What you need to know?

In 2012, the United States Congress enacted the “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century” bill, which included a provision requiring the FMCSA to develop a rule mandating the use of Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs). The purpose of the ELD was to electronically record a driver’s Record of Duty Status (RODS), which replaces the paper log book that drivers use to record their compliance with Hours of Service (HOS) requirements. In December 2015, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published the final electronic logging device rule, or ELD Mandate. In accordance with the mandate, fleets have until December 2017 to implement certified ELDs to record HOS. Additionally, fleets that are already equipped with ELD technology will have until December 2019 to ensure compliance with the published specifications.

What does an ELD do?

ELDs installed in motor vehicles can monitor and record a whole host of data about the vehicle and its driver that go beyond RODS – from Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR) to driver behavior reporting on speeding, idling, and hard braking. Many systems are capable of integrating map and route optimization solutions as well, which can help drivers navigate through the best routes on any given day.

What are the benefits of ELD?

Besides being in compliance and avoiding heavy fees, many fleets are already seeing the benefits of ELDs, such as:

• Saves the drive time by reducing paperwork
• Keeps a dispatcher updated on a driver’s status, while letting them plan for loads better in light of HOS compliance needs
• Reduces the hassle of keeping a paper
• Tracks a driver’s HOS electronically
• Ensures drive segments are capture through being “integrally synchronized” with a truck’s engine
• Synchronizes driver with fleet manager by passing data to a system where one can see e-logs in a near real-time basis
• Save money by reducing fuel costs

Can I use rugged smartphones and tablets instead?

Knowing that there is a cost burden associated with adopting new technology, the FMCSA has authorized the use of rugged handhelds, smartphones, and tablets as the system as a whole meets ELD requirements, including a hardwired connection to the truck’s engine. This helps address the start-up costs associated with some of the HOS compliance systems. Furthermore, most truck drivers are already using rugged devices as part of their other operations, such as direct store delivery, signature capture, route optimization, and inventory management. They also allow the drivers the flexibility to choose from a wide range of mobile devices that they are comfortable using.

What are some mobile device options?

While there are hundreds of devices to choose from, here are some of the newest technologies that are ideal for the on-the-go driver:

• Zebra TC56 rugged smartphone
• Honeywell CT50 rugged smartphone
• Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1 rugged tablet
• Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet

To learn more about the ELD Mandate or to get a free consultation on an ELD hardware and software solution, reach out to one of our Barcodes, Inc. representatives.

Make professional label printing easy and flexible with the BarTender Print Portal App. With the powerful and secure Bartender by Seagull Scientific you’ll be able to create and automate labels, barcodes, RFID labels, plastic cards, and more.

Designed for use on either an iOS or Android device; the BarTender Print Portal App works with the BarTender Enterprise Automation Edition to let you easily choose label design, complete print-time data forms, and launch print jobs to any printer on the internet, all with strong and reliable security. Just download the app to either your smartphone or tablet and start printing.

Enterprise Automation Edition users can easily print directly from the Print Portal App to any connected printer:

• Print to Bluetooth or IP printers directly from your Android device
• Print to IP printers directly from your iOS device
• Add/manipulate data in real time through in-app BarTender data entry forms
• Automatically authenticate with a Print Portal site and browse to a specific root folder
• BarTender security controls monitor access and permissions to labels and documents

Download the free App below. (Requires Enterprise Automation Edition, Contact us at Barcodes, Inc. to purchase.)

When it comes to consumables there are no shortage of options, but each and everyone has their benefits when it comes to maintaining your printer. Printing supplies can impact everything from the printhead lifespan to the printer’s operational efficiency. So when it comes to selecting labels, ribbons, or wristbands it is an important decision. Zebra Technologies can help, being one of the largest thermal label convertors in North America, with the expertise in converting thermal media. With four U.S. converting locations Zebra offers manufacturing redundancies resulting in quick delivery and minimal interruptions. Zebra will only use inks, varnishes, tools and equipment that meet the requirements of thermal materials.

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In a world constantly searching for opportunities to stay mobilized, we are increasingly seeing every industry equipping their work force with rugged smartphones and scanner sleds. This gives the user the ability to scan and track on the go in addition to processing credit card payments in the field. Rugged smartphones and sleds have been emerging into the marketplace to help companies stay more productive away from the desk and also decrease high capital equipment costs. While there are many options on the market today, this sector is expected to see a 2-3% growth in the next few years with many new hardware and software products emerging.

 

Key benefits of using a rugged smartphone for your business:

• A slimmer, thinner, and lighter form factor than traditional laptops and other peripherals which can easily fit in a pocket, purse, or bag.
• No need for an additional piece of equipment as this fits directly over your iPhone or Android
• Rugged sleds can increase durability of your device in harsh outdoor environments and also indoor facilities prone to dust and moisture.
• Stay connected in the field using cell service to transmit data quickly when away from the office

Call one of our representatives for mobility solutions and pricing assistance.

To upgrade firmware on a Honeywell 8670 Wireless Ring Scanner, the scanner must be connected to either of the below:

• Honeywell Access Point (HAP) – AP-010BT-07N /  AP-100BT-07N
• Honeywell Charge and Communication Base (CCB) – CCB01

Once connected, fire up EZConfig – a free Honeywell barcode scanner configuration utility.  The Honeywell 8670 will not be listed as a connected device in EZConfig but the base/access point will. If it’s connected to the CCB/Access Point the firmware will find its way to the scanner.

• Make sure the configuration is set to Bluetooth Serial Profile (PAPSPP).
• Select “Update Firmware”
• Select “Choose File” then pick your firmware file that you saved previously on your hard drive.  You can get the latest firmware files from the Honeywell website.
• Select “Update Device”

Easy!

Zebra Technologies commission a global study to analyze trends and challenges that impact manufacturing companies. The survey asked 1,100 executives from automotive, high tech, food, beverage, tobacco, and pharmaceutical companies for their insights on adopting technology on the plant floor to increase their competitive position. The study includes the benefits of having IIoT, RFID, and Asset Management on a plant floor.  To read more about the results of the study click the link below.

2017 Vision Study

For further information visit www.zebra.com/manufacturing

If you don’t know what’s cool about the Honeywell XL Thermal Transfer Labels, please read below.

What is it?

• 4” x 6” Thermal Transfer Label with a thinner liner.
• 1,500 labels per roll vs standard 1,000
• 3” core and 8” outer diameter.

Benefits:

• Thinner liner = more labels & less weight per roll.
• Less time changing rolls.
• Less to order.
• Saves on freight costs and storage space (6,000 rolls/case versus standard 4,000/case).
• Environmentally friendly without a price premium.
• Can be used with Zebra Thermal Transfer printers.

For a quote on the Honeywell XL Thermal Transfer Labels, contact one of our Barcodes, Inc. representatives.

Trigger Toggle mode is a newer feature that lets you quickly hit the trigger on your Honeywell Xenon 1900/1902 two or three times to temporarily put the scanner into either imaging mode, cell phone read mode, or centering mode. Here is where you’d use this feature.

Example 1:  If your application occasionally involves scanning digital barcodes.  Cell phone read mode can slow down your scanner a little when scanning non-digital barcodes. “Click, click” and you’ve temporarily turned on cell phone read mode to quickly read that digital barcode.

Example 2:  Or maybe you love the broad view of your Honeywell Xenon, but you have one barcode that you have to scan that’s bunched together with other barcodes that you don’t want to scan.  “Click, click” (activate centering mode) and you’ve temporarily narrowed your scanner’s field of view to hit that one barcode you need in the bunch.

Here is how it works.

1. Scan the barcode of the desired toggle mode:

2. Set the number of triggers required to activate the Trigger Toggle Mode:

If you’d prefer, you can then set the trigger timing (how fast you need to hit the trigger) if the default of 400ms doesn’t work for you.  See User’s Guide for Trigger Timing barcode and instructions. And you can set the Trigger Toggle Timeout (time period before reverting back to regular scan mode) if the default of five seconds doesn’t work for you.  See User’s Guide for details.

For assistance with setting this up, contact your Barcodes, Inc. Account Manager or reach out to our Professional Services Team.

How old is the battery in your mobile computer? Some can’t answer that question and in that lies the problem. The greater the age in batteries the greater the chance of the battery not functioning properly; that being said it makes sense to have an easy way to distinguish the age of your battery. Global Technology Systems (GTS) is introducing Battery Color Coding, this service will allow you to easily distinguish the aging of your battery population and quickly determine the warranty status of your batteries. More importantly it will also allow you to identify, replace, and recycle the old batteries swiftly and efficiently. Each year GTS will be making different color batteries along with the standard OEM color. For example in 2017 (year 1) GTS will be making blue batteries, in 2018 (year 2) GTS will be making green batteries, in 2019 (year 3) GTS will be making pink batteries and so on. The colored batteries will have no additional cost from the standard OEM color.

Battery Color Coding will give you the following benefits:

• Cut Labor Costs: Eliminates staff downtime and productivity loss caused by mid-shift battery failures.
• Cut Battery Costs: Stock only healthy batteries in the appropriate quantities.
• Cuts Service Agreement Costs: Many mobile device “failures” aren’t a device problem at all but a bad battery issue, allowing you to significantly reduce repair requests and help desk calls.

Cordless scanners provide a world of convenience with their ease of mobility. Unfortunately, one drawback of being untethered to computer is that it now becomes possible to misplace your scanner. Especially in applications with multiple cordless scanners, it is very easy to lose track of one during the hustle of the work day.

Honeywell has a great feature for all their devices that helps customers keep track of their wireless scanners. However, it is a feature that will not work out of the box. Using the programming guide that come with each scanner you can set the following step to enable an out-of-range alarm.

• Out-of-Range Alarm is set to “No Alarm” by default.  You have to turn it on by setting the time out duration to > 0.
• Both the base and the scanner sound off on the Xenon, but only the scanner for the Granit.
• Alarm duration is programmable (0-3,000 seconds).
• The alarm stops when the scanner is moved closer to the base, when the base connects to another scanner, or when the alarm duration expires.