Connected Slicing, Weighing and Labeling in a Single Step

The focus is on solutions for the retail 4.0 theme, including intelligent, connected interaction of various hardware and software components

Source: Bizerba

“From farm to fork in a digital world” is Bizerba’s main theme at this year’s EuroShop. The focus of the market-leading provider of weighing and slicing technology is on solutions for the retail 4.0 theme, including intelligent, connected interaction of various hardware and software components.

Digitization is the driving force in today’s retail business. With the RetailPowerScale scale software, Bizerba provides an all-round solution supporting mobile applications in addition to the core processes of weighing, selling, cashing, labeling and consulting. Supporting Bizerba scales and 3^rd-party hardware alike, the software achieves efficiency increases by automating processes. For a fast response to individual market and customer requirements, functional expansions can be implemented quickly using modular RetailApps. Based on the RetailPowerScale software, RetailApps can meet custom requirements, combined with the benefits of standard solutions. For instance, the software can be used with the RetailApp EasyOrder in order to implement a link to web shops via click & collect. Using the RetailApp, online orders are displayed on the scales in the fresh-food department for direct processing by employees. Customers then just have to pick up and pay their goods at the store. For retailers, this opens up a new sales channel in addition to the regular in-store sale.

Intended for device management tasks, the RetailControl software can be used to monitor, maintain and manage scales and slicers. Increased transparency of connected devices and systems is achieved by automatic device discovery and installation. Centralized update control and installation saves update-related time and cost. Furthermore, users can access all device-related data at any time using a clear real-time monitoring feature. RetailControl lends itself to new IT and device infrastructures and is easy to integrate into existing store structures and business processes.

Retail 4.0 at the Fresh-Food Counter

Retail 4.0 requires continuous process optimization including the fresh-food counter. Making users even more efficient, Bizerba has consolidated the core processes of slicing and weighing into a single procedure in some devices. In addition to the well-known solutions VSC280 Flex and GSP H Flex, the new product combination, the VS12 Flex vertical slicer will be presented at the EuroShop. This slicer is connected to the K-Class Flex II PC scales or the XC 300 labeler.

Slicing, weighing and labeling are thus merged into a single process, enabling sales staff to significantly reduce the servicing and waiting times experienced by customers at the counter with a resulting increase in customer satisfaction. As an important aspect of a personalized selling process, the contact to the customer is never interrupted.

However, Bizerba can consolidate weighing and slicing to a single process not only by combining two different devices. For instance, the VS12 slicer includes an integrated manual or fully automatic checkweigher (VS12 W or VS12 D W) and a touch display enabling interaction with the device. It optimizes the work process because sales employees need to walk from the counter to the slicer only once. The VS12 DW slicer’s automatic stop function automatically stops the slicing process at a pre-defined target weight. For all models mentioned above, sales employees benefit from ergonomic operation with an optimum view on the slicing result and a powerful Bizerba motor.

The KH II 800 PC scale’s new article recognition feature is another Bizerba highlight at the trade show.