Semtech announced Thursday that Pallet Alliance, a vendor of pallet management programs for multi-site manufacturing and distribution companies, has integrated Semtech’s LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol into its IntelliPallet Internet of Things (IoT)-based pallet monitoring logistics platform.
The IntelliPallet platform is the first of its kind in the logistics sector that enables enterprise-scale pallet management by integrating location and environmental sensors into wooden pallets, which comprise more than 90 percent of the worldwide palletized shipping market.
The flexible LoRaWAN-based platform offers customized tracking capabilities, including an entry/exit notification from a geo-fenced area, stationary time and arrival/departure from designated hubs, as well as environmental monitoring for factors including temperature, humidity and motion. Managers audit this data through cloud-based third-party applications to optimize their logistics workflow and protect assets.
Semtech’s LoRa devices are usually adopted long-range, low-power solutions for IoT that gives telecom companies, IoT application makers and system integrators the feature set necessary to deploy low-cost, interoperable IoT networks, gateways, sensors, module products, and IoT services worldwide. IoT networks based on the LoRaWAN specification have been deployed in 100 countries and Semtech is a founding member of the LoRa Alliance, the fastest growing IoT alliance for low power wide area network applications.
Working collaboratively with customers, Pallet Alliance employs a comprehensive approach that combines manufacturing, pallet and market expertise to identify and eliminate the factors that drive cost reduction by optimizing the product-process interface with knowledgeable, industry-specific pallet management systems.
Wooden pallets represent an economical, sustainable and customizable standard in the shipping and logistics industry. However, legacy solutions and industry practices provide limited economically feasible methods for tracking pallet location.
Pallet Alliance’s IntelliPallet IoT platform delivers comprehensive location and environmental data down to the individual pallet, and reliably tracks these assets through the supply chain from manufacturer to end-user, including while in transit. Pallets equipped with LoRa-enabled sensors integrate seamlessly with existing pallets and networking infrastructures, and leverage LoRaWAN networks to deliver long range, accurate and real-time data on pallet location and status.
“The IntelliPallet platform integrates LoRa devices in wooden pallets to provide accurate, in-depth data over distances, enabling managers to optimize the logistical efficiency of their operations, integrate pallets into cold chain and pharmaceutical blockchain applications, and leverage data collection at the pallet level to satisfy a wide range of business requirements,” said Michael Jones, a principal at Pallet Alliance. “Semtech’s LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol reduces operating costs by providing an ideal combination of low power, flexibility and simplicity in deployment to create reliable tracking applications with industry-leading battery lifetimes.”
“Integrating LoRaWAN solutions for geolocation and logistics monitoring enables customers to reduce inefficiencies and optimize processes,” said Marc Pegulu, vice president of IoT in Semtech’s wireless and sensing products group. “LoRa devices allow mass adoption of asset management and Pallet Alliance can simplify development as well as create flexible IoT platforms that successfully monitor and report pallet status and location over wide areas, including while in transit. This advanced and real-time insight is valuable to end users and allows them to optimize their processes for a quick ROI.”
