Our Databolt never fails to grab the attention of everyone who has ever ventured to take a look in my sample case. In a kit of a hundred plus RFID tags which vary in frequency and form factor, it’s the one that draws the most questions, by far. Without a doubt, it is unique, it is rugged, and it is a pretty ingenious method of attaching an RFID tag to an item that needs to be identified and tracked through a process. However, I couldn’t help but think…it’s just a bolt.
If you have ever been to a manufacturing trade show then you know that the “wow factor” is pretty common in this industry. From Blackjack dealing robots to machines the size of a typical suburban home, you must admit there is some impressive stuff out there.
Never did I consider the Databolt a “wow” product until a recent issue of Popular Mechanics featured the Balluff Databolt in an article regarding RFID traceability at GM’s engine plant in Tonawanda, NY. After reading the article I realized that wow can mean different things. So when I see a friend I haven’t seen for fifteen years and the first thing they say is wow. Is it wow, I haven’t seen you for a long time? Or wow, you’ve gained sixty pounds and are losing your hair? I guess it is to be left open for interpretation.
My vanity aside, it is now pretty clear that when the Databolt produces a wow, it is not necessarily a wow, this is the coolest piece of technology I have ever seen. More accurately, it is most likely wow, this simple little bolt can save my company millions by:
- Creating visibility into the production process
- Helping to comply with regulatory and quality standards
- Proactively managing product recalls with near-real-time corrective action
- Improving customer safety and satisfaction
- Reducing the cost of nonconformance
So, that is my take on what people really mean when they say “wow” in regards to the Databolt. Check out the article and determine for yourself how wow should be interpreted.
