Improving workflows with data analytics
Digital twin in manufacturing; production inventory tracking. In an earlier post, we had written about using indoor positioning systems deployed on a large-scale mesh network that can handle thousands of sensor tags spawning across large factories and warehouses for inventory, asset, and worker safety tracking. These solutions bring an accuracy of 5 meters and are completely battery-operated, giving ease of deployment, installation, and maintenance.
A relatively low accuracy system can be deployed in factories and warehouses using a series of low cost, low powered anchor devices that can be fitted at regular intervals of 10 meters to give near to real-time information on the location and movement of inventory in warehouses and factories.
Real-time production inventory tracking
During a pre-sale visit to an electronics component manufacturing unit in Indonesia that used Injection Moulding Machines, there was a need to track the smart pallets that carried gold-plated connectors. The production manager wanted a practical solution and we proposed a solution comprising Bluetooth low energy deployment, which locates the high-value components and provides zone-based information on the location of the pallets. The factory has 37 IM machines spread over three buildings and it was easy to deploy the wireless sensor-based solution to enable inventory tracking in a production environment.
Digital twin in manufacturing improves asset management
The position of the pallet can be linked to each of the production machines by affixing Bluetooth low energy beacons. Using production inventory tracking solutions, it is possible to tap information from the IM machines using a three-wire input. This data can be pushed onto a shop floor dashboard to help in understanding the matrices required for Overall Equipment Efficiency. Current monitoring, abnormal vibrations, ground leakage, overheating, and other parameters can be detected early to prevent loss in production time due to unscheduled maintenance works and breakdowns. The same infrastructure can also be used for attendance monitoring in factories.
Call us to know more about digital twin in manufacturing, and product inventory management, quality control solutions for small factories in Africa, Asia Pacific, and the Americas.