In an interview with FoodProductionDaily, Honeywell’s Bruce Stubbs referenced his firm’s recent white paper, “Food Traceability: Solving the Imperative of Compliance.”
Aside from a surge in product recalls and contamination incidents, “large influential retailers are placing increased emphasis on consumer safety and mandating that all fresh produce delivered to their distribution centers follow the new industry standards for labels,” the paper points out.
On the right track
Stubbs, director of industry marketing, Honeywell Scanning & Mobility (HSM), described how products ranging from simple “smart tags” to sophisticated wearable computers can help processors achieve end-to-end traceability.
“With our smart printers, a citrus grower can print a traceable RFID [radio frequency identification] label at the point of harvest,” he said.
“If there is a problem with the fruit down the supply chain, all the grower needs is the product’s GTIN [Global Trade Item Number] from that label,” he continued. “In two minutes, he’ll know which row in which grove the fruit came from, plus when it was picked, when it was processed and when it was shipped.”
High tech, high volume
Labels that incorporate RFID technology as well as GTIN, UPC (Universal Product Code) and other global data structures are the basic building blocks of Honeywell’s traceability system.
At the other end of the technology spectrum are devices used in huge, multi-product warehouses to support efficient, accurate picking, packing and shipping.
At Pack Expo, HSM introduced a hands-free, wrist-mounted version of its Dolphin 70e Black mobile computer. In the Honeywell Wearable Solution, the computer (which is slightly larger than a cell phone) fits into a case affixed to an adjustable black rubber armband. A tethered or Bluetooth ring scanner (see photo below) completes the ensemble.
On the move
The system is designed to maximize freedom of movement and productivity for warehouse personnel, Stubbs said.
“This version of the Dolphin 70e is lighter and has a lower profile than its predecessor,” he added. “It has an easy-to-read display and flexible touchscreen keypads with specific menus for specific tasks.”
To boost economy and efficiency, the system also was designed to be shared between workers, he said.
For example, the computer’s battery can be changed between shifts. Its screen is rotatable, so it can be read on either arm (and thus used by both left-handed and right-handed employees).
What’s the connection?
So, how does a hands-free warehouse computer address traceability requirements?
“Using mobile scanners, computers and labelers allows warehouse and distribution personnel to work where the product is, as with labeling incoming pallets of product,” said Stubbs.
“When a warehouse employee scans a product’s smart tag, the computer compares that information with the system data. Then it creates another label that tells the employee where to put the product.”
Having the computer and scanner at their fingertips — but not in their hands — results in greater focus, accuracy, safety and productivity for warehouse employees, added Stubbs.
“If you want to know the importance of having accurate warehouse data, ask any food company that has issued a major recall,” he added.