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Did You Know? Each 10 minutes your people spend on batteries daily adds up to 1 lost week per year.

- Many warehousing operations that have automated their data collection system use battery powered barcode readers and/or label printers mounted permanently or semi-permanently on lift trucks.

- These batteries are generally NiCad or NiMh because of the requirements for electrically clean, high-quality power to the barcode terminal. They also require periodic re-charging to maintain productivity of the terminal. Consequently the lift truck and operator are non-productive while the battery change-over is taking place. Once these batteries are worn out, they become hazardous waste, with the associated disposal headaches and long term threat to our environment.

- Help is at hand! The APS (Alternative Power System) from Dedicated Digital Technology is a power converter that links the barcode terminal (or any other battery powered device) to the main storage battery of it’s host. By stepping the host DC power from 36 volts (or 12) down to 7.2 volts of clean power that can be used by a barcode terminal, the APS unit eliminates the need for NiCad battery changes while it is mounted on the lift truck.

- The APS is designed to accept any DC voltage (from 12 to 48 volts) available on a lift truck, and convert it to clean, computer grade power with all the electrical spikes and sags that can damage a terminal eliminated. The output voltage of the APS is tunable to fit most power requirements. If your barcode terminals use 7.2 volt NiCad battery packs, the APS can be tuned to accommodate the voltage. If your label printer uses 12 volts, the APS can be adjusted to provide power for it.

The APS can be added to your current system without modifying the terminal. This is achieved by the use of a patented battery blank that looks like the NiCad battery it replaces. If you decide you want to go back to walk-around portability, just replace the blank with a freshly charged NiCad and you’re ready to go.

- The drain on the lift-truck battery is so small that it is not even noticeable, and the APS does not shorten the time between charges for the lift truck. There is also a version of the APS which works with gas powered lift trucks that have a 12 volt charging circuit.

- This new product greatly reduces or eliminates the problems associated with maintaining a steady supply of freshly charged and conditioned NiCads. It cuts the direct cost of Nicad batteries to zero for your lift-truck mounted terminals that use the APS. It also saves the lift truck operator time because he isn’t stopping work every 2 to 5 hours for NiCad change-over. All these cost savings, when added up, make the return on investment for the APS less than 6 months on medium duty applications, and closer to 3 months for heavy use facilities (24 hour operations). When you add the cost saving to the benefits of reducing heavy metals in our environment by disposing of fewer batteries, the decision to purchase should be a simple matter of writing the check. Start saving time and money today plus become a little more earth friendly at the same time!

Also, you can now use inexpensive handhelds terminals on your lift trucks for your new installations. Previously, you had to purchase the expensive bulky vehicle mount units offered by the terminal manufactures to escape the NiCad hassel. Now you can use a terminal that is smaller (does not obstruct the drivers view), less expensive to purchase, and less expensive to service.
- Here are some of the benefits of using the Alternative Power System. All of these ideas came from our customers.

* Using the APS allows former battery users to enable the backlight function on their terminals while they work. When under NiCad power, the backlight was too much of a drain on the power resources.

* Using the APS allows employees to concentrate on their work, free from low battery interruptions. They stay 'in the zone', and can get more accomplished.

* The APS requires no mods to the terminal, and the terminal can be used as a true portable again by simply removing the battery blank and re-inserting a battery. This also avoids the headaches encountered on a modified terminal if you need the manufacturers warranty or repair services.

* Maintaining a supply of conditioned batteries is simpler since there is not so much pressure on the battery conditioner.

When your lift-truck operator is changing NiCads, your lift-truck is non-productive also.