Ship tires and wheels faster thanks to Cognex sensors

Cognex Corporation: It will soon be tire changing time again. This spells a very busy period for IHLE Baden-Baden tire and wheel wholesaler – a time when the labeled tire packages have to be shipped quickly. This is where Cognex DataMan barcode readers ensure efficient processes, even if codes on labels are located beneath the packaging foil. Beginning with the job number to the shipping label through to the code on the packing slip, the Cognex barcode readers supply all the information for the controller with read rates of over 99 %. This cuts the time from the order through to the shipment significantly.

In the high season, the IHLE warehouse team in the packaging department packages up to 25,000 items a day for shipment to car showrooms, dealerships and car accessory chains across Europe. At peak times, this means up to 14 shipments per minute. To manage this vast quantity, Cognex barcode readers are used as key components in the automation. The DataMan series of cameras offer various lighting and lenses in addition to an intelligent auto-tuning function for simplifying the setup process. The controllable lighting and the liquid lens with its adjustable focus ensures the optimum performance.

Once the shipping label and packing slip have been affixed by labelers, Cognex code readers check whether the order has been labeled correctly and completely. These scanners are specifically designed for logistics applications involving high speeds, wide conveyor lines and large deviations in the package heights. This presents a great advantage since, depending on the order, the tire stacks vary in height from 160 to over 700 mm.

Cognex sensors enable IHLE to ship the tire packages extremely quickly. The company is today one of the largest tire and wheel wholesalers in Europe and is part of the Michelin Group. Some one million tires and rims are stored in an area covering 57,000 square meters at the distribution center in Muggensturm, southwest Germany.

About Cognex Corporation

Cognex Corporation designs, develops, manufactures and markets a range of products that incorporate sophisticated machine vision technology that gives them the ability to "see." Cognex products include barcode readers, machine vision sensors and machine vision systems that are used in factories, warehouses and distribution centers around the world to guide, gauge, inspect, identify and assure the quality of items during the manufacturing and distribution process. Cognex is the world's leader in the machine vision industry, having shipped more than 1 million vision-based products, representing over $4 billion in cumulative revenue, since the company's founding in 1981. Headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts, USA, Cognex has regional offices and distributors located throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For details, visit Cognex online at www.cognex.com.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.