Jun 29, 2007The following are news announcements made during the week of June 25.
RFID Global Solution, Rush Tracking Form Alliance
RFID solution providers RFID Global Solution and Rush Tracking Systems have formed a strategic alliance. Under the terms of this alliance, the companies will develop active, passive and global positioning system-based RFID solutions for Fortune 100 companies in the consumer product goods, aerospace and defense, manufacturing, life sciences and government sectors. According to Toby Rush, president of Rush Tracking Systems, the firms are joining together in response to the "extremely strong growth and increasing demand" they've experienced over the past five years. He adds that working with RFID Global Solution will enable his company to multiply its workforce, accelerate internal growth and acquire colleagues offering complimentary skill sets. Joe Leone, president and CTO of RFID Global Solution, says his company sought a partner with a wealth of hands-on RFID experience and a sound business standing. The companies have completed separate RFID projects for a number of early adopters, including Wal-Mart, Target, Boeing, Delta Airlines and Coca-Cola Enterprises, and are already working together on several RFID ventures.
AIM Global Sponsors Annual AIDC Technical Institute
Auto-ID trade association AIM Global is sponsoring the 21st annual Automatic Identification and Data Capture Technical Institute (AIDCTI), scheduled for Sunday, July 22, through Friday, July 27, 2007, on the Ohio University campus in Athens, OH. AIDCTI is a week-long intensive course on automatic identification technologies, designed for those new to the field, as well as those looking to remain current with industry advances. The course covers bar-code, magnetic-stripe, RFID, biometric and smart-card technologies, and shows how they support various applications. Sessions include hands-on lab activities on all AIDC technologies and their applications. The course focuses on growing the AIDC industry by educating AIDC technology vendors. The event is also sponsored by Ohio University and Hand Held Products, as well as media sponsors RFID Journal and VertMarket.
NJM/CLI Unveils New RFID Label Applicator
NJM/CLI, a manufacturer of packaging and labeling systems based in Lebanon, N.H., has introduced a new RFID labeling system called the High Speed RFID Integrated Model 400. This system encodes, verifies and applies RFID tags at speeds of up to 50 cases or cartons per minute. NJM/CLI says it reached such speeds by re-designing the system, orienting rolls of labels head-to-toe rather than the traditional side-to-side configuration. Thus, the shorter side of the label—its height—is fed to the tamp pad to maximize the speed of the system, while labels are applied to the case or carton in the correct orientation with the length of the label across the case. In addition to maximizing the speed of the system, the company says, this improves ergonomics as well, because the label roll is on the vertical plane, lower to the ground. The applicator attaches to a Zebra RFID printer and verification scanner, automatically removing bad tags or labels prior to application. NJM/CLI can configure the RFID system for Ethernet connectivity to backend systems.
Fluensee Upgrades Yard-Management Platform
Fluensee has added a number of new features to its Fluensee Yard RFID-based trailer-tracking platform. The changes are designed to make the Web-based yard-management solution easier for companies to manage trailers and other assets moving through transportation yards and terminals. Fluensee has reengineered the user interface to incorporate a management dashboard users can customize to generate reports based on the information most vital to their operations. For example, users might set the dashboard to alert them if a tagged trailer scheduled to be loaded for shipment is not loaded, based on its location in the yard. The interface also includes more graphical representations of information, such as the number of occupied dock doors, and includes a yard-wide view of trailers that operators can use to drill down and find specific trailer details and schedules. The list price of the Fluensee Yard software, per yard, is $75,000, while the list price of the software, per shunt (yard) truck, is $2,500. Current Fluensee customers can upload the upgrade, along with documentation, from the Fluensee website.
German Label Converter Begins Operations
German startup ITG Ident Technology Gera has begun operating the label conversion machinery it plans to employ in creating HF and UHF labels for logistic processes, as well as smart tickets for events and transportation. In addition to high quantities of customary tickets, tags and labels, the company also plans to adapt RFID for niche applications.
ACT Seeking Approval for Location, Communication System for Mines
Toronto-based Active Control Technology (ACT) is seeking U.S. federal regulatory certification of the second core component of its ActiveMine system. The two-way voice communications and locating system is designed for mines using active RFID tags that communicate over a Wi-Fi network. ACT filed documents with the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) for tag certification. The agency will determine whether the tags are safe for use in mines, where methane gas sometimes collects. Any devices utilized in a mine must be deemed spark-proof to ensure that they don't act as explosive agents. ACT is seeking the certification in accordance with the MINER Act, passed into law last year, which mandates that all underground coal mines install wireless communications and personnel tracking systems. All vendors looking to sell this type of equipment must first have their systems certified by MSHA as "intrinsically safe."
