RTLS in Manufacturing helps to improve work efficiency; it is really important to know where the tools are in real time. Whether it’s handheld terminals that control production or goods carts, work is more efficient when you don’t have to look for them and they’re always found on time when you need them.
With the help of positioning, the working methods can be made more efficient and the duration of e.g. turnaround times can be accurately measured completely automatically.
Location data is raw material to supplement existing systems
RTLS in manufacturing improves efficiency. Real-time location information about everything related to the production process complements the existing WMS or ERP system to work even more efficiently.
Location data can be used to measure things that used to be difficult and time-consuming to measure. With the help of location data, measuring is automatic. You can either view the data in real time or take control of the overall picture with the help of historical data.
Thanks to continuous automatically collected data, all decisions are based on measured information. Whether it’s measuring the duration of production lead times, measuring the utilization rate of an individual tool, or measuring the time spent searching for goods, location data improves the efficiency of the work environment. And manual clocking is no longer needed!
The location of anything can be tracked
Any thing – be it a tool, a person or a device – can be tracked. Positioning helps to find all shared items, such as expensive handsets that control production. When the necessary equipment, components and colleagues can be found easily, work efficiency and satisfaction increase immediately.
Positioning can be used to track the location and use of hand tools. Efficient and quick search for tools and measuring devices and managing calibration dates is easy. Tool-specific utilization rates can be measured and investment decisions are based on measured information, and not, for example, on the fact that tools are always lost and therefore more are needed.
Iiwari Asset Manager
The management and discoverability of devices to be calibrated has been made remarkably easy with the help of Iiwari Asset Manager.
Devices to be calibrated are displayed on the map on the mobile device/computer thanks to location information, so they are easy to find. The list of devices to be calibrated next facilitates the planning and organization of the calibration work.
Power to production with zone alarms
Production downtime can be reduced when raw materials and components are in the right places and the arrival is automatically reported with zone alarms.
Location information ensures that there is no need to look for the goods cart and it is always found on time when it is needed. This prevents and ensures that the production line never stops because components are not found in time.
Location information is also useful in assembly areas. They automatically generate a zone alert/assembly permit when all required parts have arrived in the assembly area and assembly can begin.
Automatic and continuous measurement of the duration of production steps
In a smart factory, positioning can be used to automatically monitor the smoothness of production, the duration of work phases and the functionality of the layout of the production facilities, instead of short-term manual research, so-called clocking.
Sometimes it is necessary to measure the position and timing of moving assembly tables. With the help of positioning and zone monitoring, you get real information about the start and end times of the assembly phase accurately and automatically.
The most important use cases in industry
- Automatic alerts and logging enabled by virtual areas
- Improving the ability to measure production phases as a basis for optimizing production according to Lean thinking
- Real-time location information for expensive equipment such as component carts, hand terminals and tools
- Ensuring safety
For your help, we listed a useful package of the most important practical challenges in manufacturing that can be eased with indoor positioning technology.
Download RTLS in Manufacturing pdf »
Iiwari Tracking Solutions
Iiwari Tracking Solutions, a pioneer in indoor positioning, has its roots in the Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd (VTT) and long-term UWB research. Iiwari innovates in cost-effective network solutions and products based on UWB technology aimed at increasingly accurate and reliable indoor positioning.
