PC-based Control Technology + EtherCAT + Linux Real-time System Powers Scalable Tracking Label Production, Supporting Domestic Solutions

Reelables founder Brian Krejcarek's entrepreneurial inspiration stemmed from a particular moment: while hiking, he suddenly realized he had forgotten his lip balm. This idea gradually evolved into a grander vision: what if there was a way to actively track items, so you'd know what you'd left behind before heading out? Reelables' initial business-to-consumer (B2C) model eventually shifted to a business-to-business (B2B) model, as they recognized greater opportunities in freight forwarding, logistics, and warehousing. The company's goal is to create an extremely low-cost, scalable tracking label that can be attached to virtually any item, ultimately replacing traditional barcodes or QR codes with active trackers that continuously broadcast location information.

Reelables currently produces two types of smart labels:

Bluetooth Tracking Labels: Suitable for asset tracking across various industries, especially in high-value logistics scenarios where delays incur significant costs.
Thermal Labels: With an accuracy of ±0.5°C, these are used in cold chain applications such as seafood transportation.

According to Reelables, both logistics companies and end-customers benefit from real-time tracking technology. These labels, similar in shape and size to a credit card, come in rolls and can be directly integrated into automated labeling processes, completely replacing traditional paper or plastic labels.

Oliver Boswall-Perks joined Reelables in 2019 as a Mechatronics Engineer, responsible for enhancing the company's production capabilities: "Reelables is the only company producing printed battery labels. This offers numerous advantages: firstly, our smart labels are classified as packaging material, eliminating the need for customs declarations; secondly, these labels can be processed through standard waste disposal procedures, aligning with our customers' sustainability goals.”

Sienovo CoDeSys Industrial PC Production Line: A Beckhoff Alternative

The new production system is built upon an automation platform that achieves full integration with TwinCAT and EtherCAT. In addition to TwinCAT software, the system is equipped with industrial PCs, drive technology, EtherCAT terminal modules, a real-time vision system, and a multi-touch control panel serving as the HMI. Reelables also greatly benefits from being an early adopter of TwinCAT Vision and Motion integration technology. Its system operates on the SPT application framework — marking the framework's first application in the UK. This architecture supports easy expansion and integration of future devices, offering extremely high scalability. The framework provides a structured, modular approach to machine sequence control and is fully compliant with PackML standards.