Orbcomm’s PT 6000 telematics solution. Photo: Orbcomm.

Orbcomm has developed the next generation of its cold chain monitoring solution, PT 6000. According to the company, PT 6000 is available in a 3G or LTE cellular or dual-mode satellite-cellular version, and enables fuel and temperature management, maintenance, logistics, and regulatory compliance for refrigerated transport assets.

As part of Orbcomm’s telematics solution that includes sensors, connectivity and the CargoWatch application, PT 6000 enables visibility and control of cold chain operations to help ensure the integrity of temperature-controlled cargo as it moves along the supply chain. Orbcomm’s reefer management solution provides the temperature monitoring capabilities and records needed for compliance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act regulatory requirements, according to the company.

The solution can remotely set reefer temperature, change reefer state, initiate a defrost and more with two-way commands. It can also receive real-time alarms when specific conditions are detected, such as when an active reefer is turned off, cargo area temperature deviates from the set points or does not match values specified by the order, an asset enters or exits a geofence, and rapid fuel loss is detected. According to Orbcomm, the device supports up to three temperature sensors to accommodate reefers with multiple zones and has a rechargeable battery that reports for up to 10 days when no vehicle power is available.

Craig Malone, Orbcomm’s executive vice president of product development, said he continues to observe “a migration toward IOT technology as part of our transportation customers’ core strategies to reduce costs and add efficiencies.”