Printer-Encoder Order Represents New DOD Milestone

Early on, the DOD tested passive RFID technology at the Norfolk Ocean Terminal, a facility that provides waterfront logistics support (see The DOD Begins RFID Rollout). Among the bigger RFID contracts was one awarded to ODIN technologies in May 2006, to equip the 26 DDC distribution depots with passive RFID interrogators and other supporting equipment (see DOD Grants ODIN $14.6 Million Contract).

The purchase order for the printer-encoders signals an important milestone in the Defense Department's adoption of EPC RFID technology, Lowry says. "The DOD has enabled the warehouses to read RFID labels, so this is another phase—being able to print RFID labels at the warehouse," he states.

That, he says, is what makes this contract so significant. Typically, when RFID-tagged pallets are received, they are broken down and the goods are placed on other pallets to fulfill orders. Not only will the distribution centers be able to receive RFID-tagged pallets, they'll be able to retag pallets before sending them off to their final destinations.

"The DDCs are the DOD's warehouses where cross-docking and consolidation is done," Lowry says. "So after employees pick the orders [from received pallets] and put the cases of goods onto new pallets, the cases and pallets will all have RFID labels attached to them before shipping out."

The contract specifies the SL4M RFID printer-encoders from Printronix's SmartLine RFID family. The SL4M RFID printer is designed for 4-inch industrial and commercial labels. Each label created by the printer-encoders, he says, will also have bar codes on it. According to Lowry, the printer-encoders meet the ANSI Class C standard, which pertains to the quality of bar codes printed.