Feb 2003 Newsletter

Regarding Triton System Upgrades

Update Feb 2003

Greetings and best wishes for 2003 to all our Clients

The new generation Triton software suites are now being installed at a number of sites in both New Zealand and Australia, replacing the Boning Room “Carton Manager” and “Scan Inventory” systems.

Both hardware and software considerations drive the need to upgrade your systems with the Carton Manager 2001/2002/2003 (CM2001/CM2002)and Scan Manager 2002/2003 systems (SM2002).

We have assisted many clients to ease this upgrade path, enabling several to use their existing 512SE hardware for an intermediate period, of the new software coupled to the existing platforms and have scheduled the second stage change, to 850SE Touchscreen Workstations, in the coming low season.

We strongly recommend your consideration of the strategic importance to your operation that your Triton Production Recording and Stock Control/Inventory systems hold and the benefits that maintaining continuity of that security bring. At the beginning of February, we have already allocated, significant service support staff time up to the end of October for prebooked client upgrades and training. We would be pleased to discuss your requirements and opportunity to implement the new systems between now and October/November.

You may continue to use your existing hardware or, as many have, use newer generation labellers or scales to obtain significantly higher throughput speeds, or introduce simultaneous Cut Labelling with automatic labelling and totalising, even automated Cut Weight Ranging/product identification.

Recapping the major reasons for upgrading;
• New versions are Windows developed and use Ethernet/LAN communications.
• Older systems in use are DOS based. This is a problem for Windows 2000/ME/XP.
• New PCs may have only a single serial port, or, not be able to access the port under DOS commands. In the event of a PC failure, the Triton software may run on a new PC, but not be able to establish communications with on-floor units.
• The 512SE Workstations are now 14 years since release in 1989. A trusty workhorse indeed, but, we are now past the point where we can fit the software into this hardware platform and ongoing support and parts have a limited time frame.
• The Industrial PC Workstations we have developed are now well proven in the field and software for these has also been proven stable and reliable.
• The major re-write of the system to accommodate newer ideas and allow the new development platform is now two years on. The cost of using and operating the existing
software has been the absolute lowest in this industry over the last 15 years. We look to continue that policy but must put it on a new platform to do so.

Paths
• “Carton Manager 2001” systems use 512SE Workstations (existing), which can be mixed with Triton 850SE stations. These require an ethernet “CommBox”. The CM2001 software is a fully featured, but “intermediate” software package, now superceded by CM2002 which is the forward developing package
This platform allows a “software only upgrade”. The 512SE has now been withdrawn from sale (except for extraordinary circumstances).
• 512SE hardware can be replaced with 850SE Touchscreen or 550SE (rebuilt from a 512SE) units. The software installed is “Carton Manager 2002” for a full LAN and TCP/IP front-end..

The MGRv42 and MGRv6 “Carton Weigh-Label”, “Cut labelling” and “Inventory / Stock Control” systems, “Scan Manager / OrderScan” system have been withdrawn from sale, support for them ceasing August 31st 2003.

These are replaced with “Carton Manager 2001/2002” and “Scan Manager 2002” systems.

In summary, the pressing reasons for upgrading are;
• PC platforms that support the older DOS software are harder to obtain
• Failure, then replacement of a PC cannot be guaranteed to get you up and running.
• The new software has significant advantages, including speed, reporting flexibility, faster communications with on-floor units, label format and design.
• The new hardware is a quantum jump in flexibility and performance.
• The CM2002 software platform is new and developable. It is the platform from where all new Production and Cut/Carton Weigh Labelling applications will originate. MGRv42 and MGRv6 are at the end of their development and are now obsolete.
• The current hardware front end (512SE) is becoming harder to source components for. While superbly reliable, the further life of these must now be measured in 2-3 years.

We sincerely hope that you see benefit in moving your systems ahead with us, maintaining the flexibility, performance and support that our system and relationship has provided.

Further Developments
• We have released “Carcass Transfer” and “Carton Validation” systems, for recording the movement of carcasses into boning room (or despatch) and monitor/recording the transfer of cartons into stores, simultaneously checking barcode readability and updating inventory.

• Carcase grading systems are in the specification review stage. Commercial release of the upgrades is expected Sept/Oct 2003. Beef and Sheep/Lamb/Venison versions will all using the PC 850SE Workstation (touchscreen). (550SE TouchPad for budget versions).

We look forward to a continuing happy association between our companies and staff, such that we have enjoyed since our first Triton systems were delivered back in 1984.
We await your guidance on what assistance you would like us to provide and when we can perform this, or any other service for you.

Yours sincerely,
TRITON Commercial Systems Ltd.,

A.A. (Tony) Olissoff and the Triton Commercial Team