New SPA Labels?

supercool

Well-Known Member
I've been on disability for a couple months and have been kind of out of sync with UPS life, but on a package I got today I noticed that the SPA label wasn't a label, it was directly printed on the package (like with a thermal printer or something). When did this happen? What's this all about? Anyone have some info?
 
W

westsideworma

Guest
I've been on disability for a couple months and have been kind of out of sync with UPS life, but on a package I got today I noticed that the SPA label wasn't a label, it was directly printed on the package (like with a thermal printer or something). When did this happen? What's this all about? Anyone have some info?

yeah I've heard about that, we're supposedly getting it here pretty soon if it ends up working out. Supposedly it will eliminate out of syncs...I hope it does, but we'll see. Its a scanner that prints the label on the package as well, my manager started talking about it one day and I thought it sounded pretty cool (well as cool as PAL information can sound anyway) because we have to be spending lots of $$$ on SPA labels AND printers for this system anyways.
 

Forty6and2

I'm Broken
we have the new SPA in Phoenix too. You wear it attatched to your forearm and it can scan either one of the smart label or the tracking number. you hold the scanner on the label until you hear it beep one time. then after it beeps a second time, you are required to roll the printer head over the package. The printer head has all the ink inside it and it simply prints all the information from the PAL label onto the package.
They used some kind of maroon ink because it allows the user to print over the tracking label and it will not interfere with the DIAD when the driver has to scan the package.
 

satellitedriver

Moderator
we have the new SPA in Phoenix too. You wear it attatched to your forearm and it can scan either one of the smart label or the tracking number. you hold the scanner on the label until you hear it beep one time. then after it beeps a second time, you are required to roll the printer head over the package. The printer head has all the ink inside it and it simply prints all the information from the PAL label onto the package.
They used some kind of maroon ink because it allows the user to print over the tracking label and it will not interfere with the DIAD when the driver has to scan the package.
Cool,
Now, let's get the DOL correct.
 

edd_tv

Cardboard picker upper
is this going company wide? that sounds a lot better than tryin to peel off the labels from the middle of the tracking barcode.
 

Mike Hawk

Well-Known Member
So do you have people on the side of the belt puting labels on or is it the unloaders that do it as they unload? Scaning then applying with the same unit would take much longer than the traditional laser in one hand sticker in the other. I guess if the SPA people unloaded and they all had printers it might keep the same flow rate. Our center only unloads 1-2 trailers at a time so 4-5 people in them would be crowded.
 

Forty6and2

I'm Broken
in phoenix we have several of these "portable spa machines." i don't think they are meant to replace the stickers (at this point in time at least). it is much easier to use the old PAL sticker system because you have one unloader and one person SPAing.
you would have to be REALLY fast to only use the new equipment because there is a time lapse between the first beep and second beep. I assume this is because the new equipment has to check the PAL information for the package you just scanned with where it goes and retrieve the information to print on the package.
I think right now they are only meant to help the process of SPAing when you don't really have that many packages to SPA. The portability factor is good so...they mostly use them for scanning packages that are send agains- but sometimes if the small sort is running behind, they will bust a few out and have the unloaders help SPA the smalls after they are finished unloading all of the trailers.
the new maroon color is kind of hard to see though. i wish they could have choosen an easier to find. as a loader and a driver, i have seen them on both ends of the spectrum and you have to look real careful to find it sometimes.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
edd, you shouldn't have to peel the PAL label off of the barcode. Just use the "Find BC" tool on the DIAD. You have to be active in the stop to use this feature. If it is the only pkg for the stop, simply hit Scan, then Find BC, then type in the last 4 of the 1Z, which should produce the tracking number, then hit enter and complete the stop. If it is a multiple pkg stop, scan a different pkg, and then scan the pkg with the PAL label across the barcode and complete as above. It is much easier and faster than having to try to peel the PAL label off of the barcode.
 

Mike Hawk

Well-Known Member
Wouldn't it get really messy with multiple printings on the same label for send agains? One place they would be quite useful would be for splits, just pull the section that’s going and re-spa them, they will come up with the new truck name on the label, no annoying hand writing on them and checking the sheet to match up tracking numbers.
 

LKLND3380

Well-Known Member
is this going company wide? that sounds a lot better than tryin to peel off the labels from the middle of the tracking barcode.

We are supposed to load package cars with the worldship label facing the bulkhead door. We supposed to peel and reapply the PAL so it is facing outward... This way supes can audit/check for misloads... PALs not facing outward count against our load audit
 

LKLND3380

Well-Known Member
So do you have people on the side of the belt puting labels on or is it the unloaders that do it as they unload? Scaning then applying with the same unit would take much longer than the traditional laser in one hand sticker in the other. I guess if the SPA people unloaded and they all had printers it might keep the same flow rate. Our center only unloads 1-2 trailers at a time so 4-5 people in them would be crowded.

We run about 6 on 6 in the unload and one person per trailer.
From the trailer to sort aisle
From sort aisle to SPA station
From SPA station to belt to be loaded in package car
 
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