The smooth operation of warehouses and distribution centres relies on all components of the internal system working together seamlessly and dependably, with the least amount of interruption experienced when adding new or replacing old equipment.
This article will highlight the importance of a streamlined label printing process and the best products to help your warehouse reduce downtime.
Laying a solid foundation
First, it’s important to lay a solid foundation for your warehouse by setting up or configuring/reconfiguring storage locations for goods received to picking, packing and dispatch processes. Whether you’re planning a warehouse for the first time for your new e-commerce business or if your warehouse has been operational for some time, it’s important to check if you can optimise your processes.
Accurate labelling for efficient processing
Secondly, the goods received by your warehouse must be accurately and swiftly shelved so that each SKU is ready for picking if an order for the product is placed, so it’s vital that shelf labels are accurate and easy to read to make this process as efficient as possible.
Due to an efficient goods receiving process, your dispatch process would also be optimised for speed and accuracy as the goods are ready for picking and packing by your warehouse personnel. This will also make it quicker and easier for your workers to locate and identify goods in your dispatch process and reduce costly errors.
Synergised workflow
If setup correctly, you should have a warehouse which is always moving due to the synergy you’ve achieved between goods received, picking, packing and dispatch processes and optimised for accuracy.
To maintain the fluidity of these processes, any IT equipment procured must integrate and adapt to your warehouse environment and label printers are no different as they are the connectors between each step in the process. Because label printers are in constant use throughout the working day, disruptions due to the replacement of old ones and the installation of new equipment must be kept to an absolute minimum, otherwise holding up the packing and dispatch process can have a butterfly effect of orders, transport and deliveries being delayed. It could start a vicious cascade that would ultimately be detrimental.
For this reason, label printers must be able to be loaded and configured prior to installation and should require no more than a quick plug in – start up and use process. In order to enable this easy and seamless integration of label printers into a company’s existing IT infrastructure.
The solution
Brother has developed the TD-4 range of Thermal Transfer printers that include Software Development Kits (SDK), BarTender (Label design and barcoding), and the support of a variety of printer command systems including ZPL2 emulation. This helps seamlessly integrate with existing resource planning and warehouse management systems, along with customisation of label types and sizes to meet warehouse requirements.
They are also built-in with a variety of network connectivity options across different models which enables complete configuration and update remotely via a smart device (phone/tablet) and the Brother Mobile Deployment app to reduce deployment resources and time.
With the Brother TD-4 series, businesses can meet increasing e-commerce demands with high-quality, accurate labels for picking, packaging, barcodes, shipping, and more, with unmatched reliability and dependability. Contact us for a free consultation or demonstration.
