Ovotrack uses a SQL Server Database. This database is the heart of the Ovotrack System and is usually installed on the company server. In this Ovotrack Database all data is stored. Furthermore, data synchronization with external software applications, like ERP systems, is done.

The communication with the grading machine can also be set up here, as long as the grading machine is capable. Communication is possible with all Moba Omnia and Sanovo Ardenta, OptiGrader and GraderPro grading machines.

A number of labels can be printed for each farm, house and flock that produces eggs. These labels are usually delivered by the drivers that pick up the eggs. Each label contains the required information that we already know upfront, such as name, address and registration number of the flock. Furthermore, each label contains a unique ID, in text as well as in barcode.

The farmer puts one label on each pallet of ungraded eggs and can add the date of lay and the quantity seconds, if applicable.

When the trucks with ungraded eggs are unloaded at the packing center, the barcodes of the farm labels are scanned. The first label will create an Egg Purchase Order for the particular farm and house. The information that is written on the delivery form and on the labels, such as date of lay or number of cracks, now has to be captured in the Ovotrack Database and the stock position of ungraded eggs is updated.

In case no label is available, for example when the supplier of the eggs is not a contracted farmer, a new label can be printed here.

Optionally a weighing scale can be connected to Ovotrack so the weight of each pallet can be gathered and stored in the database.

When transporting eggs on ECS® pallets, it is also possible to register pallets by reading the RFID chips in the ECS® pallets.

The egg industry has increasingly turned to plastic sustainable egg transportation material (reusables), plastic pallets, trays, dividers, crates and pallecons, like the Eggs Cargo System from Gi-Ovo. Reusables are more environmentally friendly but reusables are expensive and it requires a registration system to keep track of your investment. This registration is mostly done manually which requires time and is not very accurate.

Ovotrack offers THE solution with the new software module: Ovotrack Reusables. Ovotrack Reusables helps you to automate registering your materials, in a non time-consuming way. You can register incoming and
outgoing reusables, it provides insight in where they are and shows you when to restock the farms.

Real-time insight of your reusables helps you to make the most accurate planning. This is especially beneficial as the industry is facing skyrocketing transportation costs and limited truck availability. It also gives insight in the  hygienic status and provides an overview of damaged goods.

Reusables can be registered, online as well as offline, in the production center or at the farm, by scanning with a pocket PC. Among all software solutions for registering reusables, Ovotrack Reusables is the most user-friendly and integrated solution. As global market leader, Ovotrack has the biggest knowledge of the complete process within the egg industry. Ovotrack Reusables integrates easily into the existing Ovotrack Solution, however it can also be used stand-alone.

At most egg grading centers, incoming eggs are tested on Haugh units, yolk color and shell strengths. Sometimes these eggs are also candled manually to get an idea of their quality. With Ovotrack Egg Quality these testing results can be stored in the Ovotrack Database automatically.

During receiving an extra label will be printed for the sample of eggs to be tested. This label will go with the eggs to the laboratory. The Ovotrack Egg Quality Module will be installed on an existing PC in the laboratory. Before performing the test, the barcode on the label is scanned with an Ovotrack Wireless Scanner. After completion of the test, the results can be imported into Ovotrack Egg Quality. The results will then be stored in the Ovotrack Database under the original pallet ID and are available for further reporting.

At the loader of the grading machine, the pallet labels of ungraded eggs are scanned with a wireless scanner. If the grading machine supports communication, an Ovotrack Loader PC will be installed at the loader to enable communication. After scanning the label, the required information can be forwarded to the grading machine, such as farm name, flock ID, quantity eggs, stamp-on-egg code and the date of lay. The grading machine uses this data for the traceability of the eggs within the grading machine but can also use it for changing the information that is printed on each egg.

After scanning the label, the exact moment of batch change has to be signalled on the grading machine.

The stock position of ungraded eggs is updated with every scan at the loader.

In case of automatic depalletising at the loader of the grading machine there are no operators to operate a batch change. Especially with the introduction of the Eggs Cargo System, automatic depalletising becomes more and more interesting for egg packing centers. Ovotrack and GI-OVO therefore developed the Eggs Cargo Identifier or ECI. This is a patented plastic tag with a unique barcode that can be clicked on the top corner of the pallet.

At the batch change position on the loader of the grading machine a fixed scanner is installed in order to read the barcode of the ECI tag and to activate the shift from one supplier to another. After the batch change, the ECI tag uses existing dirt tray detection systems on the grading machine to take them back from the trays.

This is also more reliable in manual operations than the current procedure where people have to push a button or pull out a flag on the correct moment of batch change.

Ovotrack ECI is an extension of Ovotrack Loader and consists of Ovotrack Software, a fixed scanner and a number of ECI tags.

Similar to the traceability of eggs, packaging material can also be traced. With the Ovotrack Packaging Software, a label for each pallet of packaging material can be printed at receive. Whenever this pallet is taken from the packaging warehouse to the processing room, the pallet label is scanned again.

The original traceability codes of the packaging supplier can be captured in the database as well so that correct and accurate information is available for the supplier in case of a recall.

The Ovotrack Packaging Module not only takes care of the traceability of packaging material but also offers stock control of packaging material. As Ovotrack knows the real-time stock of packaging, it is also possible to give you a warning when packaging is running out in order to buy new packaging when needed.

Similar to the traceability of eggs, packaging material can also be traced. With the Ovotrack Packaging Software, a label for each pallet of packaging material can be printed at receive. Whenever this pallet is taken from the packaging warehouse to the processing room, the pallet label is scanned again.

The original traceability codes of the packaging supplier can be captured in the database as well so that correct and accurate information is available for the supplier in case of a recall.

The Ovotrack Packaging Module not only takes care of the traceability of packaging material but also offers stock control of packaging material. As Ovotrack knows the real-time stock of packaging, it is also possible to give you a warning when packaging is running out in order to buy new packaging when needed.

Next to the grading machine, an Ovotrack End of Lane PC will be installed, together with a wireless scanner. 

All customers’ product types and label layouts are setup into Ovotrack. For each product and/or customer a unique label can be designed.

Before grading, sales- and stock orders can be selected and assigned to specific packing lanes at the End of Lane PC by scanning the barcode from the order list or selecting it on the screen.

To maintain traceability and inventory control of graded eggs, outer cases must be labeled with a unique ID. Ovotrack End of Lane consists of an Ovotrack PC, button boxes at the end of each packing lanes and label printers on top of the button boxes.

There are several ways to set up Ovotrack End of Lane software. Products can be selected manually but it’s also possible to send sales- or production orders to the software automatically or by scanning these orders from a list. Furthermore, Ovotrack End of Lane can be setup via the grading machine.

By setting up the correct product, sales or production order for a packing lane, the lay-out of a label is also set, as well as other data to be printed on the label.

Whenever a case, box or pallet is completely packed, the operator will push the button for that packing lane and a label is printed with the correct lay-out and a unique ID, both in text and in barcode.

The unique ID as well as the origin of the eggs in this product are now stored in the Ovotrack Database.

Ovotrack Case Tracking gives the opportunity to follow each individual cases on the conveyor belt from the packing lane up to the printer.

With help of this Solution, it is possible to print all the finished products with one single printer. The Case Tracking Solution follows in real-time each individual case on the conveyor belt and sends the correct product label to the printer. If Ovotrack does not recognize the product on the conveyor, the conveyor belt will be stopped in order to remove the case.

Automatic case-packing is growing in the egg industry. When packing is automated, labeling should also be automated. Ovotrack Print & Apply offers fully automatic and real-time labeling of cases on a case conveyor or built into a case-packer.

Whenever an packing lane is connected to a case packer in Ovotrack End of Lane the information about the lay-out of the label of that packing lane is automatically forwarded to the Print & Apply System.

Ovotrack Print & Apply Solutions is available in different configurations so that labels can be applied on top, on the front or on the side of a case.

Scan Portal with Semi Automatic Palletizing  ensures that inventory is up-to-date, real-time and accurate at all times.

Any case that passes the scan portal increases the inventory. If the barcode on the label is unreadable or the label is missing, the case conveyor stops and an alarm light attends the operators to sort the issue.

By making sure every barcode on the case is readable and scannable, it guarantees that the label is also scannable when it is picked at dispatch. The extra scan takes any unused labels out of the traceability system.

With wireless scanners used in the dispatch department, pallet labels can be created at any stage of the process. Either during palletizing, whilst preparing a shipment or during loading graded eggs all unique IDs from products on one pallet can be scanned and connected to a pallet label with a unique PAL-number.

These pallet labels can also be generated with automatic palletizers.

The pallet label can be applied manually or automatically.

It often happens that eggs have to be repacked after grading, for example with shrink-wrapping. Or when Smalls have been packed loose on a pallet of 10.800 and a customer orders 30 cases or 360. Then these eggs have to be repacked manually and 30 labels are required that should be related to the original pallet label.
Ovotrack Repack takes care of reprinting labels whilst keeping the original traceability information.

A repack solution consists of a wireless scanner, an Ovotrack PC and a label printer. This is often the same hardware that is used for dispatch.

Graded eggs purchased from other egg grading centers, should be traceable as well. Outer cases and pallets should be labeled with the same labels as for products that are graded in-house. Ovotrack Receive Graded uses the hardware already used by the Ovotrack Receive module.

The original traceability codes of the supplier can be captured in the database as well so that correct and accurate information is available for the supplier in event of a recall.

With wireless scanners used in the dispatch department, pallet labels can be created at any stage of the process.

Either during palletizing, whilst preparing a shipment or during loading graded eggs, all unique IDs from products on one pallet can be scanned and connected to a pallet label with a unique PAL-number. These pallet labels can also be generated with automatic palletizers. The pallet label can be applied manually or automatically. When building a mixed pallet, all case labels need to be scanned.

After scanning all case labels on a pallet, a pallet label with information of all cases on that specific pallet will be created. This is a group ID to maintain traceability.

To complete traceability, the products that are graded for stock have to be connected to sales orders at the dispatch department before loading the trucks and shipping the eggs to the customer. For this reason an Ovotrack PC with one or more wireless scanners can be installed at the dispatch department. On the dispatch computer a label printer is connected for printing new labels if needed.

Furthermore, a laser printer is needed to print the load lists or pick lists with barcodes. With the wireless scanners the barcode on the picklist will be scanned first and after that the barcodes of the outer cases or complete pallets must be scanned. The system will check whether the correct product is scanned and the best-before or sell-by date will be checked as well.

After connecting products to sales orders at dispatch, a delivery note or a bill of lading can be generated and the data can be forwarded to the ERP system for invoicing.