Pallets serve a variety of purposes. While these purposes vary in application, they share a common objective of facilitating the product processing:
- Pallets provide the opportunity to create a larger product unit; usually but not always, compiled with multiple similar carton units.
- Pallets can also be a kitting mechanism to compile various products into a predetermined set.
- Pallets are also a portable location unit in which multiple cartons are moved together and tracked together. Pallets are compiled of single carton units and moved as a group.
- Pallets can be used at product processing points to move work-in-process, used at production completion points to compile for shipping and or inventory.
- Multiple carton shipments are typically shipped on pallets and therefore received on pallets.
Pallets are one of those industrial products that are taken for granted everyday. However, you would never consider loading 800 similar cartons individually on a truck, when you could load 20 pallets.
OBJECTIVES OF PALLET LABEL SYSTEMS:
- Establish an integrated inventory tracking, receiving, and shipping system.
- Prevent the receiving and shipping of incorrect product, particularly perishable and/or time sensitive deliveries.(see inventory receiving - receiving labels)
(see ucc 128 carton label info)
(see unit/load tags)
(see shipping labels)
(see freight pro labels)
STANDARD APPLICATIONS:
- Receiving:
When product is received at the dock, serialized bar code pallet labels or "receiving labels" are applied to incoming pallets. This instantly identifies the pallet and its contents as the data is entered into the inventory system.
- Inventory control:
Serial numbered labels uniquely identify pallets in the inventory system, enabling it to be tracked and identified through finished goods, putaways, picking, and shipping. This simplifies cycle and physical inventory counting by simply scanning in the code rather than writing and keying in part number and quantity data.
On occasion pallets are permanently labeled in lieu of labeling rack locations. This provides optimum storage flexibility. This allows inventory relocation without moving the rack labels. This identifies the product on the pallet without tying it to a specific location. This has particular importance when palletized work-in-process materials moved around and require tracking.
- Shipping:
Shipping product incorrectly results in time consuming and costly corrections, saying nothing of the potential loss associated with perishable and/or time-sensitive deliveries, and the cash flow implications from delayed payment. When a trailer is being loaded, the operator can scan the pallet label and the bill of lading number to verify that the pallet is being loaded on the correct trailer. This process can expedite, with accuracy, billing information as well.
DESIGN ELEMENTS:
- Corner Wrap Labels:
Labels are printed with duplicate end-to-end bar codes that are wrapped around the edge of a pallet enabling the bar code to be scanned from two different sides.
- Distance scanning:
Frequently full pallets are stacked high in a racking system or staged on the floor. In order to scan these codes at a distance, a larger "x" dimension is required. See Long Distance Scanning Labels
- Color highlighting:
Frequently labels are highlighted with a color for easy locating. Many times the cartons are preprinted and the bar code is sometimes lost in the background of graphics. Also, color-coding can easily identify or distinguish dissimilar products.
- Subset labeling:
Subset labeling involves a large, for distance scanning, bar code and a series of smaller labels for picking orders. Frequently, less than full pallet orders are requested. When this occurs, a subset label is removed and placed on the picked order, enabling the tracking and auditing of that order. The label set remains on the pallet for identification. These subsets can be created via piggyback labels or seated labels on a single liner.
- First time, every time label affixing:
Pallet labels can be applied either to the product on the pallet, or the pallet itself. Having labels fall off is time consuming and can lead to erroneous product transfer or shipment. Pallet surfaces are typically rough and difficult to adhere to. Aggressive, high initial tack adhesive is a standard requirement.
AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS:
One of the reasons the US is the leading grower of fruits and vegetables and is because the industry has maximized opportunities to automate an otherwise manual intensive industry.
- Process:
Many fruits and vegetables harvested in the fields are loaded into poly or wax-coated cartons and placed onto pallets. Employees harvesting the crops wear gloves or have dirty hands. They must affix a bar code label to the poly or wax-coated carton which frequency has become dirty. Further the poly or wax-coated carton resists label adhesion. Pallets are loaded onto flatbed trailers and taken from the fields to the processing plants. Palletized product is subjected to hydro washers, vacuum washers, and/or ice injection before being placed into inventory for subsequent order fulfillment. Palletized product is cold and damp after this process. Typically warehouse temperatures are maintained at 34 to 35F. Product may be shipped in less than full pallet units. Shipment quantity can vary greatly. The process of harvesting and shipping is normally complete in 3 days or less.
- Label Design:
This label must affix immediately to a difficult surface; stay affixed during highway speed transport to the processing plants, withstand significant water exposure and cold temperatures.
A synthetic facestock with a super aggressive, high initial tack cold temperature adhesive is utilized. The label is pre bar coded and over varnished. A large "x" dimension is utilized to allow scanning from up to 20 feet. Symbology 128 is typically used to minimize the bar code size required. Optionally, double numbered labels are used to wrap around the pallet corner. This allows warehouse personnel to load the pallet into racks from either side with the bar code still visible for scanning. Frequently, labels are piggyback or have seated sub labels. The sub labels all have the same pallet bar code number. As less-than-full pallet orders are picked, a sub label is removed and affixed to the withdrawn units to enable tracking and auditing of the picked order.
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