Here's an outline  of how KOOLTRAK data loggers are used. Our example comes from a poultry processing corporation we'll call "Prime Chicken".

Prime Chicken logs temperatures from production to the consumer. Temperatures in the chicken growing houses must be optimized for best feed conversion, and are monitored by Kooltrak data loggers located at the air intake and exhausts, and on the feeder. The data is read out with KOOLPAD software running on a PocketPC palmtop computer, which displays a graph of temperature data as the data logger is read to facilitate immediate corrective action, and uses the optional PocketPC modem to email the data  to the production office. In the office, KOOLSCAN running on a PC checks incoming emails for Kooltrak data logger files and automatically updates the production and central Kooltrak databases.

As product moves down the Prime Chicken production line, Kooltrak data loggers moving with the product allow validation of handling temperatures at all stages of the line. This is performed as an investigation rather than on a continuous basis so these loggers are collected by hand and brought to the production office, where they are read directly into the production PC database. 

Kooltrak data loggers in the coolroom are networked together using simple twisted pair cable, and checked regularly and automatically by KOOLPROBE running on a PC. The status and temperature of each data logger is shown on a  graphic display of the floor plan on the PC display, and any out-of-limit conditions are displayed as alarms. Certain serious problems have been chosen to cause an external alarm through a relay closure, and operate an alarm siren that can't be overlooked or ignored. The Koolprobe PC is connected to the corporate intranet, so Koolprobe writes temperature logs back to the central Kooltrak database for future reference.

The Prime Chicken facility isn't manned on Sundays, so Koolprobe is also configured to automatically issue email alarm messages. One of the email alarms goes to the duty officer's pcs cellphone and displays a text message describing the problem, while another goes to the supervisor's home PC where a Koolscan software module detects its arrival and rings an alarm bell.

The company trucking fleet is equipped with Kooltrak data loggers both as a networked string in the various sections of the truck, and packed in individual product shipments. KOOLCHECK running on a PocketPC captures shipment temperature logger data and allows customers to sign off on correct handling direct on the screen of the Koolcheck palm top at delivery time. On return to the depot, the driver drops his PocketPC into a synchronization cradle and the collected data including the customer acceptance signature is transferred to the central database.

In the frozen food display cabinets at a customer store, a number of Kooltrak data loggers on loan from Prime Chicken monitor temperatures at various locations in the cabinets. These are presently being read out with a Koolpad system and the results emailed back to Prime Chicken for analysis, and discussions are underway on whether the quality department will equip the display cabinets of all its major customers with networked Kooltrak data loggers and monitor them remotely as a service. Prime Chicken believes this will help insure its products don't suffer from thawing and refreezing problems that have happened  in the past.

In the central office a wide variety of reports are exported to various other applications by Kooltrak software, and the KOOLPAGE reporting module is used to generate web pages where the Growing Division can review their performance over the company intranet. Koolpage is also used to create internet web pages where major customers can log on to their account at Prime Chicken and review the complete temperature history of their purchases. Special reporting formats make presentation of large amounts of data clear and easy to understand. (end)