For Holman Logistics, nothing is more important than the safety of its team members and the customers for whom they provide manufacturing logistics, warehousing, and transportation services.

“Our core values set the foundation for the work we do, and we have no more important core value than safety. We constantly seek technology, training, and other innovative resources to help us maintain our superior safety performance,” commented Brien Downie, president of Holman Logistics.

Holman operates forklifts in all its locations across the United States, and operations managers and customers understand the human and financial costs of forklift-related accidents. Holman currently monitors and tracks forklift activity; however, management wanted to understand the root causes of mishaps and find out if it was possible to create a system to warn of problems and prevent accidents from occurring.

The Solution

Along with ensuring that it hires, trains, and develops technically proficient forklift drivers, Holman chose to partner with OneTrack to leverage that company’s expertise in Computer Vision and Deep Learning, also known as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Computer Vision refers to software processing images from an onboard camera. While the concept of Computer Vision has been around for a long time, recent advancements in Deep Learning allow computers to detect, recognize, and predict high-level concepts from images with superhuman accuracy and reliability.

A system powered by Deep Learning has the ability not only to detect that an incident occurred, but also to learn why that incident occurred. Most importantly, it can recognize the same pattern in the future and provide a real-time warning when it thinks a similar incident is about to happen. Such a system continues to learn while deployed, actively preventing incidents and continuously getting better at doing so. As the system learns, drivers become safer and more effective, and the number of accidents can be reduced over time.

These technologies create a safer, more efficient workplace for everyone, which is important for Holman because processes, requirements, and workflows can vary greatly by customer and location across its network of facilities.

Brien Downie concluded, “I am confident that these AI tools, along with our never-ending safety focus, will help us achieve our goal of accident-free operations. AI technology is already having a positive impact on the safety performance of the entire industry.”

To learn more:
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“By 2025, this figure will be nearly 700,000,” adds Ash Sharma, managing director at the research firm.

Much of the warehouse innovation spurred by steady e-commerce growth and a warehouse worker shortage has focused on AMRs and AGVs because they let facilities add automation quickly and affordably. But innovation is happening in other aspects of materials handling, too. For example, companies that provide more conventional materials handling equipment such as conveyors, totes, and pallets are also innovating to help brands meet demand as efficiently as possible.

“Mobility, manipulation, and storage are all being disrupted by technology right now,” says Erik Nieves, CEO of Plus One Robotics, a 3D and AI-powered vision software maker.

The innovation in nearly every aspect of automation and materials handling has generated a new class of warehouse MVPs. Here are seven outstanding achievements.

1. Best Robot Vision

Parcel sorting robots designed to help packages reach their destinations as quickly as possible are more powerful and accurate than ever, thanks to software that learns as it goes with artificial intelligence (AI).

Warehouses have traditionally relied on humans to make real-time sorting decisions that require “singulation”—the ability to see items as distinct from others. But as developers and manufacturers invest in higher-level vision software, robots can take over those tasks.

For example, Kindred Powered by Ocado Group recently introduced INDUCT, an AI-powered robotic system designed to automate the small parcel induction process. It uses the firm’s proprietary continuous-learning software to pick, maneuver, and place items onto a moving belt or tilt sorter.

Like humans, the software and robots get better at their jobs as they gain experience. They also share what they learn at one installation with INDUCT robots at other locations.

“We’re one of the few companies in the AI-powered smart robotics space to deploy reinforcement learning algorithms in real world settings,” says Marin Tchakarov, CEO of Kindred. “Our systems learn how to be faster, better, and smarter by trial and error, literally. Then we consolidate that learning and pass it on to the entire fleet.”

Because of this, the system’s speed improved 17% year-over-year from 2020 to 2021. For the same reason, the more robots the company deploys, the better the system gets for all users.

“The collaboration this created has been tremendous with respect to existing customers hosting other companies to show the specific deployments at their sites,” Tchakarov adds.

While Kindred provides both the hardware and software for its AI-enhanced robots, software maker Plus One Robotics collaborates with robot manufacturers such as recently announced partner Tomkins Robotics.

The companies are teaming up to offer an automated picking solution that combines Plus One Robotics 3D and AI software with the Tompkins Robotics tSort system.

Recent vision innovations are significant, says Nieves, because they mean that robotic arms can finally perceive, manipulate, and grasp objects similar to how people can.

“What they needed was vision and 3D vision specifically because you have to know the depth and height of items when picking them,” he says. That requires cameras, sensors, and software.

People are still better at this than robots, Nieves says, so his company provides remote human support when a robot is stumped. “Crew chiefs” monitor robot activity and respond when the system alerts them to a problem.

“It’s a call center turned on its head,” he says. “Usually, customers call an 800 number with a problem and a chat bot answers. In this case, our robots call people.”

2. Most Inspiring Cross-Company Collaboration

After piloting Ambi Robotics’ AmbiSort parcel sorting system in its Ontario, California, e-commerce hub, Pitney Bowes recently announced it is adding more than 60 of the robots to eight of its 17 e-commerce hubs across the country, with plans to expand to the remainder later. The robots are used in last-mile parcel sortation before sacks are delivered to U.S. Postal Service facilities.

The Ontario pilot was part of the shipping and mailing company’s Collaborative Innovation Program that explores emerging technology and its potential impact on the company’s logistics operations. “We helped build out that solution as partners, providing information about what was working and what wasn’t, and how to improve the software and solution,” says Stephanie Cannon, senior vice president and head of global platform and network at Pitney Bowes.

After the system was finalized, the partners installed eight sortation systems and eight robots in Pitney Bowes’ Stockton, California, e-commerce hub. Now fully operational, it will serve as the prototype for subsequent installations.

3. Most Affordable Robotics Solution

Robots as a service (RaaS) is a subscription model that allows companies to lease robotic equipment rather than purchasing it outright. The RaaS market is expected to grow from $12.6 billion in 2020 to more than $41.3 billion by 2028, reports Coherent Market Insights.

A RaaS agreement makes the $23 million Pitney Bowes/Ambi Robotics deal possible. “We’re expanding rapidly, with many other facilities we need to open or build out,” says Cannon. “It takes a lot of capital to build out the concrete, and RaaS lets us preserve our capital for network expansion.”

At Kindred, RaaS is the norm. “That is something that we have been doing since the beginning on our quest to make it as simple and as flexible as possible for our customers to adopt this incredibly nascent technology into their operations,” says Tchakarov. “The customer pays as they go.”

4. Most Flexible Conveyors

Package sorting innovation extends beyond robotics, however, to decidedly low-tech conveyors. LogistiQ, a new subsidiary of LEWCO, a unit-handling conveyor maker founded more than 100 years ago, now offers a modular portable roller conveyor. MechLite allows e-commerce centers to quickly install sorting capacity in smaller spaces than is possible with traditional conveyor systems.

“We can provide similar sorting capacity in footprints as small as 600,000 square feet with an install time that is four to six weeks instead of 12 months, giving companies enormous capacity very quickly,” says Al Sparling, business development manager.

He cites a recent situation when a large parcel customer lost a facility to tornado damage. “We received the purchase order on Tuesday and the following Tuesday they were sorting packages in a new building,” he says.

5. Strongest, Most Uniform Totes and Pallets

Other low-tech innovations include plastic-molded products such as totes, containers, and pallets that feature consistent dimensions so they integrate easily with high-speed systems. ORBIS Corporation’s new Odyssey plastic pallets, for example, are designed for newer racking systems.

“Rackable plastic pallets optimize storage and offer dimensional consistency for automated equipment, but they also help reduce product damage because there are no nails poking out or chipped corners that cause products to fall off,” says Alex Hempel, the company’s senior director, retail supply chain. They also offer a more sustainable alternative to wooden pallets.

6. Most Ingenious Safety Wearables Insight

When industrial safety wearables company StrongArm Technologies noticed that 60% of a client’s inexperienced peak-season warehouse workers left their jobs or were terminated within the first 90 days, they examined the wearables data for insights.

“While the assumption was that these people were not cut out for this work, we saw the complete opposite,” says Sean Petterson, CEO and founder.

By comparing pick data information from tenured workers to that of the new hires, the firm discovered that new people were lifting at a rate that was four times faster. They were, in fact, working as fast as they could to get a permanent position. But when some felt they were failing or were afraid of getting hurt, they quit.

StrongArm recommended letting trainees learn and improve at a slower pace. “On one side of the warehouse, we had a much slower-running conveyor belt that enabled new hires to get a feel for tasks,” Petterson says. “Then slowly, we ratcheted that up until the safety scores of the group leveled off to a safe point.” As a result, the company helped ease its worker shortage by increasing new hire retention by 45% while reducing injury rates.

7. Smartest Forklifts

At The Raymond Corporation, forklifts are evolving in ways that allow pickers to improve picking efficiency and accuracy. “We’re adding features that incorporate the truck into the warehouse management system so the operator doesn’t have to figure out where to go next,” says David Norton, vice president of customer solutions and support. “The truck automatically takes them to the next pick face.”

Options such as zoning and positioning give operators a more efficient way to get to the next pick, making it easier for them to focus on their picking, not where they are within the facility or aisle.

The company is working to make its materials handling equipment even smarter. At the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), a team of Raymond Corporation-funded researchers is looking at how fork truck groups can work together in autonomous ways to complete a set of tasks.

“We’re focusing on localization and navigation—sensors and sensing equipment so a vehicle knows where it is, where other vehicles are, and how it will avoid vehicles and make decisions along the way to reach its destination,” says Michael Kuhl, professor of industrial and systems engineering.

The industry needs this type of research among different equipment providers, as well. “There’s little inter-operability between manufacturers,” notes Sharma of Interact Analysis. “A forklift from one company can’t yet talk to a picker from another and coordinate. The world needs more partnerships between industry vendors,” he says.

Perhaps that will be the next big innovation.

Geographically, Asia-Pacific dominates the global forklift truck market due to rising urbanization and industrialization. Moreover, Japan, India, and China are the major economies in Asia-Pacific that contribute to the adoption of forklift trucks. Additionally, China’s fast-growing e-commerce sector drives the demand for forklift trucks.

Rising adoption of electric forklift trucks is expected to fuel the market growth in the future. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing region during 2017 to 2024.

Some key market players include Toyota Industries Corporation, Kion Group AG, Crown Equipment Corporation, Clark Material Handling Co., UniCarriers Americas Corporation, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Mitsubishi Nichiyu Forklift Co., and Anhui Heli Co. These companies are using various strategies such as expansion, mergers and acquisitions, collaboration, partnerships, and product launches to gain and hold large market share.

The Budweiser Budvar Brewery leveraged Sewio real-time location system (RTLS) to improve warehouse utilization, decrease maintenance costs and get additional insights into their logistics operations.

The Budweiser Budvar Brewery was using a passive RFID solution to minimize human error while operating 20,000+ pallets with hundreds of varieties of beers using forklifts equipped with an RFID antenna at their chassis and RFID tags located at each of the tracked pallet positions. Due to the easily desynchronization or even damage of antennas the maintenance cost grew rapidly, and the system uptime was only 80%.

In order to retain the process of minimizing human errors in logistics but crucially lower the maintenance costs and increase the system uptime, Budweiser Budvar decided to replace the RFID-built system with Sewio UWB RTLS for indoor tracking using Decawave chip.

The Solution

With the newly implemented system the reliability of the system itself has resulted in 99% of system uptime. The newly acquired insights such as daily attendance, distance traveled and utilization of each forklift, together with heatmaps and spaghetti diagrams, have allowed logistics managers in Budweiser to better utilize the current warehouse, virtually growing it by 19%.

“While the initial cost for RFID versus UWB is almost identical, UWB undoubtedly outperforms RFID thanks to lower maintenance costs, lower risk of damage and higher accessibility and scalability of the system,” said Pavel Pánek, Head of Logistics at Budweiser Budvar.

“In many uses cases, we see RFID and UWB RTLS complement each other well when integrated into a single solution. If our customer needs precise true location data provided by a scalable system with a low maintenance cost, UWB is then the right first and only technology to choose,” commented Milan Šimek, CEO of Sewio Networks.

“At Decawave our goal is to make micro-location technology available to the masses by providing chips with state of the art performance at an affordable price. We are delighted to see partners like Sewio embrace the same philosophy and deliver RTLS systems that are cost competitive while delivering superior performance and capabilities to end customers,” said Mickael Viot VP Marketing at Decawave.

For further information, read the full case study here: www.sewio.net/customer-projects/budweiser-budvar.

To learn more about Sewio solutions, visit www.sewio.net.

As more data is gathered on forklift performance and operation, supply chain managers can expect service techs to arrive on-site already understanding the issue and prepared with the right parts to make the repair. Service providers are working closely with customers to create a connected service experience that increases visibility into the process, reduces downtime, sets the stage for predictive maintenance and changes how organizations structure maintenance plans.

For global companies, there is an opportunity to build on this connected service platform to create consistency across global operations. This can be a challenging endeavor, given that it is not uncommon for each region or location to have its own unique maintenance plan, service metrics, parts delivery mechanisms and pricing structures.

Here are five steps you can take to help ensure the benefits of service connectivity extend across your global organization.

1. Make the connection and collect the data. Connectivity is the infrastructure that supports your global service experience. It’s more than just service and maintenance personnel using laptops or tablets. It’s about connecting your assets/forklifts through a forklift fleet and operator management or telematics system that gathers data on the status, performance and usage of your forklifts. It is also about creating a channel and process through which this vital forklift information can be gathered, shared and analyzed within the maintenance program and across the organization in a globally standardized way.
2. Know your assets. When managed, shared and utilized properly, the compiled data—which can include event codes, operator performance and forklift health and utilization information—can provide a deeper understanding of your global fleet and maintenance issues. What are the conditions and ages of the forklifts within your fleet? How often and in what ways are these forklifts being used? What are the most common maintenance issues? Are there regional differences? Global similarities?
3. Create consistency. The key thing to remember here is creating consistency…when possible. Given that different regions around the globe have their own set of unique challenges, issues and cultural norms, it would be difficult to have one overarching maintenance plan that meets the needs of each region. However, there are areas where consistency can exist (e.g., oil changes, trouble-shooting guidelines, planned maintenance checklists) while also allowing flexibility for localization. The gathered data about your fleet and maintenance issues will help you create consistency where possible and identify localization needs.
4. Identify goals. A good global service and maintenance plan should address the problems you are trying to solve or the issues you wish to address. It should be guided by a mix of global and regional goals. For instance, a globalized goal could be to reduce unplanned forklift downtime or the mean time to repair (MTTR) across all locations; while a localized goal could be to decrease safety problems or improve call/fix ratios in a region where this might be an issue. Gathered data about your fleet and operations can help uncover problem areas and issues, while assisting with the identification of goals.
5. Pick the right partner. This step, among all the others, could have the biggest impact on the success of your efforts. It is vital you have a partner that can help you create a global service experience and achieve your goals. This means a partner with global capabilities (e.g., standardized processes, strong resource network, regional market and regulations knowledge) that can align with your corporate initiatives and localized needs. This could be the company that manufactures your forklifts and/or manages your maintenance and service program. Regardless, they need to have the infrastructure and local support to help you create and maintain a consistent maintenance program while also working with you to analyze gathered data so actionable information can be used to strengthen and expand your efforts.

As greater connectivity evolves forklift service, it is providing an opportunity for organizations to create and manage a more standardized global service experience. By following a few important steps now, companies will be better positioned to leverage connectivity and Big Data to provide consistent levels of service for their entire worldwide fleet, regardless of location.

Let’s dive into seven of the most common warehouse challenges and explore potential solutions to help make your warehouse operations efficient.

Narrow Aisles

Problem: Narrow aisles can make navigation with equipment hard, and can potentially slow down operations. Not to mention the occasional damage from bumping into things.

Solution: There are a wide variety of forklifts available that are specifically designed to operate in narrow, tight spaces. These narrow-aisle forklifts allow the operator to stand up, instead of sitting down. This can offer an improved view of the material they are working with, reducing accidents and making navigation easier.

High Elevation

Problem: Some warehouses require workers to put themselves in high-elevation situations, creating a need for stable, portable work platforms.

Solution: Personnel lifts can help employees get their work done in high-elevation situations. For example, telescoping boom lifts extend vertical reach and can be controlled by an operator from atop the work platform. Articulating boom lifts are drivable at full elevation and can reach positions that a telescoping lift can’t. Also, scissor lifts are a great option when you need more workspace and lifting capacity since they offer larger work platforms and can handle heavy loads.

Higher Reach

Problem: When it comes to picking orders, you need more vertical reach.

Solution: Many types of order-picking equipment work well for low-level needs, but can lack in ability when it comes to accessing higher items. Try using a mid-level or high-level order picker. Then the operator can move about the warehouse easily while also gaining the ability to reach upper-level racks.

Labor Intensive

Problem: Employees are always needed to transport items from Point A to Point B, which takes up valuable time that could be spent on other tasks.

Solution: It might be time to consider equipping your warehouse with a weasel, a conveying system that helps automated carts navigate an optical tracking system to move goods throughout your facility.

Battery Change

Problem: Your warehouse is busy. Changing and maintaining the batteries for your electric forklifts and other materials handling equipment is becoming a pain.

Solution: It might be time to switch to lithium ion batteries, which charge much faster than lead-acid batteries and require no maintenance. While they are more expensive, they will provide significant savings in annual maintenance costs.

Costly Refueling

Problem: You’re concerned that you’re spending too much time and money on just keeping your vehicles charged and fueled.

Solution: The solution might be hydrogen. By powering your fleet with hydrogen, you have the ability to create your own fuel right in your own facility. Advancing technology is making this option possible even for modestly sized facilities. On top of instant refueling that eliminates downtime, you’re also able to reclaim the space that is being used for battery charging and maintenance rooms.

Leveraging Automation

Problem: Even though your operations have been running smoothly, you’re concerned that you aren’t taking full advantage of automation opportunities to increase efficiency.

Solution: Consider robotic vehicles that are self-guided. The system utilizes laser mapping to create a unique map of the layout in your facility, and the advanced software then enables self-guided trucks to perform tasks while working with employees. These devices can be programmed to know exactly where and when to pick up an item, and will then move it to the correct location. Plus, the technology can analyze the rack to determine the best possible position for placement.

Powered by a lithium-ion power pack from battery maker Brammo, Raymond Corporation’s 8250 instantaneously sends and receives communication between truck and battery pack. An onboard battery management system lets the user schedule charge times, notifies the user when charging is required, and monitors charging and usage.

Driven by Balyo, Yale MPE080-VG Robotic Lift Truck

Yale Materials Handling Corporation’s new robotic end rider lift truck picks up, transports, and drops off pallets anywhere on the floor using infrastructure-free navigation technology to map and guide itself. Without the need for tape, wire, or other additional infrastructure, the Yale robotic end rider lift truck adjusts to changing layout configurations. It can also switch to manual mode to help warehouses adapt to unexpected demands.

Hyster Electric Forklift J30-40XNT

The compact design and tight turning radius of this three-wheel lift truck allow it to maneuver narrow or small locations. The AC-powered lift truck can change travel direction quickly and smoothly, offering operators precise speed control with rapid acceleration. A multifunction display located in the upper right corner of the operator’s compartment provides visibility and ease of operation.

Jungheinrich EFG 213-220

This new series of electric counterbalance trucks can increase productivity by running two shifts on one battery charge.Jungheinrich offers to cover the cost of a new battery if these lift trucks don’t run two full shifts without stopping to charge the battery for five years. The vehicles also have curve control, which automatically reduces speed while turning corners, helping to ensure control over loads. The full-suspension seat helps cushion the operator from vibrations and bumps when traveling over uneven surfaces.

Mitsubishi FB16PNT-FB20PNT

This three-wheel electric counterbalance forklift series features a heavy-duty AC drive and hydraulic motors. If the seat belt is not buckled, the Integrated Presence System locks out the lift truck’s powered hydraulic functions and travel, sounds a warning buzzer, and illuminates a seat belt icon on the display. Electric power steering increases energy efficiency and operator comfort. Its wet disc brakes are durable and perform in wet or corrosive conditions.

It’s now possible to quantify the impact the powered industrial truck manufacturing sector has on American business, specifically the firms that use them and the logistics personnel who purchase them.

According to a June 2017 report “Lifting America: The Economic Impact of Industrial Truck Manufacturers, Distributors and Dealers,” powered industrial truck manufacturers, dealers, and distributors supported more than 209,600 jobs in 2015.

That includes more than 59,700 manufacturing employees, sales, and support staff directly, but additionally, for each worker employed by the powered industrial truck sector, a further 2.5 jobs are supported in the wider economy. That includes the supply chains of powered industrial truck manufacturers or through the wage spending of those employed by the firms themselves or their supply chains. On average, these indirect and induced jobs pay an average salary of $50,915.

Those are exacting details, but there is more that impacts logistics equipment purchasers and the supply chains they support. For example, the report quotes data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics stating there are more than 540,000 powered industrial truck operators currently employed in the United States, operating in all 50 states and working in more than 300 different industries. The top consumers of powered industrial trucks include warehousing and storage.

Powered Industrial Trucks’ Overall Economic Impact

But perhaps one of the more significant pieces of data from the report shows that the economic contribution of powered industrial truck manufacturers, dealers, and distributors amounted to more than $25.7 billion in U.S. gross domestic product in 2015, as well as $5.3 billion in taxes to local, state, and federal governments.

Of that $25.7 billion total contribution to gross domestic product, roughly $14.9 billion results from supply chain and consumer spending activities. That spreads the benefits of the sector to other parts of the U.S. economy—those that are purchasers of logistics equipment support. That includes $3.5 billion in trade, transportation and utilities; $2.1 billion in professional and business services; and $1.1 billion in education and health services.

The economic contribution of powered industrial truck manufacturing extends far beyond the plants where they are produced. The large demand for forklifts facilitates the need for additional support services, including distribution and logistics but also retail, leasing, and rental operations; distribution and logistics; and training, maintenance, and repair services. These support activities generate additional economic value throughout the U.S. economy.

The report has important implications for the industrial truck manufacturing industry and virtually every industry it supports.

Here are five ways to prevent forklift accidents and promote warehouse safety.

1. Keep up on training. OSHA requires companies to have a safety training program for any forklift operator, but it’s in a business’ best interest to give training on forklift safety to all employees working in the vicinity of forklifts. It’s estimated about 705 of forklift accidents could be prevented by proper training. Making safety a priority takes consistent reinforcement and employee buy-in. Implementing a structured training for all employees on forklift safety is a starting point. A once-a-year refresher training, in addition to new employee training, keeps everyone on the same page.

2. Have a clean, organized warehouse. A clean, organized warehouse is the foundation of a safe warehouse. Obstruction in lanes not only impedes efficiency, but also forces drivers to make sudden and erratic movements to avoid debris. This could potentially lead to an accident. Clear lanes, free from product, trash, or other obstructions, should be maintained at all times. In addition, look around your warehouse to ensure all areas are well-lit. Visibility, on the side of a forklift driver and pedestrians, is vital for safe operation, so make sure lightbulbs are replaced and all areas have good lighting.

3. Enhance safety mechanisms. Design a warehouse that keeps safety in focus by incorporating products that enhance visibility and communication. For example, install blue safety lights on the front and back of forklifts so pedestrians have a clear visual cue of an approaching forklift. Place mirrors at aisle corners to improve visibility. If possible, aisles and lanes should be wide enough to safely accommodate pedestrians and forklifts.

4. Operate well-maintained forklifts. Routine safety inspections of a forklift should be done before a driver begins his shift. A driver should check for leaks (fuel, hydraulic oil, engine oil, radiator coolant), ensure proper tire inflation, and visually inspect fork mechanism, hydraulic hoses, and engine belts. If any issues are found, a qualified mechanic should correct them before the forklift resumes operation.

5. Maintain loading and unloading procedures. Heavy or poorly stacked loads, high speeds, or an unmaintained loading dock can contribute to forklift accidents. These conditions can lead to a far too common type of forklift accident: an overturned forklift. Enforce a maximum speed for forklift operation throughout a warehouse and ensure drivers use extreme caution in the loading dock area. Pallets should be uniformly stacked whenever possible and overall weight and stacked height should be taken into consideration when building pallets.

With the rising demand for high-precision weighing solutions in every industry, its global market share is expected to cross $2.5 billion by 2020. Let’s take a look at the key trends in the weighing equipment market to analyze factors that are driving growth.

Industrial Weighing Equipment Trends

Some recent developments include:

• Digital scales are fast replacing mechanical scales.
• The demand for advanced truck scales is on the rise with the constant expansion in shipping operations and supply chain logistics.
• Sleek and light designs are growing in popularity.
• High-precision load cells are witnessing strong growth.
• Weighing solutions with wireless features will reduce labor use.
• High-performance automated weighing solutions will replace bulky, manual weighing equipment.

The future of industrial weighing equipment will be driven by accurate and advanced solutions that are easy to deploy and reduce human effort to negligible. With the introduction of automated scales that offer reliability, accuracy, and speed, the end-user base is widening rapidly. The increasing focus on quality control, safety, and productivity is driving the demand for digital scales that come with enhanced communication capabilities and advanced data logging. These high-tech and fully loaded weighing equipment will bring about a resurgence of vital operating systems in manufacturing units.

Pallet Scales

Pallet scales are also known as floor scales. They are used for easy weighing of loads, packages, heavy boxes, and other types of heavy loads. These floor scales are popular to measure goods in and goods out or when sorting inventory. The accuracy of floor scales is high, significantly reducing the likelihood of revenue losses. Floor scales are used in a number of ways depending on how heavy your load is; the employees can push the loads that weigh less onto the scale in order to determine the weight and for the loads that weigh a bit more, employees can use a vehicle such as a forklift to carry the bundle straight onto the scale for easier weighing.

While buying a pallet scale, ensure quality by investing in one that is NTEP certified. These are usually fabricated with sturdy materials, such as stainless steel and are designed for heavy-duty use. Reliability is key when you are investing in a pallet scale.

Conveyor Belt Scales

Conveyor systems are a great investment for any company that wants to capitalize on processing speed. They operate when the conveyor is in motion and are mostly intended for weighing individual cartons, boxes, cans, or unpackaged products such as large cuts of meat. Any industrial process that requires weighing items in a short amount of time as they pass through needs a conveyor belt scale. They improve processing speed by reducing frequent lifting of both heavy and light loads.

Conveyor belt scales can also label products and have integrated wash down systems that ensure high hygiene standards by wiping surfaces clean for applications such as food preparation.

Forklift Scales

A forklift scale enables the driver of the forklift to lift and weigh a bundle on the truck. This saves on time and supports high-volume warehouse operations. The drivers can take the measured commodities straight to storage as soon as they are delivered because they have already been weighed and details of storage and origin have been recorded.

Vehicle Scales

Inbound and outbound freight and cargo should be managed and weighed accurately in order to manage billing and inventory. The installation of scales helps companies ensure safety and adherence to legal maximum weight regulations. By using vehicle scales, companies can avoid costly and wasteful fines as well as curb spending in the garages and repair centers due to wear and tear caused by excessive loading of vehicles.

Bench Scales

These scales are used to measure smaller items and loads in a warehouse. Smaller packages can be managed quite accurately through the use of bench scales. They are available in a wide range of sizes, capacities, and finishes. While purchasing a bench scale, ensure that you invest in one that has a small footprint in order to maximize workspace.

Advanced technology for heavy-duty weighing and data management is available in the market today. For any warehouse owner or manager, investing in industrial weighing equipment can tip the scales toward greater efficiency.