A leading Club Store chain recently called on the specialists at ID Technology to help them solve a particularly challenging product identification dilemma.

The cases that they are marking are used for both shipping to the store and merchandising at the store level.  The boxes have a barcode on the lower right hand corner of all four sides so that when they are loaded on the pallet, orientation doesn't matter.  When they get to the store, the pallet is put in place and the tops of the cases are removed at perforations to create a display, allowing customers to pull product directly from the case.  All four barcodes are still visible on the case/box after the top is removed.

The stores previous method of coding these cases was complicated and labor-intensive and it was slowing the stocking process and contributing to increased out-of-stocks. The specialists at ID Technology met with the customer, conducted a site visit, and then went to work on a solution.

The IDT team came back with a recommendation to design and build a conveyor system equipped with four ci1000 inkjet printers. In the innovative solution, the cases are transported down the conveyor where they pass two (2) ci1000s mounted on either side of the conveyor. This allows the cases to be coded on opposing side panels. Next, the cases proceed further down the conveyor where a bump and turn wheel rotates the case 90 degrees where two (2) additional ci1000s are positioned to code the remaining panels. The cases now roll off the line coded on all four sides without the need for additional labor.

As a result of this new upgrade, the chain has experienced faster throughput as well as reductions in labor costs and costly out-of-stocks.

For more information or if you have questions about this inkjet printing system, email ID Man at idman@idtechnology.com.