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Magnet-Triggered RFID Solution Lowers Costs at Müller Martini
When screws or pegs are running low on the front side of the divider, an employee turns the container around to access the parts on the opposite side. This triggers an automatic order to replenish the components. If temporary workers using the system are unaware of this, they require no additional training, says Stefan Schwiers, Identec's CTO, since the divider within the container forces them to turn it around in order to access the parts they need.
System designers mounted a strip of magnetic material on the front part of each shelf on the storage rack. When the active RFID tag is moved to the front of the shelf near the magnetic strip, the signal it transmits every two seconds changes due to the magnetic field. The single reader in the application picks up the altered signal and triggers a replenishment order. An LED light on the tag illuminates to notify the user that the replenishment order has been placed, and the part type is identified by the unique number transmitted by the RFID tag.
If a tag is damaged, its battery dies or the tagged container is moved out of the production area, then the tag's signal is not read at the regular interval, and the system thus identifies the problem. This sets off an alert for employees to check tags manually. The system also includes software that recognizes potential order errors, such as double orders or illogical order combinations.
According to SFS, the system offers several key advantages: It speeds up and automates the replenishment process, it enables companies to reorganize their warehouses without worrying about cable systems, and containers continue to be traced even when they're off the shelf. Moreover, the firm notes, users can save up to 50 percent on process costs.
Intellion is currently marketing turnLOG to other companies. Additional turnLOG users include Aebi & Co., a Swiss builder of machines for the public works sector, such as street cleaners and large grass cutters, and Steinemann, a Swiss maker of sanding machinery. Aebi uses 4,000 tagged containers, while Steinemann utilizes 1,000.
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System designers mounted a strip of magnetic material on the front part of each shelf on the storage rack. When the active RFID tag is moved to the front of the shelf near the magnetic strip, the signal it transmits every two seconds changes due to the magnetic field. The single reader in the application picks up the altered signal and triggers a replenishment order. An LED light on the tag illuminates to notify the user that the replenishment order has been placed, and the part type is identified by the unique number transmitted by the RFID tag.
If a tag is damaged, its battery dies or the tagged container is moved out of the production area, then the tag's signal is not read at the regular interval, and the system thus identifies the problem. This sets off an alert for employees to check tags manually. The system also includes software that recognizes potential order errors, such as double orders or illogical order combinations.
Intellion is currently marketing turnLOG to other companies. Additional turnLOG users include Aebi & Co., a Swiss builder of machines for the public works sector, such as street cleaners and large grass cutters, and Steinemann, a Swiss maker of sanding machinery. Aebi uses 4,000 tagged containers, while Steinemann utilizes 1,000.
