In addition to charging techniques. Quality cell manufacturers recommend that new battery packs be slow charged for up to 24 hours, allowing each cell within the pack to properly activate and equalize voltages, making the pack more dependable in the long run.

The main batteries used in the ADC industry are Nickel Cadmium (NiCAD), Nickel
Metal Hydride (NiMH), and Lithium Ion (Li-ion). Let’s examine each of them to find the
proper battery for your mobile devices’ needs.

Nickel Cadmium
Although mature and well understood, NiCAD is relatively low in energy dencity. It’s
commonly used when long life, high discharge rate, and price are concerns in two-way
radio, biomedical equipment, professional video cameras, and power tool applications.
However, it should be known that NiCAD contains toxic metals that are not
environmentally friendly.

Nickel-Metal Hydride
While NiMH has a higher density level than NiCAD, it’s life cycle is reduced. Common
applications include data collection, wireless communications, and laptop computers. The
good thing about NiMH is that it contains no toxic metals.

Lithium Ion
Li-ion is a battery that is increasing in popularity and is great when high-energy, density,
and lightweight are key concerns. It is commonly used when data collection, notebook
computers, and wireless communications are needed. However, the technology is fragile
and a protection circuit is required for safety reasons.

While all of the batters have their pros and con, most data collection applications use a
nickel-metal hybrid battery. There’s also battery optimization software that can
effectively eliminate the possibility of a battery running out of paper.

For more information on batteries and battery optimization software, you can learn more
here.

In the restaurant business, servers know how difficult it can be to turn tables if their restaurant’s POS is difficult to use and there are only a few stations available to send in the orders. The longer it takes to send the orders to the kitchen, the longer it takes for customers to get their food, which can lead to complaints for management and less overall sales.

A French bistro in New York City recently evaluated their POS system and decided that they needed an upgrade. Like most restaurants, their current POS was a fixed system requiring manual processes and a significant amount of training to learn. In order to save time traveling to and from fixed POS stations, servers would often take multiple table’s orders before entering them. This caused an array of problems including increased chance for errors and back-ups in the kitchen do the sudden surges of orders in the kitchen, ultimately causing meal turn around time to increase.

In order to fix these inefficiencies, the restaurant realized that they needed an easy-to-use wireless hand-held system that would work both in the restaurant and on the patio. Ultimately, they discovered the Motorola MC50 hand-held mobile computers.

The MC50 was able to accommodate all of the restaurant’s need, offering a four-foot drop rating and eight hours of continuous usage. By decreasing unnecessary trips to and from stationary POS stations, servers saved time by sending orders to the kitchen and bar right from the table, receiving real-time updates of menu items that are unavailable, ultimately allowing for more guest interaction.

After switching to the hand-held POS system, the restaurant was also able to better inform guests with food allergies, in addition up-selling because of the wine pairings servers could easily view on the devices’ screen. This places less stress on the server, but also allows drinks to be sent to the bar quicker, in turn, increasing the amount of drinks ordered and thus, money spent. Another handy feature about the Motorola MC50 is that servers can securely process credit card orders directly from the table and instantly print the receipt, speeding up the entire process and turning tables faster than ever before.

While I haven’t been to any restaurants that use even a remotely similar system, using a wireless POS system is definitely a win-win situation for customer, servers, and management alike.

If you’re interested in a wireless POS system or the Motorola MC50, you can learn more here.

If taking inventory of your small-medium sized company seems like a pain, then can you imagine how large companies do it? Since it’s often too expensive to shut down for even a day, large companies cycle count to keep track of their inventory.

Basically, cycle counting is constantly validating the accuracy of the inventory in a system by regularly counting a portion of the inventory on a regular basis so that ever item in the inventory is counted at lease several times a year.

In contrast to traditional physical inventory counts, cycle counting does not stop a facility’s operations and provides an ongoing measure of inventory accuracy. With cycle counting, companies can enjoy:

• Confidence in an accurate inventory count
• Operational efficiency
• Less inventory write-offs

In order to perform accurate cycle counts, many organizations use software in order to implement an inventory control system, often a part of a warehouse management system. This could include mobile computers with integrated barcode scanners, allowing workers to automatically identify items, and enter inventory counts via keypad. From there, the software transmits data to the host database system, which can easily generate inventory reports.

If you’re interested in the tools needed to begin cycle counting your inventory, you can learn more here.