We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • TRANSPORTATION
  • MATERIAL HANDLING
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • LIFT TRUCKS
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • Webcasts
    • Blogs
      • One-Off Sound Off
      • Global Logistics and Risk
      • Empowering Your Performance Edge
      • Analytics & Big Data
      • Submit your blog post
    • Events
    • White Papers
    • Industry Press Room
      • Upload Your News
    • New Products
      • Upload Your Product News
    • Conference Guides
    • Conference Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • DCV-TV
    • DCV-TV 1: News
    • DCV-TV 2: Case Studies
    • DCV-TV 3: Webcasts
    • DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
    • DCV-TV 5: Solution Profiles
    • Parcel Forum 2022
    • MODEX 2022
    • Upload Your Video
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • TRANSPORTATION
  • MATERIAL HANDLING
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • LIFT TRUCKS
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • Webcasts
    • Blogs
      • One-Off Sound Off
      • Global Logistics and Risk
      • Empowering Your Performance Edge
      • Analytics & Big Data
      • Submit your blog post
    • Events
    • White Papers
    • Industry Press Room
      • Upload Your News
    • New Products
      • Upload Your Product News
    • Conference Guides
    • Conference Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • DCV-TV
    • DCV-TV 1: News
    • DCV-TV 2: Case Studies
    • DCV-TV 3: Webcasts
    • DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
    • DCV-TV 5: Solution Profiles
    • Parcel Forum 2022
    • MODEX 2022
    • Upload Your Video
Home » Equipment vendors aim to reduce product complexity
inbound

Equipment vendors aim to reduce product complexity

May 3, 2016
DC Velocity Staff
No Comments

MHI's Modex 2016 show in Atlanta featured over 800 exhibitors, and even with five editors on the show floor, it was impossible for us to visit every booth and see every new product. But we did notice some trends in the latest offerings. Here are just three examples, all of which share a common thread: reducing complexity.

  • Pick up your phone (or watch). Most people have smartphones nowadays, and using them is pretty intuitive. So why not shorten the learning curve by mimicking what's already familiar: the viewing and sharing of information via phone. Several exhibitors have done just that, including AeroVironment, whose PosiCharge ProCore battery chargers allow users to program the chargers and transfer data through a smartphone app. Another was Cognex Corp., which introduced rugged handheld assemblies that hold both off-the-shelf smartphones and a bar-code reader that works in tandem with the phone. TopVox Corp. went even smaller with its Lydia Smart Watch product, a voice-directed picking solution that displays pictures of the items to be picked on a consumer smartwatch.
  • The more modular, the merrier. The use of "plug and play" modules and standard components makes equipment easier to assemble, update, repair, and reconfigure, an important consideration as companies struggle to find qualified technicians. Exhibitors making the leap to modular products included Interroll, which switched from custom conveyor designs to a more modular, configurable platform, and Kardex Remstar, which revamped its carousels to include standardized end and intermediate sections. Another example was Lenze Americas' Smart Motor, which now features modular plugins that let customers swap out control units, memory chips, and the power unit without any specialized tools or knowledge.
  • Make it easy on the eyes. When people have to interact with multiple devices or hunt through vast amounts of information, they're more likely to make mistakes. The Raymond Corp. tackled that problem by integrating information that previously had to be viewed on four separate devices in a single display. The new display unit lets forklift operators view Raymond's iWarehouse telematics functionality and toggle between lift truck operations information, a height-tilt indicator, and an operator camera display. Another example (released but not exhibited during Modex) is "Subway Platform," a new feature of Seegrid's fleet control system that displays estimated-time-of-arrival (ETA) projections at individual stations where its vision-guided vehicles retrieve or deliver materials. Instead of having to find that information on a large display for the entire fleet, workers now can view only the information that's directly relevant to their station.

Material Handling Technology Internal Movement Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems Controls & Controlling Devices Conveyors Lift Trucks, Personnel & Burden Carriers Automatic Data Capture Bar Codes Voice Fleet Management, Warehouse Equipment
KEYWORDS AeroVironment Cognex Corp. Interroll Kardex Remstar Lenze Americas Raymond Corp. Seegrid Corporation top-VOX
  • Related Articles

    Equipment that's built to last ... and last

    Linking tools to lift labor productivity

    Leave the (forklift) driving to us?

Recent Articles by DC Velocity Staff

Logistics gives back: February 2023

Intermodal sector weathered a “challenging” year in 2022, IANA says

Nocturnal robots stock store shelves

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • Schneider welcomes first battery-electric truck

  • Fred Smith is not worried about Amazon

  • RJW LOGISTICS GROUP EXPANDS RETAIL LOGISTICS OPERATION TO DALLAS

  • Maersk deploys indoor drones for warehouse inventory counts

  • Outlook 2023: What’s in store for logistics/supply chain?

Now Playing on DCV-TV

5afe63a5 7125 4318 b851 1e5738df1c91

Patterson Fan Co. | HVLS V-Series Ceiling Fan | Staging Area Air Movement

DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
The Patterson V-Series is a high-volume, low-speed industrial ceiling fan that is designed to circulate a lot of air at a very low speed. These fans, ranging in diameters of 8’ all the way to 24’, are perfect for large, open spaces such as staging and shipping areas. One 24’ fan can generate a cooling effect of 6 –...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • The five best applications for robotic lift trucks in warehouse environments

  • Fulfillment Facility Improved Efficiencies by 4x

  • 3PLs: Complete Orders Faster with Flexible Automation

  • Reusable Packaging for the New Wave of Supply Chain Automation

View More

Subscribe to DC Velocity Magazine

GET YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing