Dell eliminates the potential of packing errors

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Feb 15, 2000

Thanks to its investment in a computer-aided pick-to-light system however, Dell's 'top box' contents accuracy is exceptionally high.

It is common practice for PC manufacturers to pack the CPU in one box and all the peripherals in another.

As there are many variables in the 'top box' there is considerable potential for selection error.

Desktop models, notebooks, servers and workstations require different mice and cabling, some have bundled software, others require programmes on CD-ROM.

Different language instructions and other documentation add to the problem.

Thanks to its investment in a computer-aided pick-to-light system however, Dell's 'top box' contents accuracy is exceptionally high.

And making it practically failsafe is a series of high speed Accu-Sort omni-directional laser bar code scanners which verify the operator's product selection.

"These scanners are the most successful elements of the system we have installed," commented Franco Criscuolo of Dell.

Dell's first order for Mini X Dual VV units are successfully installed, and they will add more as Dell applies this successful formula to more packaging stations in line with plans to expand manufacturing.

This integrated picking system is installed at Dell's European Manufacturing Facility in Limerick, Ireland, a site which is responsible for the production and distribution of the company's entire product range to Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Production at EMF started in 1991 and since then, manufacturing space has more than quadrupled to more than "one million" square feet and three factories.

The Accu-Sort model chosen by Dell is the Mini X Dual VV.

It has been developed specifically to allow coded boxes to be manually passed under its wide, 400mm x 400m field-of-view.

This model has a higher scan rate than its competitors and as standard, includes Accu-Sort's patented DRX(r) decoding technology which allows it to be used omni-directionally.

Apart from proven reliability, DELL chose the Mini X Dual VV because it was the only model capable of reading the 5mm high bar codes used by DELL and its suppliers.

Now each unit is programmed with the nine different, 20-digit codes which track DELL's entire product range.

DELL's top box contents typically range from 12 - 24 items.

The computer-aided pick-to-light system indicates precisely which peripheral products the specific order requires by illuminating a light above the appropriate storage location.

Once the packer has taken a product out of stock, he or she presents its bar code at any angle to the Accu-Sort scanner sited above the packing conveyor.

If the product is correct the Mini X Dual VV will output a signal via its RS232 port illuminating a green light, or cause a red light to flash if the product's bar code does not tally with programmed data.

In this way, any mistakes can be rectified immediately, enhancing DELL's customer satisfaction and eliminating the significant costs involved in the handling of returned products.