Many organizations are trying to keep production moving with fewer employees working per shift and order volumes rising by the day. Selecting the right label solution has never been more important to the success of your business.
Like most industries, manufacturing in the U.S. experienced an unprecedented downturn in 2020. Years of sluggish growth hit the pandemic head-on resulting in a perfect storm that dropped the industry’s market size to $5.3T - its lowest in more than a decade. However, despite the letdown, U.S. manufacturing has shown its resilience, bouncing back with an expected market growth rate of 10.8% in 2021. To ensure this expectation becomes reality, organizations in the manufacturing industry need to address the most...
Inventory management can be a tricky operation especially since there are two types of security you need to consider. First, there’s the peace-of-mind knowing that your inventory is where it should be and being moved on time and in accurate quantities. Between the factory, warehouse, distribution center and retail/customer premise, its easy to lose track of what you have. Second, there’s the knowledge that your assets are protected from criminals. Without the proper safeguards in place, bad actors can easily take...
A well-functioning supply chain is essential for any manufacturing business, and that requires a well-connected warehouse operation that offers visibility into materials, supplies, and products at all times. The integration of mobile computers and rugged tablets are one of the best ways to transform warehouse operations to help manufacturers keep pace with the challenges of today’s on-demand economy. We’re not the only ones advocating for mobile devices as a way to transform manufacturing operations. Zebra recently released a study of...
If you’re in the market for barcode label software, then chances are you’ve heard of BarTender. BarTender is a product of Seagull Scientific, and helps users simplify the creation of labels, documents, barcodes and more. For anyone who has had the responsibility to print labels for serial plates, inventory materials, orders, pallets, shelving, assets and even ID cards, you know how difficult it can be to manage it with a home-grown program and limited parameters. With BarTender you have...
The state of warehouse operations is changing. High-volume fulfillment operations require more item-level picking and returns. There’s a growing demand for shorter cycle times; and with high workforce turnover and seasonal staffing, it puts a premium on training. Plus, widespread use of mobile devices has increased exposure to IT security breaches that threaten to disrupt warehouse operations. Add it up, and today’s warehouse or distribution center is no place for outdated technology. If you need a cost-effective way to...
When you consider enterprise IoT, information security, and the potential for data breaches in warehouse operations, your first concerns are most likely your network, computers, and mobile devices. Those are indeed well-known targets for hackers, but there are other security risks hiding in plain sight throughout virtually every warehouse: Your printers. We tend to think of printers as simple one-way appliances, but we’ve been relying on them as fully networked multi-function technology hubs for decades, and today they are just...
Did you know that one of the first RFID systems was used in World War II? Known as Identify Friend of Foe (IFF), the system was used to help British radar operators distinguish between friendly and enemy fighter planes and bombers. Today, RFID is used by a variety of industries such as pharma, retail, logistics, travel and agriculture. But to get the best use of the technology for your particular requirements, you need to find the RFID solution that fits your business needs. The first thing you should...
In today’s business world, understanding your customers’ needs greatly impacts your business and affects how you manage your inventory. Keeping an accurate and real-time view of your inventory is one of the best ways to keep your customers satisfied and your operations competitive. In fact, 57% of companies state that their inventory management is one of the key components that gives them an edge over the competition. While most manufacturers, as well as warehouses and distribution centers rely on barcode technology, RFID inventory management has the ability to...
In recent years, a series of innovations have emerged to bring the manufacturing industry into a new evolutionary stage. The increased use of automation combined with the ubiquity of smart devices and their wireless networks make it possible to reach levels of flexibility and efficiency never before possible. Today, the advanced level of intelligence realized in manufacturing processes is possible thanks to new technologies including Business Intelligence (BI), Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Services (IoS) and the Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies allow the modern...
