Manufacturing Archives - MSM Solutions

What to Expect in 2022 – The State of the Global Supply Chain

It’s no secret that the current supply chain is broken, and we already know what’s to blame. The COVID-19 pandemic created disruptions in the global supply chain beginning in early 2021 that continue to linger despite multiple vaccines and fewer daily cases. To understand where we are and what we can do to cope with this enormous problem, we need to understand how we got here and the challenges we continue to face. Manufacturing Delays In the world’s biggest manufacturing hubs like...

By Brett WilkersonApparel Solutions, Automotive Solutions, Distribution and Logistics, Healthcare Solutions, IoT, Manufacturing, PortalTrack

How Much is Your Printer Really Costing You? 4 Ways the Wrong Printer Can Hurt Your Bottom Line

If your business processes rely on industrial, desktop or mobile label printers, you probably have an idea what they cost to operate. From the cost of the printer itself, to the cost of ribbons, labels, and other supplies, your budget undoubtedly covers all of the hard costs of owning and operating your printer fleet. You may even have accounted for the cost of maintenance. But what about the unknown costs that you didn’t budget for? Downtime is a problem that virtually...

By Justin JohnsonBlog Posts, Manufacturing, Printing Technology, Thermal Printingbarcode, label, mobile, printer, Zebra

Choosing the Right Label for Your Barcode Application

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.

By Justin JohnsonApparel Solutions, Automotive Solutions, Barcode, Distribution and Logistics, Manufacturing, Printing Technology, Service Bureau, Thermal Printingbarcode, label, workflow, Zebra

Facing the Top Challenges in Manufacturing with MSM Solutions

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...

By Brett WilkersonAutomotive Solutions, Distribution and Logistics, Manufacturing

How I-T-C-M Spells ‘Security’ for Inventory Management

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...

By Brett WilkersonAutomotive Solutions, Distribution and Logistics, Healthcare Solutions, Manufacturing, Omnichannel, PortalTrack, Retail, RFID

4 Goals for Optimizing Chain of Custody Procedures

MSM serves labs of varying size and type, all with one common thread: optimizing the chain of custody process. Laboratory operations require high-volume throughput with pinpoint accuracy. This is particularly important when you consider a medical lab, for example, where one mistake could mean life or death for the patient. The Chain of Custody (CoC) ProcessChain of custody is a common procedure that ensures that a specimen, sample or item being produced is properly identified at the start of the...

By Brett WilkersonBarcode, Blog Posts, Healthcare Solutions, Lab Samples, Manufacturing, Mobile Printing, PortalTrack, RFID, Zebra Mobile Computers, Zebra Mobile Printersbarcode, chain of custody, Inventory Management, lab operations, mobile computer, RFID, scanner, Zebra

A Zebra Study: Mobile Solutions in Manufacturing

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...

By Brett WilkersonApparel Solutions, Automotive Solutions, Barcode, Manufacturing, Mobile Printing, Zebra Mobile Computers, Zebra Mobile Printersbarcode, Inventory Management, mobile computers, mobile workforce, rugged tablets, Zebra

Using Mobile Devices to Improve Inventory Management

Whether you’re tracking parts as they make their way to the assembly line, managing the flow of products through a retail back room, or monitoring the usage of essential supplies in a hospital, your operation’s efficiency is determined largely by your ability to ensure that everything your workflows need is in the right place at the right time. In fact, effective inventory management is essential for any business that moves materials through a supply chain or distributes and tracks...

By Brett WilkersonApparel Solutions, Barcode, Distribution and Logistics, Healthcare Solutions, Lab Samples, Manufacturing, Mobile Printing, Omnichannel, Retail, Zebra Mobile Computers, Zebra Mobile Printersbarcode, Inventory Management, mobile computers, Zebra

Serving up Software: 4 Reasons why BarTender is an Industry Favorite

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...

By Justin JohnsonAutomotive Solutions, Barcode, Distribution and Logistics, Manufacturing, Service Bureau, Zebra Mobile Computersbarcode, BarTender, label, print, printer, security, software, trial, warehouse

5 Reasons to Update Your Mobile Devices

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...

By Justin JohnsonAutomotive Solutions, Barcode, Distribution and Logistics, Manufacturing, Service Bureau, Zebra Mobile ComputersAndroid, computers, mobile, network, security, Zebra