Challenge
Astute Medical manufactures biomarkers that are used to identify high-risk, acute medical conditions in critically ill patients. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) issued a mandate that medical devices must carry a Unique Device Identifier (UDI), which requires a greater volume of information than had been previously required.

Astute Medical sought a compliance labeling solution that would meet UDI requirements in accordance with GS1 Standards. The manufacturer also wanted to receive accurate and repeatable verification results and a solution that included a Validation Protocol to document compliance with these requirements. We needed to not only comply with federal regulations, but also ensure that we were sending out our medical devices with a high-quality barcode, “to avoid returns,” explained Susan Shelton, Materials Management and Procurement Manager of Astute Medical.

Analysis

Astute Medical designs, engineers, and manufactures novel biomarkers that enable clinicians to identify acute conditions in their critically ill patients before the symptoms become evident. Products like the NephroCheck Test and Astute140 Meter fall under the guidelines of the FDA’s Unique Device Identification rule. This system was established to identify medical devices throughout their distribution and use, providing critical traceability that benefits the patient, caregiver, manufacturer, and distributor.

Continue reading »

POS-X has announced the next generation of their cost effective ION series 1D barcode scanner, the ION Linear 2. The all new ION Linear 2 features a 4.9′ drop spec with a refined gun style grip, improved housing, and trigger durability.

The ION Linear 2 strikes the perfect balance of performance and price. This no-nonsense 1D barcode scanner offers outstanding durability , speed and scan distance. Plug and play right out of the box, the ION Linear 2 is ideal for light t o medium duty applications . The optional stand enables hands-free scanning, freeing up space while adding functionality to your business.

“Entry level barcode scanners of today don’t need to be limited to just CCD contact scanners,” states Oscar Alvidrez, Director of Channel at POS-X. “We are excited to bring to market an extremely capable scanner which offers class leading performance and warranty service.

Ruckus announced the addition of two new access points (APs) to the ZoneFlex family—the ZoneFlex R610 indoor AP and the ZoneFlex T610 outdoor AP. Both products are based on the IEEE 802.11ac Wave 2 standard featuring multi-user MIMO technology, which optimizes airtime efficiency to client devices and increases aggregate network throughput in dense indoor or outdoor deployments.

“The Ruckus ZoneFlex R610 AP enables secure, rock-solid connections whether you are streaming audio or video, transacting payments, keeping in touch via social media, or just browsing the web,” said Denton Meier, CTO, Firefly Technologies, a Ruckus partner based in Washington. “We have been using the R610s in two high-use gym locations and the local Pybus Public Market.

The 3×3 802.11ac Wave 2 APs provide dual concurrent streams to handle the influx of connections at these demanding locations. From Netflix, YouTube and Spotify at the gym locations, to Facebook, Instagram and Square transactions at the Public Market, these units haven’t missed a beat. Our clients love that they just work, and we love that we don’t need a truck roll.”

Continue reading »

Making the printing experience better and easier is something that every label printer manufacturer aims for but Zebra has raised the bar with the ZD420 series. Unlike standard printers that uses a ribbon roll you have to thread through your printer, the ZD420 uses a ribbon cartridge.

As you can see from the video, changing ribbon takes seconds. A simple enough task but the time savings means less time waiting on a printer and a much simpler process for everyone who uses it.

Based on more than 40 years of bar code printing innovations, the PC42t desktop printer sets new standards for user-friendliness and affordability. Easy to install and ready to print quickly, the streamlined PC42t is an economical choice for media up too 4.3” wide.

The Honeywell PC42t supports a wide range of media and features a quick-opening design for easy media replenishment. Designed to print up to 1000 label a day, the PC42t’s quiet, reliable operation and intuitive design make it the perfect fir for light-duty labeling applications in a variety of industries.

Avery Weigh-Tronix has just launched their new ZT350, a high precision legal for trade digital tape measure, which records, stores and transmits dimensional data. By capturing precise and detailed dimensions in any location, the ZT350 has been created to help optimize processes and profit margins for small parcel and freight operations.

High precision, affordable solution

The compact, robust device is available at a fraction of the price of other digital dimensioning tools on the market today. The ZT350 is a smart device, with the ability to store data internally or to transmit to a PC or other mobile device via Bluetooth connectivity.

With a 9 foot tape, the ZT350 is suitable for most small parcel and freight measuring requirements. Legal for trade at 0.1 inch divisions.

A easy to read color OLED display, integrated scanner, rechargeable Li-ion battery and components that can be replaced in the field make this a convenient yet cost effective dimensioning solution.
Continue reading »

Healthcare professionals have a noble but challenging occupation – taking proper care of patients while juggling administrative duties critical to positive patient outcomes. So, when it comes to providing patient care and comfort, settling for anything but the best isn’t an option. That’s why Zebra is introducing the DS8100-HC (Healthcare) Series: a difference-making imager purpose-built to assist healthcare professionals with improving the quality and efficiency of patient care.

The DS8100-HC Series combines performance, adaptability, and manageability so healthcare professionals can perform their data capture tasks accurately and more productively without disturbing their patients. From medication administration to specimen collection, admitting and inventory and dietary management, the DS8100-HC Series is the ideal solution to enhance patient safety, the productivity of staff members and the efficiency of point-of-care operations.

Key Features

• Unparalleled Performance on Virtually Every Barcode in Any Condition
• First-of-its-kind Housing Offers Maximum Protection Against the Spread of Infection
• Flexible User-Selectable Feedback Including Night Mode with Vibrate
• Continuous 24 Hour Scanning
• Exclusive Battery Charge Gauge
• Choice Of Compact USB Powered Cradles
• Doubles as a Workstation Lamp
• FIPS 140-2 Certified
• Apple Certified for iPads and iPhones
• Easy Application Development

There is no need to panic just yet but any business that is currently using devices with Windows CE or Windows Embedded Handheld should start to plan for the future. Starting in 2018 through 2020, Microsoft is phasing out support of their Windows Embedded Operating Systems you find on many mobile devices. Windows-based OS are very common especially in the case of more rugged handheld devices, so as you replace these devices you will want to consider changing to some of the alternate OS to future-proof your investment.

• June 10, 2018 – Windows Embedded CE 6.0 will be End of Life
• June 9, 2019 –  Windows Embedded 8.1 Handheld will be End of Life
• January 14, 2020 – Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 will be End of Life

3 years till 2020 isn’t really that far away. Preparing your upgrade strategy now will prevent a lot of headaches later and won’t slow down your business.

Continue reading »

The County of Greenwood (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Department is to provide for the safety and protection of the citizens and businesses of Greenwood County through proven full service law enforcement practices, including both reactive and proactive responses to criminal activity, to ensure that public interests and constitutionally guaranteed liberties are protected and that the judicial process is followed according to law. In order to provide the best data to their patrol officers, they needed a way to scan a driver’s license and look up any associated records from out in the field.

Barcodes, Inc. recommended the AirTrack S2 to scan the 2D barcodes off of driver’s licenses. The S2 is a fast, precise and nimble barcode scanner that offers omnidirectional reading and is rugged enough to withstand repeated drops from 5 feet to concrete. Since most driver’s licenses are equipped with both 1D and 2D barcodes, the S2 is ideal for its ability to read both symbologies. Additionally, the S2 can be configured to parse specific driver’s license information based on what data the patrol office wants to capture (i.e. name, driver’s license number, address, birthdate, etc.). The data is then parsed into the department’s software program to look up information on the individual, such as previous records, outstanding warrants, and other information. In order to protect their investment, the Sheriff’s department invested in AirTrack service contracts to protect their devices from defects and normal wear and tear.

To learn more about AirTrack, our Government solutions, or driver’s license parsing, contact one of our representatives.