Pet products co. automates smart-box encoding

In a move to provide EPC conformity for pet products destined for Walmart Canada, whose RFID program began in summer 2008, Normerica, Inc, has implemented a Ship2Save RFID mobile cart system at its manufacturing plants in Brantford, Ontario and Lethbridge, Alberta. The system comprises of one or several carts equipped with Impinj Speedway RFID readers. These carts serve as encoding stations to meet Normerica Inc.’s RFID compliancy requirements.

Contrary to most RFID compliancy solutions, the Normerica, Inc., setup does not require an RFID printer and a separate process to apply the RFID tags. The corrugated boxes supplied by Krupack contain a passive EPC Gen 2 RFID tag inserted within the box folds during the manufacturing process. Each tag is then encoded as the box that contains it passes through the commissioning process.

Rob Latter, group vp of Krupack, a division of Kruger, says: “This is one of the greatest innovations to take place in the corrugated industry in the past 10 years. The HIDE-Pack™ technology is exactly what the marketplace is looking for. It is simple, cost-effective and reliable, and we are very proud to be able to offer it to our customers today.”

Each mobile cart consists of a PC, an Impinj Speedway RFID reader, an adjustable antenna, a handheld bar-code scanner and a LCD screen. These components help ensure proper encoding and verification. Validation of the encoding process occurs through visual and audible alerts while a uninterrupted power supply allows operators to move a station between conveyor lines with minimum downtime.

“Our immediate concern was to properly configure the RFID tags on the merchandise we send to Wal-Mart without disrupting normal operations,” exclaims Simon Than, IT director at Normerica, Inc.