What are the benefits of Customer Leasing?
What are the process for Customer Leasing?
Email [email protected] or call 01494 810 101 for more information.
Barcodes for Business Customer Leasing
Toshiba Ribbon Save Function
The ribbon save function conserves the ribbon when it is not required thereby reducing consumable costs.
Zebra Technology
Zebra technology can drive a smarter, event driven, real-time operation for the front line worker; ensuring assets and people are connected, visible and optimally utilised.
Bar Code Colour Guide
Scanners read bar code by recognition of the contrast between light and dark areas of the symbol. Light colours (white, yellow and “warm” colours such as read and orange) are suitable for the background and light margin areas. Dark colours (black, blue and green) are suitable for the bars. This means that although black and white are obviously the safest contrasting colours, other colours can be equally effective and may complement the pack design.
A scanner “reads” the bar code symbol by means of a red light source, so what the scanners “sees” is quite different to what human eye sees. As such, although many colour combinations are clearly visible to the eye, some bar codes will scan and some bar codes will not.
Whatever colours are chosen, it is very important for manufacturer to discuss their bar coding programme with their printer. The printer is the best person to advise on suitable colours because he has the experience of how inks and other factors can affect print qualitu and, therefore, the quality of the printed bar code.
Source: GS1 Malaysia
Barcodes for Business G1 Unmanned Store
G1 Unmanned Store
SMART PANEL FOR SHIPPING CONTAINERS, FOR RENTAL PRODUCTS AND CONSUMABLES
The NEW G1 Unmanned Store from Barcodes for Business automatically manages your assets on site.
Barcodes for Business have created the G1 Unmanned Store Smart Panel as a kit to build into most standard shipping containers, converting them into a fully automated Pop-Up Store.
Access to the container is controlled by a unique ID fob which can be programmed to operate the store in different languages and restrict access to specific stores.
Assets are fitted with a low cost RFID label which is read when the store carries out an inventory after every visit.
Users can pick up their required items and leave the store without having to manually scan anything.
Real Time Visit Reports, Stock Updates and Alerts
A full store inventory is completed after every visit.
Visit reports show time and date stamps, the fob used, items taken or returned along with pictures taken on the in built CCTV cameras.
Visit information is passed back to a cloud web portal in real time via either wi-fi or the mobile phone network.
If damaged rental items are returned to the store, they can be placed in a quarantine area to alert engineers to repair or swap the item out on the next visit.
Health & Safety alerts are sent to site managers by text or email in the event of safety alarms being triggered. Audible & visual warnings show on the unit if a user is having problems and electronic locks are released to allow help to access the unit.
The unit will connect to a 110v or 240v power supply. A battery back up keeps the unit running even in the event of a power failure. The store will run quite happily connected to a small generator.
Supplied in a kit for simple installation
Units are supplied on a pallet in kit form and can be easily fitted to most shipping container within a few hours with very little training. Panels are made from stainless steel to stop rust and are powder coated for extra protection leaving a surface that can easily be wrapped with your company branding.
Improved sustainability
The G1 Unmanned Store even tells you dynamically how much CO2 equivalent and commercial savings you are making compared with the same level of transactions using the nearest depot instead. It will also dynamically predict the total savings over the contract life of the store, adjusting the prediction every week according to the latest data.
GREEN PACK – Fully Autonomous power option
A combination of wind and solar energy harvesting components with super-rugged gel batteries means there is no need for any external power source with this store option. The fully autonomous G1 Unmanned Store can be placed anywhere where there is delivery access and the ground is level. It is capable of operating for over two weeks even if there is no wind or sun, making it tolerant of the harshest winters. In the opposite situation, smart circuits protect all store components where there is excess energy harvested from the wind or sun.
G1 Unmanned Store Suitability
Based on FAQs from real enquiries and customers, here’s a guide to help you decide if a G1 Unmanned Store panel is suitable for your requirement…
What are the minimum requirements for deploying a G1 Unmanned container store?
There must be suitable HGV access to deliver the container.
The ground must be level, or the container must be level after placement.
Is a mains supply required? If so, the store uses less than 60W of power, so heavy duty cable isn’t necessary. If there is no mains available the store should be fitted with the Green wind and solar option.
How is the container fitted out?
That’s down to the customer. There are no specific requirements needed.
How does the store keep an accurate inventory?
A G1 Unmanned Store uses passive UHF RFID technology which carries out a full inventory after every visit. This means that all items to be tracked must have an RFID tag applied before they are deployed to the store. This is easy to do at the warehouse prior to shipping using a barcode reader or handheld running the G1 Unmanned Store app. Items which are too small, very low value or difficult to tag can still be accommodated using smart RFID sensors. The specially encoded tags are available to purchase on rolls from Codegate on next day delivery.
Does the store user need to scan anything or use a keyboard to do a transaction?
No – the transaction is fully automated, the user just needs to collect the items they need and then exit the store.
What sort of assets can the store contain / transact?
The G1 Unmanned Store can contain any mix of:
Hireable assets
Consumables
‘Replenishables’, a special category of consumables that do not need to be tagged, which can still be tracked using smart RFID sensors.
How many items can the store hold?
A G1 Unmanned Store can hold up to 1,000 items in a 10ft or 20ft container store and up to 1,500 items in a 40 ft container store. PLEASE NOTE these are individual items, not SKUs. So, for illustration, if you wanted the store to hold 10 items of each SKU, then the total maximum number of different SKUs would be 150.
Can many different customers use the store?
The store is recommended for use by a single customer only. If there are any stock losses caused by any form of abuse or inappropriate use by their own personnel then liability lies with the single customer.
Should the store be deployed to a secure site?
Whilst the store is quite secure we strongly advise it should be placed within a compound where there is additional security and CCTV to prevent unwanted attention from opportunists.
How secure is access to the store?
Access is gained using fobs allocated by the Store Administrator. Access from any fob can be revoked at any time in the event of theft, loss or similar.
Can a job number be recorded against each transaction?
The store can be set up to require a job number on entry, which is then recorded against any transaction. This is entered on the front panel touch screen. The format of the job number can be adjusted according to the requirement, and it is possible to accept time limited job numbers to prevent repeated use.
Can users return consumables to the store?
No. If they do so the transaction will not be recorded. Damaged items or items for credit should be returned to the nearest depot or by courier.
Is it possible to report damage to hireable items returned to the store?
Yes. The store web portal can also advise if any items are in need of a maintenance or calibration check.
Can a G1 Unmanned Store panel be installed in the doorway of a conventional stock room?
Subject so a site survey and ensuring certain RFID shielding requirements, yes this is possible.
Typically how long will it take to see a return on investment?
This very much depends on use case, but here are a some typical examples:
In comparison with operating a manned store, ROI can be months.
In a typical end user scenario where a store is used 20 times per day, and without a store those visits would be to a depot 30 minutes drive away, the cumulative carbon and commercial savings will be realised in about one year.
Is the G1 Unmanned Store panel suitable for international shipments?
Yes. The Store panels are shipped flat-pack in kit form to save cost. Once on site they can be assembled into a container by a team of two in just a few hours.
Zebra Food Labelling Solution
Typical elements of a Zebra food labelling solution
A solution for food labelling compliance comprises a printer, labelling software and suitable media.
Printers
Zebra is able to offer the ideal printer depending on the number of labels required per day. Our G series printers provide a compact, easy to use solution for on-demand label printing in low-volume manufacturing or at point of delivery in retail.
Users who need to print 1,600 labels or more per day at a single point should consider Zebra’s new ZT series printers, either the ZT400 or the ZT200 which not only offer high speed and durability, but also a host of remote (cloud) connectivity and other Link-OS functions.
Software
Together with the printer, Zebra provides suitable labelling software
For organisations producing static product labels – especially the new requirement for ‘source’ information on meat and other animal products in retail – ZebraDesignerPro provides a simple and cost effective solution.
Users who are managing dynamic labelling and need to highlight allergens in their ingredients list should take a look at Zebra Partner NiceLabel who provides software which enables a smooth and easy upgrade path for Zebra Designer users. NiceLabel software loads Zebra Designer format files and is compatible with Zebra’s Windows drivers.
Other software solutions are available from Zebra Partners Loftware and Seagull Scientific (BarTender®).
Supplies
Label media is a key part of any food labelling solution – it is not a case of “any label will do”. Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 sets out the rules on chemical migration from all materials and articles in contact with food. It includes provisions for materials and articles that are expected to come into contact with foods or to transfer their constituents to food (such as printing inks and adhesive labels).
Zebra has a wide variety of supplies suitable for food labelling (see our ‘Food labelling approvals_supplies guide’ for a list of the Zebra media materials for use in food applications and where you can use them).
With Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval for direct and in-direct food contact, many of our standard, stocked label items are quick and easy to order with a minimum order quantity of only 1 box. For a more bespoke label design, Zebra can customise a range of different label materials to include your company logo, branding and other images, with a selection of adhesives from permanent to removable, high tack to deep freeze.
Source: http://www.zebra.com/
Elo’s Next Generation Android Device Portfolio Delivers Powerful Enterprise-Readiness with Greater Flexibility
MILPITAS, Calif.—October 05, 2021—Elo, a leading global provider of Android-powered interactive devices, today announced the enhanced I-Series 4 and Backpack 4 products. This update brings the power and convenience of Android 10, Google Mobile Services (GMS), and a suite of enterprise tools enabling flexibility in device management. The fourth-generation products reinforce Elo as the trusted Enterprise Android platform across industries from retail and healthcare to hospitality and manufacturing.
The Elo name has become synonymous with reliable Android devices built for business applications around the world,said Craig Witsoe, CEO, Elo.With twice the performance of the previous generation and the addition of an entirely new processor option, our next gen portfolio provides more choice, greater flexibility and literally thousands of possible configurations for interactive solutions.
Secure, flexible, and powerful, the fourth-generation platform I-Series and Backpack devices can be configured with a high performance 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor or the 6-core Rockchip processor. Elo’s lineup of Android devices has been designed to help enterprise customers find the right hardware solution for a greater range of uses.
I-Series 4
One of Elo’s most popular products, the new I-Series all-in-one devices boast a sleek thin design with easier enterprise management capabilities of Android 10, optional Google Mobile Services (GMS) and OEMConfig. The 10-, 15- and 22-inches display sizes are all Elo Edge Connect™ ready with the ability to mount peripherals on any of the four sides making them perfect for virtually any application. The new I-Series devices also feature an 8MP camera, faster Wi-Fi, USB-C plus optional power-over-ethernet (POE) providing the possibility of a streamlined single cable install.
Elo Backpack® 4
Elo’s Android-powered compute engine, the Elo Backpack 4, enables customers to transform touchscreens of any size and format into an affordable, scalable, single-architecture media platform. Now with VESA mounting compatibility and an even smaller form factor, the Backpack can easily attach to Elo’s broad range of 10- to 65-inch interactive display products, giving customers the flexibility to create virtually any interactive application using a single platform.
Elo EssentialEdge™ Simplifies Android for the Enterprise
With Elo EssentialEdge for Android, developers, IT managers and business leaders can leverage a uniform and constantly growing set of tools over a broad set of applications. Everything from managing connected peripherals like scanners and payment devices to security settings and OS is supported from an Enterprise perspective. Among the powerful new features of the platform are Google zero-touch enrollment and OEMConfig capability for easy device configuration and enrollment in conjunction with any mobile device management software. Elo’s Android stack is chock-full of tools enterprises need from peripheral support to custom OS updates and security features.
The new I-Series and Backpack devices are EloView® ready. EloView is a SaaS platform for automated device enrollment, content management, and remote device management. Available in three versions, EloView offers: a free “Core” version for automated deployments and OS updates, “Connect” that enables device provisioning and management with a familiar Android desktop interface and “Control” which provides additional security for customer-facing and unattended devices.
And, with OS 360, Elo offers security updates, the latest Android OS upgrades and device enhancements to help ensure Elo Android-based devices are secure and performing optimally throughout their lifecycle. OS 360 seamlessly integrates with EloView allowing users to pre-schedule updates and manage OS versions across their fleet of devices.
Whether a stadium with 650 point-of-sale systems throughout or self-order kiosks across a 7,000-location restaurant chain, EloView makes device management easy at scale.
PM30 Mobile Computer now part of Android Enterprise Recommended
Shortly after its release to the market, PM30 has successfully passed all the requirements to join the Android Enterprise Recommended initiative, a program led by Google which helps businesses select the right hardware and service.
To be part of the program, devices have to match a strict set of minimum specifications, such as Android version, CPU clock speed, architecture, ingress protection, and more. Derek’s post gives a great overview about the requirements, so make sure to read it if you haven’t done so already.
New requirement: Publishing security update information
Each year the program evolves, leading to new requirements in order to be validated. This time, the focus is mainly on improved transparency regarding security updates. Manufacturers must now publish security update information on their websites and link Google’s Security Bulletins to it, including the date until when security updates are released and details about the fixes contained in each respective update, as well as any manufacturer-specific fixes.
We have already adjusted our website to those requirements, which can be found here or if you navigate to Products ➜ Business Solutions ➜ PULS. From there, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you’ll see all the latest security related information. At this point, only PM30 appears on the list, but other products of our line up (that are listed in the AER program) will be added shortly.
More info about PM30
The PM30 is an IP67 rated mobile computer with a 4.7in screen, a drop spec of 1.5m (MIL-STD-810G), a 2.2GHz Octa-core processor, and 4GB RAM/64GB ROM as standard. It also marks the thinnest and lightest mobile device in our line up, making it easy to carry and operate. What’s remarkable is that despite its small size, we managed to put a slim imager engine in it, an optical fingerprint reader, and wireless charging technology. Specifically for the healthcare market, we introduced a white version (PM30hc).
Source: https://blog.pointmobile.com/
What is “Wi-Fi 6 ready”?
You are choosing a device just right for you, and trying to compare each product by specifications: which is the most powerful? Does it support the latest technology, such as Wi-Fi 6? And then, you might stumble upon the terms Wi-Fi 6 ready or 802.11ax-ready. What does the “ready” mean here?
Wi-Fi 6 ready: how it started
Wi-Fi 6 is the next generation of a wireless communication technology standardized by IEEE, and its outstanding performance and benefits are explained very well in the post by Earl.
For this post, we’re going to explore what “Wi-Fi 6 ready” is, its benefits compared to previous generation of Wi-Fi, and how it differs from standard Wi-Fi 6.
The term “Wi-Fi 6 ready” was used first by Qualcomm back in late 2018 when the new Snapdragon 855 processor was released. It included sets of new wireless communication technology that enables faster, stable connection, and support for multiple devices with same access point – a crucial feature for businesses who deployed a lot of mobile devices with high user density.
This happened before full 802.11ax standards were finally ratified. As a result, Qualcomm’s then new processor supported a subset of the 802.11ax standard, making it not fully compliant – hence the naming of Wi-Fi 6 ready, also known as 802.11ax-ready. However, this was still a great upgrade from the previous generation that might change the whole work process and a big step towards the world of IoT.
What makes Wi-Fi 6 ready an upgrade from Wi-Fi 5?
Target wakeup Time (TWT) and support for 8 spatial streams are two major features that are considered a technological breakthrough of Wi-Fi, which are also supported by Qualcomm’s Wi-Fi 6 ready processors.
Target Wakeup Time (TWT) enables devices to determine when and how frequently they will wake up to send or receive data. This allows a Wi-Fi 6 enabled AP to significantly increase device sleep time and conserve battery life. In addition, TWT also reduces contention and overlap between users.
Just like fully compliant Wi-Fi 6 devices, Wi-Fi 6 ready also support up to 8 spatial streams: if your device supports 802.ax-ready, it is able to identify the 8-stream configuration in the AP through a process called sounding, supporting twice the devices than when there are only 4-stream 802.11ac devices as visualized in the image above.
Difference between Wi-Fi 6 ready and Wi-Fi 6 IEEE standard
The full IEEE Wi-Fi 6 compliant device does support more features, including OFDMA, 1024-QAM, and a faster data rate. However, the efficient TWT (Target Wake Time) and 8 spatial stream support also makes Wi-Fi 6 ready a significant and reasonable upgrade from Wi-Fi 5, especially if you’re seeking to solve the congestion and slow data rate issue in your workplace.
Source: https://blog.pointmobile.com/
Top 3 Things to Consider in a Linerless Solution
1. Print Performance
Lineless labels typically require a higher print darkness setting than standard direct thermal labels. The heat generated by the printhead must penetrate through the release coating to activate the direct thermal chemistry to create a readable and durable image. In addition, extended print quality testing is required to ensure the release coating does not build-up on the printhead.
2. Proper Manufacturing
Linerless labels must be carefully manufactured and precisely wound on the core to ensure a proper fit in the printer. Unlike standard labels, linerless labels cannot be easily adjusted on the roll because of the absence of the liner. To prevent printer feeding issues or jamming, it is important that the label release coating has cured properly during manufacturing and the adhesive chemistry is compatible with the platen roller.
If you’re using a Zebra linerless printer, labels must be properly attached to the core to ensure the sensor can read and indicate when you have run out of media, and to prevent jamming.
3. Testing and Maintenance
To minimize cleaning and maintenance-along with having to replace printheads and platen rollers-linerless media needs to be rigorously tested in compatible printers to ensure minimal adhesive buildup, optimal print quality and smooth label throughput.
