A&D Foods -
Duluth, GA
EnSky Series Managed Network - Cold Storage Warehouse
A&D Foods in Atlanta, GA is a large seafood supplier who recently expanded into a 223,000 square foot facility located in Duluth, Georgia. The new location serves as a hub for distribution logistics and houses advanced technology to bolster business. The distribution center includes a cold storage warehouse that operates at -10 degrees F.
A&D needed to install wireless access in the cold storage facility so that as their workers picked and scanned orders, data could be quickly transmitted to offices, generating reports, re-orders, and invoices. A&D reviewed many technology vendors, choosing EnGenius based on performance, price, and the lack of annual licensing fees.
EnGenius developed a network plan in cooperation with US Communication Group, headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, ensuring a robust wireless design utilizing the EnGenius EnSky EWS managed product line. EnSky access points can be deployed and managed either onsite or remotely.
In this case, a total of 46 access points were deployed: 25 EnSky 11ac Wave 2 Outdoor Managed Access Points (EWS860AP) in the cold storage area and 21 EnSky Dual-Band Indoor Managed Access Points (EWS320AP) in the front office. The sturdy EWS860AP features an industrial-grade IP68-rated waterproof & dustproof housing that ensures reliability even in harsh environments.
To ensure optimum performance in the bitter temperatures of the cold storage facility, the EWS860 access points were housed in heated NEMA enclosures from AccelTex Solutions of San Antonio, Texas. AccelTex also provided directional antennas, allowing the Wi-Fi signal to be transmitted down the aisles in cold storage.
Jason Hintersteiner, Field Application Engineer Manager at EnGenius, created the initial concept shown below. This layout utilized the wireless access points’ 2.4 GHz channel to communicate with A&D’s 2.4 GHz scanners.
Below is a floor plan view of the access points as seen in the management interface of the EnSky EWS Managed Switch. Viewing and analyzing APs via the management software is extremely helpful when troubleshooting. In A&D’s case, this functionality allows a manager to locate an access point without having to enter the cold storage warehouse—a significant advantage, ensuring staff avoid excessive exposure to the frigid temperature.
EnGenius is available to assist in creating plans to address the wireless needs of today’s businesses—even the unusual and unique. Is your organization facing a challenging Wi-Fi installation? Contact EnGenius today to start planning your project! Contact us at [email protected].
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