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Cold storage facilities are extensively used in a variety of industries including pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, electronics, and food processing. Modern-day facilities are superior to the traditional facilities in providing better insulation and temperature maintenance; they also offer automation and superior security features.
The Emergence of Modern Cold Storage Facilities
One of the key reasons for the wastage of food and other perishable cargo during the transportation is the improper maintenance of temperature. Therefore, companies understand the importance of cold storage and rely highly on cold chain monitoring and delivering systems. In fact, most of the companies that utilize cod storage systems are now shifting from traditional cold storage facilities towards the more advanced and aesthetically appealing operation models.
Another important advantage of these modern-day cold chain monitoring systems is their ability to detect temperature fluctuations and automatically adjust the temperature to the adequate temperature ranges. These digitalized and advanced facilities are more energy-efficient and are made up of sustainable and long-lasting materials.
Latest Technologies in Advanced Cold Storage Facilities
Among other technologies adopted by cold chain monitoring systems, capacitive touch technologies used in touch screen smartphones offers great benefit over the traditionally used resistive touch displays. The use of capacitive touch enables multi-touch detection and multi-user interface to better accommodate the needs of the cold chain monitoring systems.
The cold storage industry is one industry that consumes a lot of electricity. The use of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) instead of traditional light sources could minimize the operational costs and increase the energy efficiency while also adequate light to ensure the safety of the working personnel at the cold storage facilities. Moreover, the latest LED models also allow the facility managers to have total control of the lighting systems.
Cold Chain Monitoring Systems to Increase Profitability
Leading cold chain monitoring companies such as ORBCOMM are utilizing the latest technologies for monitoring and maintenance of the temperature of perishable goods. ORBCOMM provides complete end-to-end storage solutions on land, rail or sea, including two-way wireless tracking and monitoring of perishable goods and other assets in the cold chain.
Sensors utilized in the cold chain by this company alert when sudden temperature changes are recorded to ensure that the goods are stored at the specified range of temperatures. In fact, cargo theft can be prevented by enabling the lock-down mode. Employing cold chain monitoring operations can increase the profitability of the industries by minimizing spoilage claims, temperature-related load rejections, and cutting delivery expenses.
Effective Management of Operational Costs and Fuel Consumption
Fuel sensors in cold chain monitoring services can also alert the organizations about the events of rapid fuel loss or theft. Fleet operation costs can also be cut down by tracking engine hours, maintenance expenses, tire replacement expenses thereby extending the lifetime of the unit. Standalone temperature sensors provide valuable printable reports about the temperatures in the cargo during transportation and upon delivery. Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) is utilized to send this data, which can be further analyzed and saved to keep track of the temperature ranges the goods were stored during the entire journey of transportation.
Advanced Tracking Systems in Present-day Cold Chain Monitoring Systems
ORBCOMM utilizes Genset tracking to minimize the number of manual inspections by tracking and managing the temperatures and by providing alerts in the events of unplanned shut-downs, low fuel, or other critical circumstances.
The location of the reefers can also be tracked by utilizing top dispatch systems such as McLeod, TMW Systems, and PeopleNet. These technologies can also be used to turn the reefer units on or off, change the temperatures, notify alarming events, and obtain sensor readings in a timely manner.
Sources and Further Reading
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