About
In manufacturing, production processes involve the handling of different resources and assets. For optimal process flow, accurate state of material usage and process progress, scanners are used to measure the state of production. This data can be used to adapt, stop or continue processes, divert resources and alert personnel if something is not right. Scanning barcodes is a clever way to identify any type of object.
Challenge
Indeed, barcodes are simple and cheap and eventually became the de-facto standard for the early age of digitalization: barcode labels, provided by specialized printers, were attached to objects and to be read later by barcode scanners.
Manufacturing processes include steps where manual handling of material and machines are very often the case than the exception. For example, a worker scans material before feeding a machine or transporting goods to a different location within the production line providing data to a central control application. Production management software uses this to update their data-driven production control.
In industry 4.0, machines talk to machines, providing data with more than just a simple ID. Therefore, the process flow must be without gaps. In case the scan was forgotten or a wrong barcode was scanned, the process will break.
To error is human, and there is no way around it. So it will happen, except you avoid manual scanning at all.
Solution
Successful companies design their processes fail-proof. Asset Agent addresses this challenge by identifying all assets automatically. There is no need for manual interference. Hence, there is no chance for error.
As all material containers are equipped with a tag that signals an ID and other data over RFID, digital twins are created and enable the Manufacturing Process Software to monitor the flow of material containers. Additionally, Asset Agent informs the worker which container to collect by the "pick by light" functionality, so only the correct material is being fed into the production machine, avoiding errors at all.
As a result, waste is avoided, and productivity is increased.
