A Guide to RFID WIP Solutions for Discrete Manufacturers
Tracking work in process with radio frequency identification gives you real-time visibility into your processes and operations, which, in turn, saves time, improves quality and reduces costs. Here's what you need to know to choose a system that's right for your company.
By Jennifer Zaino
June 8, 2009—When you're making items composed of many parts, such as airplanes, automobiles, high-tech and consumer electronic devices, machinery, or medical equipment, it's essential—but difficult—to keep track of work in process (WIP). As many components and subsystems are assembled into individual products, discrete manufacturers need to ensure that the right parts make their way from warehouses to bins to assembly lines when they're needed.
It's also critical that the correct parts are diverted at the right time to the proper locations for painting, subassembly or other work before they can be brought together and incorporated into the final product. That's especially important if the manufacture of parts or subassemblies is outsourced to a supply-chain partner. Any delays or errors in these processes can cause a manufacturer to stop production to sort things out.
Many discrete manufacturers track WIP manually, using paper-based logs or entering data into computers or handheld devices—all methods that are prone to error, thanks to human fallibility. Even manufacturers that have automated the process using bar-code scanners find that workers often forget to scan some parts or circumvent the system for other reasons. Typically, managers aren't alerted to errors soon enough, so they cause problems down the line.
June 8, 2009—When you're making items composed of many parts, such as airplanes, automobiles, high-tech and consumer electronic devices, machinery, or medical equipment, it's essential—but difficult—to keep track of work in process (WIP). As many components and subsystems are assembled into individual products, discrete manufacturers need to ensure that the right parts make their way from warehouses to bins to assembly lines when they're needed.
It's also critical that the correct parts are diverted at the right time to the proper locations for painting, subassembly or other work before they can be brought together and incorporated into the final product. That's especially important if the manufacture of parts or subassemblies is outsourced to a supply-chain partner. Any delays or errors in these processes can cause a manufacturer to stop production to sort things out.
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Many discrete manufacturers track WIP manually, using paper-based logs or entering data into computers or handheld devices—all methods that are prone to error, thanks to human fallibility. Even manufacturers that have automated the process using bar-code scanners find that workers often forget to scan some parts or circumvent the system for other reasons. Typically, managers aren't alerted to errors soon enough, so they cause problems down the line.
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