04.05.2023
How this company used Inpixon´s INTRANAV.IO and RTLS Tags to reduce search times and improve quality management in production
The Company
A plastic manufacturing specialist
Our client has to manage large amounts of toolings within machines via a manual recording system across several buildings of their campus. With approximately 300 employees using and entering data into this manual system across execution of manufacturing operations, there was a lot of room for human error, delays and inconsistencies. As this client’s business grew, they understood their process needed to be addressed head-on, and they knew that they needed help.
The Challenge
The customer faced the challenge of using a manual recording system for tool tracking, which caused delays and bottlenecks in the production process. Managing assets on the large campus with multiple facilities and 300 employees was difficult, and without real-time tracking, the company couldn´t easily pinpoint where bottlenecks were occurring.
This resulted in a schedule that continued to cause friction in the production process. Tooling delays caused delays in subsequent production steps, costing time, money, and resources. Finding a better system for production and inventory management and operational tracking was urgent, but the customer needed to know which type of system to turn to.
By implementing Inpixon’s INTRANAV.IO platform and RTLS tags, the customer found the solution they were searching for. The platform provides various options for tracking different types of assets, resulting in improved efficiency and security in the production process.
The Solution
This customer struggled to find tools as needed and keep track of where they were and how long they had been used in a particular machine. This information was critical to identifying and eliminating bottlenecks and idle time when switching from one tool to the next.
Efficient Tool Tracking with Inpixon’s Industrial IoT Technology
Inpixon’s industrial IoT technology has proven to be a game-changer for this customer in tool tracking. Thanks to the real-time location of larger tools on the live map and the alert function, workers can find tools quickly and efficiently. This has eliminated bottlenecks and idle time when moving from one tool to the next.
Real-Time Alerts for Efficient Production
With the implementation of Inpixon’s industrial IoT technology, our customer was able to receive real-time alerts when a tool leaves its assigned area. The instant notification allowed workers to locate and retrieve the tool quickly, minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity.
Efficient Tool Maintenance and Employee Safety through INTRALYTICS
In any production environment, safety is of utmost importance. Tools need to be serviced periodically to ensure they can be used efficiently and safely. However, tracking and monitoring the usage time of each tool can be challenging.
Thanks to Inpixon’s INTRALYTICS (Zone Report), the customer was able to track the usage time of each tool accurately. This information helped the customer ensure that tools were properly maintained and replaced on time, preventing any downtime that could harm the production process. At the same time, by tracking tool usage, the customer was able to ensure employee safety. The risk of accidents due to using worn-out or damaged tools was significantly reduced.
Optimizing Efficiency and Productivity with INTRALYTICS Zone Report
INTRALYTICS, a zone report offered by Inpixon’s industrial IoT technology, has been a game-changer for this company seeking to increase productivity and efficiency. With this technology, employees can easily measure the amount of time a tool spends in a particular machine, helping to identify and eliminate bottlenecks. By analyzing data provided by INTRALYTICS, companies can take proactive measures to optimize their processes, reduce downtime, and increase productivity. This report has proven to be invaluable in helping companies identify and address areas of inefficiency in their production processes.
Integrating real-time location data into third-party tools for enhanced productivity: How this customer made it happen
While Inpixon’s industrial Real-Time Location System technology provided a solution for the customer’s tool tracking and management needs, the customer wanted to analyze the real-time location data in its own way. Thanks to the flexibility of the INTRANAV.IO platform, the customer was able to integrate the data into their existing system. This allowed the customer to analyze and process the data in the way that worked best for them. The ability to customize the system to fit the customer’s specific needs is a testament to the power of the INTRANAV.IO platform.
The customer implemented Inpixon’s INTRANAV platform and UWB RTLS tags and nodes:
• The AssetTAG Pro has been applied to the large tools and molds.
The AssetTAG Pro is a powerful UWB tracking tag. With superior battery life support for wide temperature ranges, this robust tag is ideal for real-time rack and load carrier tracking applications, mobile robots, production skids, indoor navigation, and more.
• The AssetTAG Micro is designed to be attached to small parts.
It is a lightweight and low-profile ultra-wideband (UWB) tag designed for real-time tracking of the location and movement of small items, such as tools, load carriers, small boxes, etc., in large facilities.
• The RTLS NODE UWB was installed to receive location data from each tag.
The RTLS NODE UWB is an intelligent RTLS anchor with pinpoint precision at the ±40 centimeter level. Designed for harsh industrial environments, these anchors deliver high-accuracy positioning of UWB tracking tags for indoor tracking and yard management.
Results & Benefits
Our customer saw many important results that proved invaluable to their operations:
Increased efficiency
The live map and search function allowed workers to find tools quickly and efficiently, which eliminated search time, as well as bottlenecks and idle time when moving from one tool to the next. The alert function informed them immediately when a tool left the assigned area, preventing bottlenecks and idle time.
Increased safety
By using INTRALYTICS, the customer was able to accurately track and monitor the usage time of each tool to ensure that tools were serviced and replaced promptly to prevent downtime and improve quality assurance in the production process.
Visibility and control
By accurately tracking tool usage and analyzing real-time data, the customer was able to better understand and optimize processes.
Inpixon offers a highly flexible and cost-effective enterprise solution for automotive, aerospace, logistics, or production.
