Now know what actually happens between the warehouse and the shelf.

Transforms data capture into real-time visual intelligence from shelf to warehouse—automating up to 70% of in-store and supply chain audit activities.

Datalogic has announced a partnership with Pensa Systems, an innovator in Ai vision software for retail, as part of its Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partner program. The collaboration brings visual Ai capabilities to Datalogic mobile computers across the entire retail supply chain—from store shelves to back rooms and warehouse environments.

Datalogic mobile devices, including the Memor™ 35 and the existing installed base,powered by Pensa’s Vision Ai platform replace manual audits with automated visual data capture. Retailers and brands can now automate up to 70% of routine inventory and execution checks1 , gaining real-time, comprehensive visibility into product availability, placement, and compliance while significantly reducing labor and response times.

Pensa’s Ai capabilities complement the Datalogic mobile computing platform by enabling store associates to capture shelf scenes at speed, replacing item-by-item scanning for routine audit tasks. Instead of scanning individual items, store associates can capture entire scenes with a simple motion, enabling the system to instantly understand product location, stock levels, and execution accuracy – helping retailers to detect and address out-of-stocks, misplacements, and compliance issues faster and with greater accuracy.

The solution enhances Datalogic’s mobile computers by combining high-performance data capture with advanced visual intelligence, transforming handheld devices into powerful, Ai-enabled operational tools. Because the solution runs on both new and existing Datalogic devices, retailers can unlock immediate value from their current technology investments while accelerating the transition toward more automated, intelligence-driven operations.

“Working with best-in-class ISV partners is central to how we help customers solve real operational challenges. With Pensa’s advanced Ai capabilities, we are enabling a new level of visibility and execution across retail operations,” said Rosario Casillo, Executive Vice President, Data Capture Product & Solutions at Datalogic. “This collaboration allows our customers to extract more value from their existing infrastructure while reducing manual effort and moving toward faster, more informed decision-making across the supply chain.”

Pensa’s Ai platform supports both on-device and cloud-based processing, allowing retailers to adapt deployments to different environments, connectivity conditions, and operational requirements. This flexibility makes it possible to scale Vision Ai consistently across stores, back rooms, and warehouses while maintaining performance, responsiveness, and efficient device usage.

“Retailers have long lacked accurate, real-time insight into what actually happens between the warehouse and the shelf,” said Richard Schwartz, President and CEO of Pensa Systems. “By bringing Vision Ai to everyday mobile workflows, our collaboration with Datalogic enables retailers to automate the majority of routine audits, dramatically improve execution accuracy, and finally operate with a continuously updated view of their inventory and in-store reality.” Thus Datalogic’s strengthens its role as a technology leader, enabling scalable, Ai-driven retail operations through its mobile computing platforms.

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@DatalogicGroup  @mepaxIntPR #Pensa #Automation #DataCapture

Don't throw away those probes...

The measurement technology company Vaisala and the logistics services provider H.Essers have cooperated to develop a bespoke monitoring solution for multiple sites across Europe, with a focus on sustainability.

In addition to protecting the environmental conditions experienced by goods throughout the supply chain, the monitoring solution also allows for humidity and temperature probes to be reused. By helping to ensure sustainable consumption and production, the project seeks to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12. “This is an important development,” explains Vaisala’s Patrick Hoevenaars. “At Vaisala our central purpose is: ‘Taking every measure for the planet’ so we are constantly looking for ways to improve sustainability, and one of the ways we can do this is by reducing waste,” he adds.

“The solution starts with product design, because probes can only be reused if they are robust and reliable in the long-term.” However, Hoevenaars is also keen to emphasise the importance of ongoing calibration and maintenance. “Reliability and sustainability cannot be optimised under a ‘fit and forget’ scenario, so we worked closely with H.Essers to develop an ongoing program to ensure that sensors are maintained in optimal condition.”

Background.
Founded in Belgium in 1928, H.Essers remains a family-owned business, but with more than 7,500 people at 89 facilities in 18 countries, the company has grown to become one of Europe’s leading logistics services providers for industries such as chemicals, healthcare, and infrastructure. With services including pharmaceutical logistics, dangerous goods storage, and temperature-controlled storage, the business has a significant requirement for multi-site environmental monitoring and control.

Strategically, H.Essers aims to build long-term client partnerships with a strong commitment to its people and sustainability. This philosophy is reflected in the company’s relationship with Vaisala, which was established to create a cost-effective, accurate and reliable long-term monitoring solution across multiple sites. In addition, key objectives included the development of a system that would be quick and easy to operate.

“From the start, our relationship with H.Essers focused on building a solution for the long-term,” explains Hoevenaars. “The main aim, with our consultative approach, was to help H.Essers choose/configure the right continuous monitoring system (CMS) for their business, supported by lifecycle services that ensure longevity and sustainability. At Vaisala, we want to be a complete solution provider; a partner delivering other services such as training and calibration, rather than simply being an equipment supplier.”

Continuous monitoring to meet the strictest requirements.
H.Essers’ multi-client warehouses provide a one-stop-shop service that meets the strict requirements of customers, providing safe, compliant, high-quality storage. Monitoring therefore performs a critically important role, and the internal environment at the company’s facilities benefit from Vaisala’s viewLinc CMS with humidity and temperature probes (HMP115) with VaiNet wireless access points (AP10).

“The movement and storage of goods within the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors is strictly regulated,” Hoevenaars says. “H.Essers therefore has to be able to demonstrate that all products have been kept in exactly the right conditions throughout the entire supply chain. This demands precise, reliable measurement of humidity and temperature.”

A partnership approach.
The key to the success of this process, was to develop a system that would continue to deliver benefits in the long-term. This necessitated a partnership approach, including a clear strategy for the maintenance and calibration of the hundreds of measuring devices used across H.Essers’ warehouses. “Calibrating and maintaining measuring equipment on this scale is a complex task, so we worked with H.Essers to develop a solution that would make the process as easy and worry-free as possible,” Hoevenaars explains. “This was achieved through a ‘Calibration Care’ agreement, tailored to meet H.Essers’ specific needs.”

With tens of warehouses and thousands of square meters of carefully controlled storage space to be monitored, large numbers of sensors would be necessary, and minimal downtime was required for probe calibration. Vaisala sensors are designed for long-term drift-free accuracy, however, for warehouse zones storing pharma products, each sensor should have a calibration check after 12 months.

Bespoke monitoring solution.
Vaisala developed a unique solution for H.Essers based on the timely swapping out and replacement of probes. Procedures were established to ensure that H.Essers staff are automatically notified when a probe is due for calibration, so that they can quickly and simply order replacements and return the used probes to Vaisala for recalibration.

“The teams at H.Essers have a dedicated order code and a clear order placement procedure to ensure they get the right product and service every time,” explains Hoevenaars, adding: “The Vaisala probes are designed to facilitate quick and easy replacement to minimise downtime. All of the instructions for how to return the probe are available online, and feedback from H.Essers indicates that this is saving them a lot of time and effort.”

Given the importance of accuracy, many companies would discard old probes and replace them. However, the Vaisala probes are designed specifically for long-term stability and reliability, so the plan is for swapped out probes to be recalibrated ready for reuse.

The opportunity to reuse probes instead of disposing of them after 12 months will save resources and reduce waste. “These are high-quality instruments, so it makes perfect sense to reuse the probes instead of replacing them,” Hoevenaars points out. “We estimate that as many as 500 probes per year could be reused by H.Essers as a result of this solution.”

Sustainable by design.
Patrick Hoevenaars is keen to highlight the importance of building sustainability into the design stage of measurement instruments. “By developing sensors that can undergo a calibration check and then be passed as suitable for reuse, Vaisala has created a scenario in which sustainability opportunities have been created. These include waste reduction, energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction,” he says.

Hoevenaars also attributes the success of this project to the partnership approach adopted by H.Essers. “They share our commitment to sustainability, and from the outset they could see the benefits of developing a long-term plan to meet their strict monitoring requirements, whilst also providing the flexibility they need to scale up as their business continues to grow.”

After successfully piloting the Vaisala solution at two of its sites in spring 2023, H.Essers has now rolled it out across sites in Italy, Romania, Denmark, and Germany.

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@VaisalaGroup @GlobalGoalsUN @_Enviro_News #HEssers #Sustainability #Wharehouse

Transparent flow of goods.

Efficient Detection of Packages and Load Carriers in Logistics

Pepperl+Fuchs is expanding its RFID portfolio with a new UHF reader, the IUR-F800-V1D-4A*, for connecting external antennas, especially for use in gate applications in logistics. The company has been providing reliable RFID systems for industrial applications for over three decades. In factory automation, these systems are primarily operated with PLCs to ensure safe processes and transparency in production.



This new IUR-F800-V1D-4A* UHF RFID read/write device extends the range of products offered by Pepperl+Fuchs to provide complete transparency in the logistics applications that follow production. Designed with proven and internationally standardized UHF technology (ISO 18000-63 or EPC Class 1 Gen 2), the IUR-F800-V1D-4A* enables cost-efficient construction of RFID gates thanks to the connection option for up to four external antennas.



These RFID gates enable quick, simultaneous detection of large quantities of tags during transit - for example, in the automated inspection of packages in incoming and outgoing goods, and during transport between storage and production areas. The information obtained can be seamlessly integrated into existing backend systems such as ERP and MES, therefore enabling maximum transparency along the entire value chain.



A variety of antenna types provide optimal adaptation to specific applications. The powerful UHF reader allows reading and writing over long distances. In addition, the reader has additional inputs and outputs, for example, for connecting sensors or external signal lights. Clearly visible LEDs provide additional information about the current operating state. Both the IUR-F800-V1D-4A* and the associated antennas are designed with rugged housings for demanding operational conditions.

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@PepperlFuchsUSA @mepaxIntPR #Tracking #PAuto

Plug-and-play robotics for Turkey.

Movu Robotics has announced Morel Robotics as its premier integrator in Turkey. This collaboration aims to revolutionize the country's automation landscape by bringing accessible and cutting-edge robotic technologies to businesses across various sectors.

Movu aims to redefine the future of automation with its seamless plug-and-play solutions to drive efficiency, productivity, and safety in industries worldwide. Through this partnership, Movu Robotics will leverage Morel Robotics' extensive expertise and market presence in Turkey to introduce its advanced robotic solutions to businesses seeking to optimize their operations.

Movu escala bin shuttle, Movu atlas pallet shuttle and Movu ifollow autonomous mobile robot (AMR) will be installed in Morel Robotics' showroom as a demo center for the clients. The installation will include 4000 pallet positions, 19000 tots and 8 ifollow robots. The demo center will showcase how to upgrade warehouses with Movu's accessible automation.

"Morel Robotics brings a lot of experience and a deep understanding of the Turkish market," said Stefan Pieters, Co-CEO at Movu Robotics. "Their commitment to excellence aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver easier, modular and flexible solutions that empower businesses to thrive in an increasingly automated world."

"We are excited to partner with Movu Robotics to bring accessible plug-and-play automation to our clients in Turkey," said Hakan Aksoy, co-founder at Morel Robotics. "Together, we aim to drive technological innovation and empower businesses to achieve operational excellence via automation," added Emir Altaras, another co-founder at Morel Robotics.

With Movu's state-of-the-art robotic solutions and Morel Robotics' robust integration capabilities, businesses in Turkey can expect unparalleled opportunities to enhance their operations, streamline processes, and achieve greater competitiveness in the global market.

This partnership underscores Movu Robotics' commitment to expanding its global footprint and delivering impactful solutions to businesses worldwide. Both companies are determined to redefine the future of automation in Turkey, setting new standards for efficiency, productivity, and innovation.

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@stow_Group @MorelRobotics #Automation #Robotics #Pauto

Warehousing automation Globally.

Bastian Solutions, a Toyota Advanced Logistics company, as the newest systems integration partner with Movu Robotics. Bastian thus can now offer customers the benefits of Movu’s portfolio of flexible robotics technologies as part of its global automation solutions, including the North American market.

Established in 1952, Bastian Solutions has grown into a global corporation with over 20 US offices as well as international offices in Brazil, Canada, India, and Mexico. In 2017, the company was acquired by Toyota Advanced Logistics, a subsidiary of Japan-based Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO). As a systems integrator, Bastian works to optimize material handling processes, flow, and operational efficiencies to increase productivity, throughput and order accuracy all while reducing costs, maximizing warehouse space and minimizing errors. Relying on their years of expertise they work with their customers to analyze their needs, select the ideal equipment for their business objectives and optimize everything to perform efficiently and work seamlessly.

With a philosophy of ‘no warehouse left behind’*, Movu Robotics tackles automation with easier, modular, scalable, flexible and efficient solutions that customers need and helps them to upgrade their warehouses. The Movu portfolio is built around a range of innovative sub-systems, which are designed to provide easier, scalable, flexible and energy efficient solutions that are accessible for all kinds of warehouses and quick to roll out. The core Movu products integrated by Bastian Solutions include the Movu atlas, a pallet shuttle system for multiple deep storage; and the Movu follow Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) for collaborative picking or transport of load carriers such as pallets; as well as the appropriate supporting software.

Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics, said: “Automated technology offers a productive answer to a multitude of materials handling challenges across many market sectors. These include the need for greater efficiency, flexibility and productivity, while overcoming skills shortages, to fulfil growing volumes as well as handling peaks. Movu Robotics sub-systems are designed with seamless integration in mind, and I am excited that our strategic partnership with Bastian Solutions will bring automated solutions to more customers globally, helping them to meet their challenges and boost their performance, resilience and service levels.”

Bastian Solutions President & CEO Aaron Jones said, “This partnership with Movu marks a significant step forward in offering our customers cutting edge, innovative unit handling solutions for warehouse automation. Combined with our systems integration expertise, we're well positioned to enhance efficiency and productivity for pallet distribution and manufacturing facilities worldwide.”

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*See also: "No warehouse left behind!" (25/9/23)

@stow_Group #Automation #Robotics #Pauto

Impressive distribution.

GDP compliance assured at pharma distribution facility.

PostNord TPL has developed an impressive warehousing and distribution facility in Sweden, designed specifically to handle medicinal products, including both prescription and over the counter pharmaceuticals. In compliance with numerous life science industry requirements such as the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) regulations, the internal environment of this facility is carefully controlled to protect the large numbers of products that are processed every day. The warehouse is highly automated and has recently been equipped with an advanced network of humidity and temperature loggers, supplied and installed by the measurement technology company Vaisala.

The requirement to update the monitoring network was prompted by a previous supplier’s ‘end of life’ notification in early 2022. Several potential technology providers were then contacted, including Vaisala, which provided a demonstration of its wireless continuous monitoring and alarm system, viewLinc.

Background.
PostNord TPL is a part of the PostNord group and is the leading third-party logistics supplier in Sweden and the Nordic countries. The company offers the Nordic market innovative and cost-effective logistic solutions all the way from producer to consumer. PostNord TPL has of a warehouse area of roughly 700.000 square meters. It employs around 3000 people, and in 2022, had a turnover of about 3.2 billion SEK.

As key elements within pharmaceutical supply chains, PostNord TPL’s warehousing and distribution facilities operate under strict GxP requirements which include amongst other things a necessity to continuously monitor the internal environment of storage areas, and to implement appropriate alarm systems. Anyone engaged in the activity of wholesale distribution of medicinal products in the European Economic Area must hold a wholesale distribution authorisation issued by the national competent authority of the Member State where they carry out these activities. The same national authority is responsible for inspecting the wholesale distributor, which must comply with EU GDP to obtain a wholesale distribution authorisation.

System requirements.
The imminent demise of the earlier system provided PostNord TPL with an opportunity to evaluate the latest technologies and solutions on the market. PostNord TPLS’s Project Manager, Tina Fritzson says: “First and foremost, the new monitoring network needed to fulfil our GDP requirements. To achieve this, it needed to be accurate and reliable, because the previous system had regularly delivered false alarms, which wastes a lot of time. In addition, the requirement for wiring should be minimal, and ideally the system should be intuitive so that it is simple to operate.”

Vaisala Sales Manager Janne Halonen has been involved with the PostNord TPL project from the beginning. He says: “It was clear from our first meeting that we would be able to offer PostNord TPL a significantly superior system. viewLinc is more than capable of meeting their key requirements, and our validation service provides all of the necessary information to demonstrate GDP compliance,” Janne explains.

“In early 2022 PostNord TPL provided us with floorplans so that we were able to build a detailed proposal to meet their precise requirements,” he adds. “Later that year, we were delighted to be awarded the contract, which included the installation and commissioning of 102 sensors monitoring a 30 000 m2 warehouse. Most of the sensors are monitoring temperature and humidity in this very large facility, but some are also deployed in refrigerated areas that have to maintain certain pharmaceutical products between 2 to 8 °C.”

Reflecting on the system’s performance to-date, Janne says: “Since installation, the viewLinc system has worked very well, and I am confident that we have exceeded PostNord TPL’s expectations. In addition to reliable GDP compliance with a full audit trail, one of the main benefits of the system has been problem-free operation – the old system used to deliver false alarms on a daily basis, but of course that no longer happens.

“Ease of use is also a major advantage; we typically find that new operators require less than an hour’s training. A further feature, that I know PostNord TPL has found useful, is viewLinc’s facility to define the path for alarm messages, so that only those that need to be alerted are notified.” 

Data management.
The Vaisala data loggers gather readings every minute, 24/7, and data are transferred to a central server by Vaisala’s proprietary VaiNet wireless technology. VaiNet access points create links between Ethernet and Vaisala devices, and whenever a new data logger is added to the system, it is automatically identified by an access point, which forwards the data logger’s information to the server. Once accepted by the system, data loggers remain synchronised, and redundancy is achieved by allowing load distribution between VaiNet access points which share multiple in-range data loggers. The Vaisala loggers also store data for 30 days to protect data integrity in case there is a network outage. The whole system is managed by Vaisala’s viewLinc enterprise server software which assimilates the data, providing alarms, real-time data trends and GDP compliance reports. Users are able to access the viewLinc system with any web-enabled device, and a high level of security is maintained with encrypted communications and automatic data origin checks.

Vaisala RFL100 in situ

Measurement technology.
Vaisala’s RFL100 data loggers at PostNord TPL are equipped with probes containing either temperature sensors, or sensors for both temperature and humidity. The probes are detachable and simple to switch out for calibration. The viewLinc software detects probe changes and automatically updates the probe information to maintain accurate and complete historical records.

The temperature sensors are platinum Pt100 and Pt1000, and the RH probes employ Vaisala’s HUMICAP® technology. Temperature measurements do not generally suffer from drift, but traditional humidity sensors do, so Vaisala’s HUMICAP sensors are preferable because of their long-term stability and insensitivity to interferences such as dust and condensation. These thin-film capacitive humidity sensors have become the industry standard in a wide variety of applications where long-term accurate, reliable, maintenance-free humidity measurements are required.

Summary.
The Vaisala viewLinc system has now been operational since the Autumn of 2022. Looking back, PostNord TPL’s Tina Fritzson says: “We have been very pleased with the Vaisala system. The support from Janne and the field engineers has been very good; we no longer suffer from false alarms; the system is easy to operate; report generation is quick and simple, and with accurate, verified monitoring data, our GDP compliance is assured.”

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@VaisalaGroup @PostNordSverige @_Enviro_News #PAuto #Environment

Autonomous mobile robots.

ABB has acquired Swiss start-up Sevensense, a leading provider of AI-enabled 3D vision navigation technology for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). Sevensense was founded in 2018 as a spin-off from Swiss technical University, ETH Zurich.

“This marks a significant step towards our vision of a workplace where AI-enabled robots assist people, addressing our customers' needs for greater flexibility and intelligence amidst critical skilled labor shortages,” said Sami Atiya, President of ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation. “Each mobile robot, equipped with vision and AI, scans a unique part of the building; collectively these robots complement each other’s view to form a complete map, enabling them to work autonomously in a rapidly changing environment.”

The acquisition follows ABB’s minority investment in Sevensense after it joined the company’s innovation ecosystem in 2021, the same year ABB acquired ASTI Mobile Robotics. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Following pilot customer projects in the automotive and logistics industries, ABB will integrate Sevensense’s technology into the company’s AMR portfolio, offering an unprecedented combination of speed, accuracy, and payload.

The market for mobile robots is expected to grow at 20 percent CAGR through 2026, from $5.5bn (€5bn) to $9.5bn (€8.66bn) and ABB’s AI-powered 3D vision technology is at the forefront of this growth.

Sevensense’s pioneering navigation technology combines AI and 3D vision, enabling AMRs to make intelligent decisions, differentiating between fixed and mobile objects in dynamic environments. Once manually guided, mobile robots with Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (Visual SLAM) technology create a map that is used to operate independently, reducing commissioning time from weeks to days and enabling the AMRs to navigate in highly complex, dynamic environments alongside people. Maps are constantly updated and shared across the fleet, offering instant scalability without interrupting operations and greater flexibility compared to other navigation technologies.

Today, this AI-enabled navigation technology is already transforming the automotive manufacturing and logistics sectors, delivering value through faster and more efficient operations. For automotive manufacturer Ford, Visual SLAM enabled ABB AMR’s will create efficiency gains in production sites in the US, while Michelin will use the technology in intralogistics at its factory in Spain. Other automotive manufacturers will roll out the technology in Britain, Finland and Germany.

“Offering more autonomy and cognitive intelligence, ABB’s unique market-proven technology paves the way for a shift from linear production lines to dynamic networks. Intelligent AMRs autonomously navigate to production cells, tracking stock inventory as they go and sharing this information with other robots, while collaborating safely side-by-side with humans,” said Marc Segura, President of ABB’s Robotics Division. “With the acquisition of Sevensense, ABB becomes the leader in next-generation AMRs, offering Visual SLAM in Autonomous Mobile Robots, together with an integrated portfolio covering robots and machine automation solutions, all managed by our value-creating software.”

Gregory Hitz, CEO of Sevensense, said: “This is a significant moment in our shared journey, as we introduce our home-grown technology to a wider range of markets and sectors. ABB is the ideal home for us to continue scaling our versatile platform for 3D visual autonomy, serving OEMs across the automated material handling and service robotics industries. Together, we will redefine the limits of AI-enabled robotics.”

This revolutionary technology has the potential to impact robotics far beyond AMRs, leading to greater efficiency, flexibility and accuracy throughout production and intralogistics. The technology will also continue to be sold across segments including material handling, cleaning and other service robotics fields under the product name Sevensense.

The Sevensense partnership highlights the success of ABB’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of inno-vations. Through its partner ecosystem and collaboration with start-ups and universities, ABB develops leading technology for the benefit of global businesses. Sevensense’s approximately 35 employees will continue to be based at its Swiss office in Zurich.

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@ABBRobotics @ABBgroupnews @ABBMeasurement @abb_automation @7Srobotics @NapierPR #Automation #Robotics #AI

Monitoring of mobile harbour equipment.

Tony Ingham of Sensor Technology Ltd explains how monitoring the work rate of cranes, loaders and unloaders means their performance can be optimised and downtime for maintenance can be scheduled for minimum disruption to operational requirements.

The increasing globalisation of the world economy is pressurising ports, docks and harbours into handling ever-increasing volumes of cargo, so mobile harbour equipment has to work efficiently and reliably at all times. 

Importing and exporting of dry bulk cargos, from minerals to grains, fertilisers to cement, wood chips to agricultural products, is almost exclusively a maritime operation. Thus there is a need to load and unload ships and barges, and in the modern world this has to be done quickly, efficiently and safely.

So as the volume requirements of world trade increase, harbour operators must ensure their loading/unloading equipment is in top condition, always available for use, and able to adapt to new operational, commercial and safety requirements. The best way to maintain such equipment is constant monitoring while it is working. This will allow the work to be totalised so that pre-emptive maintenance scheduling can be optimised, and will also instantly pick up early signs of emerging problems, such as sticking bearings.

The work done is directly related to the totalised load lifted, a parameter that crane and loader operators should also be measuring for both safety and commercial reasons. Constant load monitoring used to be very difficult, but Sensor Technology has developed the perfect solution. Called LoadSense, it was originally used with helicopters carrying underslung loads in cargo nets and has now been adapted for use on ground-based materials handling equipment.

The technology involves a sensor being fitted to each crane or unloader. Once installed this does not interfere with handling operations at all, but constantly sends real time data via a wireless link to a computer, where it can be displayed, stored, totalised and analysed to provide performance information to the operators and billing information for the customers.

LoadSense is an intelligent load sensor that can easily be integrated with a mobile harbour crane. Designed and manufactured by Sensor Technology in Banbury UK, it is fully automatic so causes no disruption to normal operations. Special training is not required; instead comprehensive and easily understood information becomes instantly available to operators and managers alike.

The LoadSense sensor is based on proven strain gauge technology, and is calibrated as standard in the range 1-50 tonnes, with other ranges available on request. It constantly monitors the load and transmits this wirelessly, using the unrestricted 2.4 GHz waveband, to a receiver for onwards transfer to the control computer. This enables accurate load data to be displayed, typically via a colour touchscreen computer, running Windows XP. The screen shows real time measurement of the load, while the computer records and analyses it.

LoadSense has become a favourite amongst harbour crane operators as an important enabling technology to improve safety, asset availability, productivity and profitability. For instance, you may need to know how much material you have transported, or you could be handling two or more materials simultaneously which need to be accounted for individually. A common scenario is where multiple customers’ cargos are being handled at the same time; here LoadSense gives operators the information they need in order to invoice each appropriately.

LoadSense also enhances safety and prevents dockside handling equipment from failing catastrophically. There are typically two reasons for such failures:

• Overloading the crane with too much weight. Because LoadSense is constantly producing a digital signal, it is easy to set up the control computer with an overload value that will trigger an alarm if it is breached. It is equally simple, and practically better, to set the computer so that it will cut out lifting operations if the overload limit is breached, thus ensuring excessive loads are not raised off the ground.
• Aging cranes and unloaders can suffer fatigue failure. LoadSense can be used to keep count of the number of operational cycles performed, and signal when the equipment’s design life is being approached. An inspection can then be conducted to determine the likelihood of imminent failure and remedial works that can be undertaken.

In conclusion we can say that to be profitable harbour operators need to work their dockside handling equipment long and hard and that the best way to ensure reliability and safety is by constantly monitoring the load and interpretation of the ensuing data. LoadSense from Sensor Technology makes this requirement completely automatic and foolproof.

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@sensortech #Pauto

"No warehouse left behind!"

The launch of the new “Movu Robotics” brand has been announced by the stow Group. This has been developed to strengthen its “Robotics” business unit and to meet increasing customer demand for Automation and Robotics solutions. The new brand replaces the name “stow Robotics”.

Movu Robotics is a new and dynamic warehouse automation brand that stands out by bringing easier Logistics automation solutions to the world’s warehouses and ensuring that, when it comes to opportunities for automation, no warehouse is left behind. Movu is based in new headquarters located in Lokeren, near Antwerp (B) that, under a single roof, includes engineering, R&D, production, and a state-of-the-art Experience Centre where the latest technologies can be demonstrated live in operation to customers and partners.

Background.
stow Group itself is a highly successful company with 40 years’ experience as a supplier of logistics and materials handling solutions, and a product DNA based on racking. As customer and market demand for automated solutions increases – driven by labour shortages, the need to increase profitability, efficiency, flexibility, accuracy as well as shortening lead times – stow has been delivering innovative solutions to meet these challenges.

stow Robotics was established in 2021 as part of the stow Group and has developed a comprehensive and competitive portfolio of automation and robotics solutions for pallets, bins and items that provides a more energy efficient and practical alternative to stacker crane based solutions. This comprises Movu atlas, one of the leading pallet shuttle systems in the market; Movu escala, an innovative ramp shuttle solution for bins; Movu ifollow, a collaborative Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) system for pallets and additional load carriers and the new picking robot Movu eligo.

Despite all their advantages, automated technologies and robotics are perceived by many customers as being complex, expensive, resource intensive with long lead time for installation. Movu Robotics addresses this issue by bringing easier automation to the world’s warehouses.

No warehouse left behind.
For projects in the main vertical markets, especially in e-commerce, FMCG and cold storage in Europe and North America, Movu Robotics will deliver simple, standardised plug and play solutions that require less engineering and grant short lead times for execution, allowing customers to keep their operations running.

Jos de Vuyst

Jos de Vuyst, CEO of stow Group commented: “Faced with challenges of labour shortages, cost increases, storage density, growing volumes and improving accuracy, companies are turning to robotics and automation for solutions. Movu Robotics offers an integrated ecosystem of standardised and scalable automation technology that speeds roll out and reduces risk for all kinds of customers. We want to democratise materials handling through bringing the opportunities of easier automation and robotics to warehouses that would otherwise find them hard to attain. Expecting the global material handling equipment market to reach USD 350 billion and understanding the key driver AS/RS systems and Robotics for this, we are optimistic that Movu Robotics will become an essential player.”

Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics, commented: “Smart enough to make any operation feel simple and easy, Movu robots help to take a load off the customers’ minds as well as their shelves. Our solutions are designed to make warehouse automation and robotics not only more accessible, but also more scalable.

Stefan Pieters

They will enable any warehouse around the world – big or small, regular or awkwardly shaped – to be upgraded and become more productive, more efficient and more successful. This is the philosophy behind our brand claim: ‘Movu – No warehouse left behind’.”

Group structure. stow Group now has two independent brands under its roof: stow Racking and Movu Robotics. While both of these brands retain their independence, they strongly impact each other in terms of expertise, know how, technology, and global resources.

All products, business activities and operations of stow Group in the field of Robotics and Automation, including R&D, production, sales and finance, will be grouped as an independent and stand-alone business unit under the Movu Robotics brand in the new headquarters in Lokeren. This includes the operations of the ifollow business, which is now the brand name of the Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) offered by Movu.

The management team will be led by Jos de Vuyst, CEO of stow Group and Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics. Both stow Group and Movu Robotics are driven by a strong team of board members, comprising experience from the Logistics Industry and from other sectors.

Movu Robotics technologies. Unlike many automation companies that have a single product, the new Movu Robotics brand includes a range of key technologies: Movu atlas pallet shuttles, Movu escala bin shuttles and Movu ifollow Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) for pallets and roll cages that work either stand-alone or as collaborative robots. Joining these is the new Movu eligo picking robot, which is offered as a picking workstation for escala.

Movu Robotics provides solutions for easier automation that can make better use of every corner of the warehouse – irrespective of the customers’ storage space or what they are storing, conveying, picking or handling. Customers gain the key advantage of seamless integrated racking and robotics solutions – for example, the Movu atlas shuttle system working with Movu ifollow mobile robots, or Movu eligo acting as a workstation for Movu escala. A key benefit is that a customer talks to a single face representing a single partner, providing efficient project management and reliable lead times. They will also receive efficient project commissioning for a safe and resilient supply chain that assists in delivering high service levels to their customers.

Autonomous sub-systems for minimal TCO.
Technologies in the Movu Robotics product portfolio can be integrated into a single autonomous sub-system as a solution, with components including racking, shuttles or AMRs, software, wi-fi and commissioning. This enables easy installation, adaptability to new business needs through simple integration of new applications and a minimal Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) approach. This makes upgrading warehouses easier, not only for existing users of logistics automation who want to upgrade their systems with plug and play robotics and automation, but also those yet to adopt automation but who urgently want to take the first step.

Standardisation and simplification, which is an essential part of Movu Robotics, results in shorter lead times and lower engineering costs, producing higher profitability. To maximise flexibility, Movu Robotics systems are modular in design, acting as a set of building blocks to minimise complexity and cost of upgrading. This makes the systems highly scalable – installations can start small and then expand or, if needed, they can downsize just as easily. Modularity also enables a fast roll out for projects.

For not leaving any warehouse behind, Movu Robotics will target the market with a dual strategy: providing end users with a direct channel, for which Movu relies on a network of sales offices in main territories. Its portfolio of simple, standardised, scalable, and flexible systems provide opportunities for SMEs with as few as 5000 pallet locations to automate, to address challenges such as labour shortages and cost efficiency – a huge growth area. The other part of this strategy is the indirect channel where Movu can supply a fully functional storage sub-system from its portfolio to a systems integrator for integration into a complete project.

All of this is supported by a global network in customer service and stow’s 40 years’ industry experience.

Movu Robotics is working to improve existing technology for the customer, with innovation, R&D and entrepreneurial thinking being an integral part of the dynamic business unit. The next product launch is planned for 2024, to further expand the portfolio.

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@stow_Group #Automation #Robotics #PAuto

Picking the right thing!

High-precision picking with more than 99.5% efficiency.

ABB Robotics has enhanced its industry-leading logistics automation portfolio with the launch of the Robotic Item Picker – a new AI and vision-based solution that can accurately detect and pick items in unstructured environments in warehouses and fulfilment centers.

“The explosion of e-commerce, changing consumer demands, and global labor shortages are driving the need for flexible automated solutions that make order fulfilment and distribution faster and more efficient,” said Daniel Navarro, managing director of Consumer Segments and Service Robotics at ABB Robotics. “With its ability to learn and adapt in constantly changing warehouse environments, our AI-enabled Robotic Item Picker sees items and decides how to pick them, at speed with more than 99.5 percent efficiency, helping businesses overcome these challenges and build resilience.”

Using machine vision and artificial intelligence, the Item Picker determines the optimal grasp points for each item before the suction gripper picks up and places the item into designated bins. The system does not require any human supervision or information about the physical attributes of the items it picks. With a picking rate of up to 1,400 items per hour, businesses can handle more orders without increasing headcount or time.

Featuring a robot, suction grippers, and a proprietary machine vision software, the Robotic Item Picker fully automates complex picking and placing tasks of a range of items including cuboids, cylinders, pouches, boxes, polybags, and blister packs, which otherwise require the dexterity and flexibility of humans.

Suitable for a range of loads and applications, the Robotic Item Picker can be fitted to one of three ABB robots - the IRB1200, IRB 1300, and IRB 2600. With a payload of up to 3kg and a reach of up to 1.65 m, the Item Picker offers the flexibility required to meet many different needs in order fulfilment and sortation.

Already pre-configured and tested, the Item Picker reduces engineering effort and accelerates time-to-market by easily integrating into existing automated storage and retrieval solutions, such as shuttle, cubic and 3D storage solutions. The Item Picker is controlled by an easy-to-use application software that seamlessly integrates all parts of the system, and interacts with other peripheral equipment, enabling customers and partners to easily add components and other functionalities. 

@ABBRobotics @ABBgroupnews @ABBMeasurement @abb_automation @NapierPR  #PAuto #Robotics

"Robot leading the charge!"

Addverb Technologies has released a new sorter robot called SortIE – a fast-moving scalable solution for rapid and efficient order fulfilment. As a fully automated robotic put-to-wall sorting system, SortIE is capable of performing SKU-wise intelligent sortation at very high speeds and at different height levels.

Additionally, it enables easy and rapid picking. It can be easily integrated with existing conveying systems such as conveyors, robots, and manual transport with no impact on ongoing operations.

“We are excited for SortIE to reach the market because there is nothing like it,” says Pieter Feenstra, Addverb’s CEO of the EMEA region. "This robot increases productivity with up to 450 sorts per hour, meaning up to 250 orders fulfilled at any given time, and increases order cube utilisation by up to 20%. The entire sorting system is simple and fully automatic, which shortens the return on investment and requires no human intervention. We’re proud to have led the charge on a robot like this coming to the market.”

@Addverb_Tech @PRLab_Hub #Robotics #Warehouse

Portfolio of drive solutions.

Development of the NORD LogiDrive system solution into a product family Extended solution space of standardised geared motor versions

NORD Drive Systems has expanded its successful LogiDrive concept with new markets and products to give additional applications access to the benefits of standardised, industry-optimised geared motor versions. With the new LogiDrive product family, the company offers a wide portfolio of perfectly matched drive solutions, which meet many different requirements and purposes – be it energy efficiency, version reduction, cost-effectiveness or flexibility.

LogiDrive is an energy-efficient, service-friendly and standardised modular system. Depending on the industry and objective, different NORD products are combined into one drive solution, which is 100% tailored to the respective industry standards and application requirements. The new extended LogiDrive solution space is intended for conveyor applications in the fields of post & parcel, airport and warehouse, and comprises one advanced version with IE5+ synchronous motor technology and a basic version with IE3 asynchronous motors. While the LogiDrive advanced drives address issues such as energy efficiency, version reduction and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), the basic LogiDrive's main focus is on cost efficiency.

User-friendly plug-and-play technology
All LogiDrive systems are efficient and extremely easy to maintain and install thanks to plug-and-play technology. The entire system has a modular design, so that all components of the drive technology can be individually serviced. This minimises maintenance and repair costs. All connections are made using simple plug connections while integrated maintenance switches and manual control switches ensure a high level of user-friendliness. NORD also supplies the cables. Potential sources of error are thus eliminated, and commissioning is facilitated. The compact design saves space and is light in weight thanks to the aluminium housing. Thanks to the design of the motors used and the operation on the frequency inverter, the same motor variant can be universally used worldwide.

The new LogiDrive solution space comprises the following geared motor versions:

LogiDrive for post & parcel and airport.

• Advanced: IE5+ synchronous motor and two-stage helical bevel gear unit or DuoDrive plus NORDAC LINK frequency inverter installed close to the motor.
• Basic: IE3 asynchronous motor, two-stage helical bevel gear unit and NORDAC FLEX frequency inverter

LogiDrive for warehouse.

• Advanced: IE5+ synchronous motor (ventilated or unventilated), two-stage helical bevel gear unit and NORDAC ON+ frequency inverter with integrated multi-protocol Ethernet interface
• Basic: Fixed motor-inverter combinations consisting of IE3 asynchronous motor (87 Hz) and NORDAC ON frequency inverter with integrated multi-protocol Ethernet interface plus worm gear unit

The whole concept is designed for optimum performance, highest efficiency and best possible user-friendliness. Utilising the high overload capacity of the motors and the system’s wide adjustment range, all solutions are individually tailored to each customer and specifically designed for the system’s individual load range.

@NORD_Drive @mepaxIntPR #PAuto #Transport

OCR in freight terminals.

An American global port operator deployed Moxa PoE+ (Power over Ethernet) switches to provide highly reliable data transmissions for their crane optical character recognition (OCR) system. The OCR system tracks the loading and unloading of freight containers at port terminals, and may help in lessoning the severe supply chain issues currently impacting the global economy.

As the key to automating the cargo handling process, the OCR system improves the efficiency of moving containers from ship to shore and reduces occupational hazards for personnel. In order to realize these benefits, the port system integrator had to overcome critical challenges to building a reliable crane OCR system. These challenges included deploying wiring in an environment with many obstacles, providing power supply for a variety of high-resolution outdoor cameras, ensuring reliable data transmissions, and reducing maintenance efforts.

To automate the container checking process, the crane OCR system is equipped with multiple cameras to capture images of all passing containers, including each container’s serial number, from different angles. Some of these cameras are high-resolution PTZ (Pan Tilt Zoom) cameras that have above-standard requirements, such as input of 60W per port. Moxa provided a complete portfolio of switches to satisfy all camera requirements. 

Solutions included the EDS-P506E-4PoE managed switch, which provides high power output of up to 60W per port. Where the demand for power was not high, other cost-efficient options such as the Moxa EDS-P510A-8PoE managed switch, was installed. The managed switches provide high MTBF and protect against extreme environments where outdoor crane systems are often used. Moreover, Moxa PoE managed switches include a built-in “Smart PoE” feature to support remote powered device (PD) management, including PD status monitoring, remote PoE port power cycling, and PoE port power cycle scheduling. These switches not only satisfy all of the system requirements, but also enable smooth operation and reduce overall maintenance costs.

Moreover, reliable data transmission is necessary for sending real-time images back to the port terminal’s remote control center for further identification and analysis. Moxa’s redundancy technologies, Turbo Ring and Turbo Chain, are specially designed to protect networks against transmission failures. Turbo Ring and Turbo Chain both support millisecond-level fast recovery to ensure that there are no interruptions to image data transmissions.

In certain situations redundancy technologies alone may not suffice, for example, a device could malfunction or lose cable communications. By using Moxa MXview or MXview ToGo graphical network management software, system administrators can remotely visualize the crane OCR system network to gain immediate insights and take the necessary steps to resolve network problems.

@MoxaInc @OConnell_PR #PAuto #Transport

Connecting, streaming and controling operational data.

ADLINK Technology has released its ADLINK Edge™ IoT solution which enables industry to gain maximum business value from rapidly deploying IoT technology. 

Following market leading R&D investment, extension of its partner ecosystem and successful global customer IoT deployments in 2019, ADLINK Edge™ has proved to be faster, easier and more cost effective to deploy than its rivals based on industry feedback. 

“ADLINK Edge™ can quickly and securely connect, stream and control operational data - whatever industrial equipment, systems, databases or cloud platforms are already used,” said Lawrence Ross, General Manager of Software & Solutions at ADLINK.  “Using that data our end-to-end industrial IoT solution enables rapid, real-time intelligent decision-making empowered by AI, analytics tools and machine learning.  This means our partners and customers can quickly find and use the data they need to achieve real business value and ROI whether their objectives are optimizing efficiency, predictive maintenance or identifying new business models.”

The solution’s capability has been developed and deployed in a variety of highly diverse use cases delivering valuable ROI including:

- Automating warehouse logistics with smart scanning of pallets

- Enabling predictive maintenance and a new business model for a gas turbine manufacturer

- Optimizing efficiency for a race car engine performance with machine condition monitoring, machine vision and machine learning

- Enabling automation and reducing time to market for a new product with barcode smart scanning for a meat supplier

- Reducing downtime and optimizing efficiency in a defense industry materials testing facility

- Enabling smart remote monitoring of mobile generators providing continuous power during recovery from a natural disaster     

With no programming necessary, ADLINK can quickly connect previously unconnected operational equipment, sensors and devices. Then, by tapping into native communication protocols, data can be captured and streamed at the edge. From the edge, this data can then be streamed securely between devices - databases and to the cloud, enabling analysis and easy visualization to inform

decisions and optimize operations in real time.

ADLINK Edge™ is deployed via the company’s innovative Digital Experiments methodology which can include hardware, software and support elements for easy integration with any existing IT and OT system. This provides a secure and cost effective approach to validate business value from IoT and define a roadmap before investing time and resources in a full-scale implementation.

Users are also able to benefit from IoT expertise within ADLINK’s extensive partner ecosystem which includes AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google, Thingworx, IBM Watson, FogHorn, Intel and SAS.

ADLINK Edge™ is built upon the ADLINK Data River™ which simplifies complex data network programming and enables data to flow freely but securely northbound or southbound, to any cloud analytic platform database and even east to west between devices, databases and the cloud.

The ADLINK Data River™ is heavily utilized and trusted within the military and aerospace industries to deliver mission critical data securely in real time.

ADLINK Edge™ also includes the ADLINK Marketplace containing apps which are connectors enabling third-party services to translate between devices and applications, or devices and peer devices. Using these apps, IoT Architects are free to implement best-in-class technologies appropriate to solve the particular business problem they face.

The ADLINK Profile Builder is also contained in ADLINK Edge and is a tool that very simply helps users configure and deploy all the apps to communicate with end-points, devices or applications into the platform deployed across a customer’s ecosystem.

#IoT #PAuto @ADLINK_Tech

WMS supplier selection guide

A new Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) supplier selection guide has been launched by ARC Advisory Group. The guide, in combination with supporting ARC data on the WMS marketplace, a strategic report on the WMS Business Case, and consultant support, will allow companies going through a WMS supplier selection process to make quicker and better decisions.

ARC Return on Investment (ROI) research has demonstrated that WMS solutions often provide the single best solution for reducing the costs associated with distribution while simultaneously improving service. In fact, a WMS can serve as a platform for further savings that would be difficult to achieve without having this solution in place.

Part of the success of a WMS in driving cost savings and service improvements is based upon the maturity of this technology. In theory, this maturity should make supplier selection easier. In practice, WMS solutions exist on a complexity continuum spanning low cost solutions with limits on the depth of functionality provided, to highly functional, much higher cost solutions. Further, different suppliers have developed special domain expertise in specific industries. The potential business benefits and associated payback periods reflect these facts.

ARC STAR – Supplier Selection Service guides users through a step-by-step process selecting and evaluating suppliers and their products against specific application and industry requirements. The process guides the user through the project and team definition, reviewing and editing ARC-provided selection criteria and supplier questions, weighing selection criteria, developing a supplier Request for Information (RFI) list, evaluating supplier responses, and developing a final ranking of RFI results. ARC STAR then fully documents the process and results for management review and approval. ARC STAR helps ensure inclusive, fact-based, impartial supplier evaluations and selections, free of the user bias issues that typically hamper these activities. In addition, ARC estimates that ARC STAR can reduce the cost and effort of a supplier selection process by well over 50 percent.

The selection guide was authored by Steve Banker. Steve has been covering the WMS market, WMS solutions, and WMS suppliers for over 15 years. Steve is one of the best known figures in the field of supply chain management and warehouse management has been a particular focus for him.

Warehouse automated handling

Holding and moving heavy metal tubes is not an easy task for automation engineers. Holding and moving heavy metal tubes... in narrow rows of automated warehouses... at high speed... is even... worse! Tecnorulli decided to go wireless for such types of applications.

The wireless option faced issues due to the environment itself (everything is made of metal in the warehouse) and more over, the moving parts, the carriages which are navigating through the aisles for depositing and/or taking material from the shelves and rows, are themselves made of metal. In short, the RF environment is some of the worst you can imagine for robust, safe, and reliable wireless applications. Nevertheless, they wanted to overcome the challenge and decided to go wireless , with one objective: improve quality and response time to better serve their customers. ProSoft Technology's RadioLinx industrial radios were the key to resolving the communications difficulties Tecnorulli was facing in its automated warehouse.

The Italian company Tecnorulli is a leading manufacturer of rollers and machinery for conveyors. Located in Verona, Tecnorulli has been producing rollers and machinery for conveyors for 35 years . Constant technological development and fast, timely response to its customers´ needs, and great production flexibility are the mainstays of Tecnorulli corporate strategy. To that end, an automated warehouse handling system was crucial for the global performance.

Over time they have gradually acquired the experience and specific expertise that have brought it to the top in that trade sector. In fact, the company produces both machinery designed to withstand the harshest working conditions (quarries, mines, marble working industries, sugar factories, salt works, road-building machinery, foundries, cement factories, etc.) and also high technology products used in the most modern automated factories (mechanical conveyor lines, bottling plant, packaging, pallet loading, pharmaceuticals, chemical industry, etc.). Tecnorulli also manufactures clutched and idle wheel rollers, which are specially designed to ensure reliable working even under extremely hostile conditions. Its offer is completed by its PVC and polyamide series of products which, for medium-light loads, combine great flexibility of application, complete non-toxicity, silence and absence of sparks, with the resistance to atmospheric agents typical of galvanised steel rollers.

The importance of communications
As the warehouse automation involved moving chariots, an industrial radio communication system was necessary. After an unsuccessful attempt with a previous option, Tecnorulli found a reliable solution with ProSoft Technology: "As you can imagine, production downtime is a big problem in our business," Tecnorulli plant Supervisors explain. "For a long time we have been struggling with a problem in our automated raw materials warehouse. We had to transport metal tubes in a perfectly safe way. We contacted ProSoft Technology to see if we could bring in industrial radios. Their partner in Italy, ATTI, based near Perugia in Ponte San Giovanni, installed the radios and the issue was very quickly solved."

"Our problem was that we were unable to get the two machines in the warehouse to interface properly. We had problems connecting these two machines, but thanks to the use of ProSoft Technology RLX-FHS radios we were able to solve the issue and eliminate warehouse blockages. We haven´t had any more problems since we installed the ProSoft industrial radios and the workflow has undoubtedly benefited."

"To help our customer in their choice, we may in some case lent them the industrial radios for a month in order for them to see first-hand that our solution would perfectly fit with their needs," explains Giuseppe Vencesclai, CEO of ATTI.

Ease of use and reliability
In this case, three ProSoft Technology RLX-FHS radios were installed in Tecnorulli warehouse. These radios are designed to reduce the costs of engineering and installing serial (in this case, but could be Ethernet) networks for industrial automation in the most difficult environments, such as a warehouse for metal parts.

"Our customers use to report that ProSoft Technology´s wireless solutions offer very high reliability and are very easy to implement," explains Aurélien Fabre, Business Development Manager for Italy at ProSoft Technology, "and these solutions largely contribute to great return on investment."

This new generation of industrial radios is extremely easy to use and ProSoft Technology particularly worked on the sensitivity of the receivers and the filtering algorithms. End users can thus count on more effective operation in environments where the levels of interference are high and they can also set the radios a greater distance apart.

With the ProSoft Technology Frequency Hopping radios (FHSS), data transfer rates between serial interface devices range from 19.2 Kbps to 230 Kbps (up to 3,000 Mbps for Ethernet version). These RadioLinx radios operate in the 2.4 GHz or 900 MHz frequency bandwidths (depending on country regulation). The frequency-hopping technology of these radios gives wireless networks a very high level of security, almost total immunity to interference and a very wide range (5-10 km in Europe, and up to 24 or 48 km in North America, according to authorized emitted power which depends on country regulation).

ControlScape, an easy-to-use software application handling network configuration and advanced troubleshooting, is supplied free of charge by ProSoft Technology. This software monitors variables such as signal force, data transmitted, number of networks connected, etc., to help end users install and maintain their own network.