Optimizing Work-in-Progress Tracking in a Vehicle Manufacturing Plant
WISER's real-time autonomous asset tracking streamlines operations and mitigates the risk of asset loss across various industries, including the automotive/vehicle sector in alignment with the principles of Industry 4.0. By offering real-time tracking and reporting of key assets vehicle and heavy equipment manufacturers monitoring the build process can track and locate by VIN number and promptly locate individual parts as required, thereby augmenting operational efficiency.
THE CHALLENGE: UNANTICIPATED DOWNTIME COSTS
Unplanned downtime in automotive and Vehicle manufacturing can lead to significant financial losses for every minute a production line is shut down. These incidents often trigger a chain reaction, causing delays in multiple processes, impacting both upstream and downstream production. Moreover, manual inventory tracking halts production for hours, consuming valuable time that could be allocated to quality control or process improvement and may result in errors and additional delays.
To mitigate these costs and disruptions, proactive identification and resolution of production issues are essential.
THE SOLUTION: WISER’S ASSET TRACKING SYSTEM
In one customer’s facility the assembly line produces several different models of vehicles, each potentially featuring customer-specific customization items. The base of the vehicle or item being manufactured is tagged, and the assembly line is divided into zones. As parts cross zones, the system trigger alerts to bring specific items for assembly without manual scanning or notifications, reducing the risk of incorrect assembly or delays. This system ensures VIN number specific components are present at the assembly area, eliminating the potential for incorrect placement and optimizing efficiency.
The next phase involves tagging inventory to notify runners of what to bring, where to find it, and where to take it. Where robots or autonomous vehicles handle these tasks, automation and efficiency is further enhanced.
WISER tracker tags are affixed to valuable parts such as work orders, gauges, and tools.They can track and trace items beyond and outside the assembly line, where RFID readers or gates are not present. Tags are applied to bins, totes, or parts moving through any indoor/outdoor location during assembly. WISER’s location system immediately identifies, and tracks tagged parts, syncing tag coordinates with a facility map and ERP dashboards. This automation streamlines inventory management, reduces the risk of loss, and minimizes unnecessary replacements.
Unlike conventional systems, WISER’s technology provides sub-meter accuracy in challenging environments like factories and other cluttered or reflective settings. This precision enables instant location of parts, facilitating efficient production processes.
THE RESULTS: ENHANCED EFFICIENCY IN MANUFACTURING WITH WISER'S ASSET TRACKING TECHNOLOGY
WISER's asset tracking technology empowers manufacturers to make informed decisions based on real-time insights, enhancing efficiency on the production floor, including both linear and cellular manufacturing operations improving processes. By leveraging WISER's technology, manufacturers can improve manufacturing processes and elevate their operations, achieving production and profitability goals with greater ease and accuracy.