To meet today’s requirements for fast delivery and infinite flexibility, many productions are already set up as flow production with work steps distributed to workstations. As a result, products can be individually adapted in order to optimally meet customer requirements.
The basic prerequisite for this is to continuously know where a product is in the process. Additionally, information should be available about the next workstation and the subsequent work step. Without technical assistance, the required information can only be generated by the employee with much effort. Additionally, you run the risk of production steps being confused and time delays occurring in the production process. One solution to meet the requirements with minimum effort and maximum reliability is to install automated product recognition by using an RFID system.
Automated product recognition with an RFID system
To install an RFID system one important prerequisite must be fulfilled. Each product that is planned to be tracked needs a compatible RFID data carrier. This enables an individual connection between the order number and the product, which is then stored in a database.
During the product creation, the stored connection is called up multiple times. Each time it is supplemented by further information. In this way product traceability can be ensured. The connection is initiated by an antenna of the RFID system, which recognizes the data carrier and its ID. The resulting data shows which product is at the workplace, the time stamp, the place of recognition and the order number, all of which are noted in the database.
Reduction of error rate and increase of efficiency in the production
In addition to ensuring traceability, the installation of an RFID system can also significantly reduce the failure rate in the production. The connection to the database allows information to move in two ways. On one hand additional information is provided, while on the other further information is created that can be processed by other systems.
The storage of the time stamp enables an analysis of the duration of each work step. This makes the identification of potential ways to improve in the production possible. If this analysis and the implementation of the system is done consequently, the efficiency in the production can be improved continuously.
