…add RFID
Pallets, bins, shipping containers, machine tools, hand tools, calibration equipment, neumatic and hydraulic cylinders, etc, etc, etc can all be given some level of intelligence which would make life easier within the plant. Plant-based assets are truly assets because they make our job easier or they allow us to be more efficient. When workers are efficient they are more productive.
Really it all comes down to the questions that we need answered. Here are a few that I have run into in a plant:
Where are all of my pallets and shipping containers?
How much longer can I use this machine tool before the tolerances are out of range?
Has this gauge been calibrated? when? by whom? what are the parameters?
I need to re-order this part or order spare parts and the manufacturer information has been worn off. What is the serial number, when was this part manufactured, what is the location of this asset within the plant?
Ultimately, if your assets can answer a few questions your life becomes a little less complex. All of the answers are simply written to the RFID tag and when you have a question you can read the information from the tag with an RFID reader, sometimes called an interrogator for obvious reasons. It’s that simple.
For more information on RFID as a solution visit our website at www.balluff.us/rfid
