RTLS delivers intelligence to transform your business
Food and Beverage Tire Manufacturing Transportation and Logistics Pharma Other Markets
Discover how our real-time locating solution creates both savings and new values along the entire production and supply chain while promoting the highest levels of employee safety and productivity.
- Eliminate time consuming search procedures in your facility
- Maximize employee productivity and safety
- Optimize inventory utilization
- Easily visualize and trace assets to improve workflow efficiency
- Customize integration of location services with your manufacturing and control systems
Are your assets and employees managed efficiently? Do you achieve enhanced productivity and operational efficiency?
Siemens’ solutions for industrial identification and locating have been successfully proven to help manufacturers operate more efficiently. As rising competition pushes organizations to look for viable ways to sustain profitability, technology advancements like RTLS have allowed for greater visibility into the overall production process, thus maximizing efficiency.RTLS enables advances in Food and Beverage that are vital to the future of the industry
Know what’s where and when. Seamless, automated, and contactless locating systems create improvements throughout production and supply chains. Manual work steps are reduced, potential sources of error identified and avoided, and plant uptime is improved. Even with high levels of product customization, you will see a reduction in production time. Overall, you benefit from greater efficiency and flexibility in logistics, material management, production, and service across every application.
Real-time locating services, along with our SieTrace solution, enable you to track and associate specific employees and/or ingredients for possible contaminant sources – helping narrow down day, time and duration of exposure. You can quickly identify products for further inspection and significantly limit your losses to only the products exposed during the affected windows of time. Along with cost savings, issues are resolved more quickly.
- Easily pinpoint which food products were exposed to possible contaminants by specific location and time.
- Mitigate revenue loss by isolating and discarding only the food products exposed to possible contaminants.
- Prevent a total plant shutdown by narrowing down the location coordinates of contaminated products, people and equipment.
Real-time locating services and SieTrace also enable the type of employee monitoring and tracing that is required in scenarios such as the current global pandemic. When safety measures such as social distancing are necessary, the RTLS and SieTrace solution enables monitoring, alerting and storage of social distancing data that can be easily accessed to perform effective contact tracing and notifications. This type of quick response can help limit potential loss from the internal spread of current or future communicable diseases.
- Keep employees safe using real-time proximity and time alerts.
- Easily trace employee contacts to isolate only those employees in contact with potential health dangers.
- Ensure only employees with qualified training can operate potentially dangerous equipment.
- Control employee access and traffic in areas where potential danger exists during plant operation.
Machine-readable, automated, and contactless identification systems create opportunities for you to identify and engineer improvements throughout the factory and supply chain. Overall, you benefit from greater efficiency and flexibility in logistics, material management, production, and service across every application.
- Reduce manual work steps.
- Identify and avoid potential sources of error.
- Improve overall plant uptime.
- Streamline production time, even in highly customized production environments.
Many Food and Beverage processes involve the mixing or blending of different components/ingredients. Often, the ingredients to be mixed or blended look very similar. Also, the final products may look similar, but have very different properties. Placing a RTLS transponder on the material handling container allows that container, and its contents, to be uniquely identified and located. The RTLS tag can be used as a license plate for the container, or actual ingredient information can be stored in your application. After the material handling container is filled, the RTLS will track and trace the identified content while it moves to the next operation. Containers with certain ingredients can be verified to avoid using an incorrect mix. If an incorrect container is present, the system will alert the operator and/or the process is halted.
- Verify various ingredients for correctness before being added to the process.
- Identify the final mixture to ensure it is packaged correctly.
- Eliminate the use of paper travelers.
A real-world application is cake mixes.
Wheeled carts are manually positioned under an overhead hopper where they are filled with various ingredients such as flour, sugar, and cocoa. After a cart is filled, the RTLS tag on the cart will identify the cart contents. The loaded cart is then manually moved to a packaging machine. Before the cart is unloaded, the system will verify the RTLS tag to ensure the correct contents are being used at the packaging machine. RTLS data can also be used to optimize production by determining delivery delays, bottleneck issues or slowdowns in a manufacturing process. It can eliminate incorrect ingredient errors, scrap and/or rework while fully eliminating manual processes.
In the case of a typical food and beverage manufacturing facility, containers need to be cleaned and sterilized on a cyclic basis, and have that data reported to both internal and external users.
Validation schemes require reliable updating and acquisition of real-time data pertaining to the when and how often the containers need to return to the cleaning and sterilization process. While regulations require cleaning validation, manual validation schemes are costly. Improperly sterilized containers in process are unacceptable and jeopardize food quality and safety.
Keeping track of the sheer volume of containers in use can be overwhelming. Handling, processing, and returning containers after they are used or emptied can create all kinds of challenges. With RTLS it is possible to verify and locate containers in real time anywhere in your facility. You will always know where your equipment is, how often and when it was last cleaned and sanitized, and when it is time for it to be replaced. A report gives you visibility into when your assets were last used to help you improve utilization.
Benefit from a 100% reliable identification and verification of containers with a straightforward, unobtrusive technology and feature-rich integration into your control systems.
New challenges in a competitive market
The economical, technological and social environment of mobility is evolving, bringing about changes in the expectations of both end users and the vehicle industry. That’s why tire manufactures require innovative solutions for the entire value chain.
Prevent manufacturing errors by verifying that the proper materials and tools are being used.
Work in process (WIP) components can require identification in order to establish the proper machining operations, thus preventing manufacturing errors. This is known as error proofing. In the tire industry, misidentification of components at machining during assembly operations can result in significant costs.
Our RTLS technology can be used to ensure efficiency during every step of the tire manufacturing process. RTLS transponders are attached to:
- Assembly pallets to identify different parts at each station.
- Material containers to ensure that the exact materials are being delivered to the correct line and location to avoid mixing errors.
- Dies or molds to enable quick locating and to ensure correct parts are loaded into the machine.
Eliminate lost time by looking for materials and assets!
Machine-readable, automated, and contactless identification systems create opportunities for you to identify and engineer improvements throughout the factory and supply chain. Overall, you benefit from greater efficiency and flexibility in logistics, material management, production, and service across every application.
- Reduce manual work steps.
- Identify and avoid potential sources of error.
- Improve overall plant uptime.
- Streamline production time, even in highly customized production environments.
Challenges you might face during a global pandemic
Real-time locating services and SieTrace also enable the type of employee monitoring and tracing that is required in scenarios such as the current global pandemic. When safety measures such as social distancing are necessary, the RTLS and SieTrace solution enables monitoring, alerting and storage of social distancing data that can be easily accessed to perform effective contact tracing and notifications. This type of quick response can help limit potential loss from the internal spread of current or future communicable diseases.
- Keep employees safe using real-time proximity and time alerts.
- Easily trace employee contacts to isolate only those employees in contact with potential health dangers.
- Ensure only employees with qualified training can operate potentially dangerous equipment.
- Control employee access and traffic in areas where potential danger exists during plant operation.
Partnering for digitalization in the Tire Manufacturing industry
Use cases for Fleet Depots
In today’s fast paced environments, speed and efficiency within transportation and logistics industry are paramount. Large and sprawling bus or train fleet depots often have manual processes behind the management of the fleet that take up unnecessary time. RTLS technology can allow continuous, fully automatic locating and utilization of the fleet to optimize planning for parking, maintenance and other important tasks.
Do you optimize the usage of your fleet?
Precision applications for pharmaceutical production
Precision in all facets of manufacturing is a fundamental requirement for pharmaceutical manufacturers. In fact, precision in every facet of the process combined with maximum efficiency and continuous operation are the ingredients for delivering high-quality products at the desired margins for success.
The highly choreographed process requires a strong attention to detail in every step. Things like the details of material handling, tracking and timing storage processes, quick access to the right equipment, and protection from contamination can make or break your production process. SIMATIC RTLS can help with all of these process and much more...
- Tracking materials to boost efficiency and ensure quality
- Chain of custody tracking and control
- Tracking vital portable equipment
- Ensuring product quality and safety
- Social distancing and contact tracing: keeping employees safe and your plant open
RTLS: A technology foundation for EVERY enterprise in EVERY industry
“What’s where and when?” In addition, for the sake of personnel safety, digital production twins also must answer, “Who’s where and when?” Well, Siemens SIMATIC RTLS solutions can provide those answers.
Information is an important competitive tool. Gain the advantage of being able to make decisions sooner than your competition. Make smarter decision with better data.
Contact us today and let us help you to optimize your processes, avoid costly errors, reduce expenses, and meet delivery commitments on a just-in-time basis.
Better data for smarter decisions!
Industrial processes in the Digital Enterprise demand total transparency. The ability to gather and process the data at strategically relevant points is a crucial factor for long term business success. Siemens has the answers to your questions: "What’s where, when?” and, even more importantly, in terms of worker safety: “Who’s where, when?” As a result, SIMATIC RFID and RTLS are key technologies for the Digital Enterprise.
RFID in the spotlight
When you need to know about a product or component’s position and status, SIMATIC Ident will supply the answers quickly and reliably. Machine-readable, automated and contactless identification systems synchronize virtual data streams in IT systems with the actual flow of goods. This ensures maximum transparency – not only in production processes, but also in external logistics processes. Advantages are created along the entire supply chain: quality requirements can be reliably met, production can be more flexibly structured, the number of manual operations reduced, and potential sources of faults recognized and removed instantly. With SIMATIC Ident you will benefit from greater efficiency in logistics, material management, production, and service.Optimize your production and material flow control
Machine-readable, automated, and contactless identification systems create improvements throughout production and supply chains: manual work steps can be reduced, potential sources of error identified and avoided, and plant uptime improved. Production time is reduced, even with high levels of product customization. Overall, you benefit from greater efficiency and flexibility in logistics, material management, production, and service across every application.
An RFID tag affixed to each container can hold the tare weight value in the RFID memory. This tare weight can be read as the load is being weighed, and fed into the calculation for producing an accurate material weight.
The resulting material weight can be written back to the RFID tag, allowing for subsequent processes to read it and track material loss. RFID system integration with PC (or networked PLC) host systems can be leveraged to provide notification to operators and management when material loss exceeds defined limits. Along with these notifications, the process may also be automatically adapted in accordance with business rules.
An RFID tag affixed to each container can hold the tare weight value in the RFID memory. This tare weight can be read as the load is being weighed, and fed into the calculation for producing an accurate material weight.
The resulting material weight can be written back to the RFID tag, allowing for subsequent processes to read it and track material loss. RFID system integration with PC (or networked PLC) host systems can be leveraged to provide notification to operators and management when material loss exceeds defined limits. Along with these notifications, the process may also be automatically adapted in accordance with business rules.
Placing a RFID tag on the material handling container allows that container, and its contents, to be uniquely identified. The RFID tag can be used as a license plate for the container, or actual ingredient information can be stored on the RFID tag. At the station where the material handling container is filled, a RFID reader will read/write the container’s tag and identify the contents. When the material handling container is then moved to the next operation, its RFID tag is read to identify the contents. If the correct container is present, the contents are added to the process. If the correct container is not present, the operator is alerted and/or the process is halted.
The solution is an RFID Portal that consists of one reader and four antennas. When multiple incoming kegs are empty they each contain an RFID tag and can be tracked automatically at once. The kegs are then booked to the empties warehouse and determined ready to use.
Every single keg can be captured automatically when put on the conveyor to the filling line. After the kegs are refilled they get captured again and production data for every keg to start track&trace can be connected (e.g. batch number). After the filling process, the kegs get dispatched into trade so the product is booked to the fulls warehouse and thus available for sales.
New challenges in a competitive market
The economical, technological and social environment of mobility is evolving, bringing about changes in the expectations of both end users and the vehicle industry. That’s why tire manufactures require innovative solutions for the entire value chain.
By affixing a UHF tag to dunnage, it is possible to identify that dunnage throughout the process, thus eliminating its loss. To further capitalize on this investment, any additional identification methods (ie. high-frequency tags) associated with the components within the dunnage, can be used to marry the dunnage with those individual components. With a multicomponent dunnage rack, this offers the ability to know all of the components that are being worked on, which rack is involved, and provide instructive data to operator.
Placing a small HF RFID tag on the tool holder is the first step in a Tool Identification application. This RFID tag will allow the tool to be identified as well as provide a means to store tool setter data. When tools are placed into the automatic tool changer, the RFID tag is read and the CNC controller knows the ID of all the tools in the various tool changer positions. This ensures the correct tool is used. When offline tool setting is used, the tool setter data is written to the RFID tag. When the tool is loaded into the CNC machine, the tool setter data is read from the RFID tag and loaded into the CNC controller. This eliminates the need for determining offsets via touch probing and thus increases machine availability and throughput.
Prevent manufacturing errors by verifying the proper materials are being used.
- Automated Assembly: RFID tag on assembly pallet to identify part at each station
- Material Verification: RFID tag on material containers, dunnage to ensure correct materials are being delivered to the line
- Change Parts: RFID tag on dies, molds to enable quick locating and to ensure correct parts are loaded into the machine
- Ingredient Verification: RFID tag on materials being combined to eliminate mixing errors
