Barcodes from Print & Apply boosts TGW Ltd’s automated warehouse offerings

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Overview

The dispatch, track and trace of several thousand multi-product cartons leaving a UK distribution center daily have been boosted by a warehouse automation program with a Domino Print & Apply labeling solution.

UK-based global logistics, storage and warehouse automation provider TGW Ltd picked Domino’s M-Series machines to deliver no fewer than three separate levels of machine-readable coding (MRC) to its global client.

Fast Facts

  • TGW is a UK-based global logistics, storage and warehouse automation provider
  • Domino’s M-Series print and apply labelers deliver three separate levels of machine-readable coding (MRC)
  • Global growth in online shopping models is driving demand for increased automation and more effective distribution
  • Solutions such as this are transferable to diverse e-commerce and fulfillment center applications
“The team never once let us down and I will always consider using Domino in the future”Trevor Chesterton - TGW Project Manager
Domino Print & Apply Labeler at Work on TGW Ltd. Line

Trackable up to point of delivery

Cartons had to remain trackable both within the UK-based warehouse – bigger than the total area of three professional football pitches – and right up to the point of delivery to a network of retailers within the UK.

TGW Project Manager Trevor Chesterton said Domino’s offering represented “a high quality, reliable and cost-effective alternative to incumbent suppliers”.

“Domino accommodated a difficult and fluid set of requirements from TGW and balanced our client’s precise specifications to negotiate the best solution.”

 As part of the project, Domino tailored its solution to seamlessly integrate with the end client’s shipper labeling processes. It was also designed to be fully compatible with the Zebra technology used by the end client’s dispatch systems.

Barcode from a V-Series Domino Printer

Fully transferable across e-commerce

Domino’s OEM Sales Manager David Edwards described TGW’s solution as fully transferable. “We have both the market-leading products, and the technical expertise, to provide Print & Apply labeling solutions into the full gamut of e-commerce and fulfilment centers.

“What is key is our ability to be flexible with respect to the solution we provide. We have a broad range of label applicator styles and we’re able to Print & Apply labels of all sizes, in any orientation, quickly and effectively. We can also configure our systems’ digital I/O to accommodate the control preferences of the automation provider. Our project managers can provide solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of our customers. 

“We can even accommodate specific, third-party print engines – like Zebra – where needed. The options for the integration of our systems are far-reaching,” Edwards added.

M-Series Print & Apply solution placed in TGW Ltd

Improved traceability in-house…

To ensure the trackability within the distribution center itself, each carton is issued a unique serial number at the point of assembly. Applied to both sides of the carton in the form of a barcode, the serial number is printed on a label known as its license plate. Domino provided two pairs of license plate labelers, one pair per line with each pair controlled via its own PAC (Print Automation Controller) Box. The PAC Box is a self-contained, programmable console that manages digital input/output signals as well as protocol/comms data.

TGW designed the system to stop the carton and issue a signal to the PAC box, thereby initiating the Print & Apply cycle for both machines. Once both sides of the carton are labeled, a cycle complete signal is returned which initiates the box’s release. As the box is released onto its conveyor, barcode scanners mounted on both sides of the line confirm they were printed and applied correctly.

An additional sensor provides a signal to the PAC box to increment the barcodes’ serial numbers. Then, once the carton has been sent out for delivery, the role of the license plate label has succeeded.

M-Series Print & Apply running at speed

… and better supply chain management

A serial shipping container code (SSCC) solution was also incorporated into the project. It means that as well as printing labels containing the full dispatch address details on each carton or tote leaving the center, SSCC barcodes are included too.

Around a third of the outgoing cartons require an SSCC code, which is generally an 18-digit number that identifies logistics units via an automated reading process.

It was key that Domino’s tracking solution would be fully compatible with courier partner logistics systems as this guaranteed confirmation when cartons reached the designated retailer or fulfilment center.

Once the cartons are packed, trimmed and closed, additional M230i machines Print & Apply the shipper labels, with addressee details and courier MRCs ready for dispatch. The data for these labels is managed by TGW and sent to Domino machines over Ethernet.

For TGW, Domino’s expertise and personalized service ticked all of Chesterton’s Print & Apply boxes. “The team never once let us down and I will always consider using Domino in the future,” he said.

“Domino accommodated a difficult and fluid set of requirements from TGW and balanced our client’s precise specifications to negotiate the best solution.”Trevor Chesterton - TGW Project Manager

“We have both the market-leading products, and the technical expertise, to provide Print & Apply labeling solutions into the full gamut of e-commerce and fulfilment centers."

David Edwards - OEM Sales Manager, Domino UK

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