MacDonald Humfrey, a long established company in process automation has joined forces with leading tracking system vendor, Ubisense in the development of MachSense, targeted at Manufacturing and Logistics organisations.
Real Time Locating System (RTLS) is using simple, inexpensive tags, attached to or embedded in objects and devices (readers) that receive the wireless signals from these tags to determine their locations. RTLS typically refers to systems that provide automatic collection of location information. A precise real-time location system can be used for a variety of imaginative and innovative applications.
In a car manufacturing facility, different variants of a model are often produced sequentially as they are ordered. Each individual car moving along a production line therefore may require a different work order at each assembly point. Traditionally, the specific car had to be identified by the worker at the assembly point either by entering data into a terminal or scanning a barcode. If an error occurs during this identification process, the wrong work order will be loaded and a manufacturing defect created which has to be detected during quality assurance and corrected during the finishing phase at some expense.
If Ubisense tags are fixed to the vehicles and the tool used by the worker, then the Ubisense system can detect and identify the car as the worker approaches it with the tool and initiate the loading of the correct work order without any manual intervention or risk of error by the worker.
The new integrated system combines Ubisense's RTLS with the key systems for a lean manufacturing environment, including Kanban, Pick-to-Light, and error-proofing, as well as FLT tracking for supply chain and line-side replenishment.
"During the last twenty years of using different forms of identification and location technology in the Automotive field we have been looking for a technology that will work reliably and precisely in the challenging environments of our customers. Finally we have found that technology in Ubisense precise RTLS", says Mick MacDonald, CEO of MacDonald Humfrey. "Those customers using the Ubisense Solution are achieving rapid ROI and unprecedented quality improvements, making the product unique in the manufacturing process applications that these customers demand."
Simon Holloway, independent manufacturing analyst, says "Integration of Real-time Location Systems with Manufacturing Execution Systems has been talked about by many vendors but delivery of reliable location and identification has not been possible in the past. The number of installations of the Ubisense RTLS is testament to the system's performance in mission critical applications."
Ubisense has a nice flash based video, published on the company website, to illustrate the process to track vechicles in manufacturing environment. The URL of the video is at http://www.ubisense.net/media/Flash/Ubisense%20cars.swf
Based in UK, Ubisense is the market leading vendor of precise RTLS (Real-time Location Systems) based on Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology. The company delivers complete solutions based on a highly scalable and reliable real-time location platform that is being deployed in mission critical applications around the world www.ubisense.net
The growth of MacDonald Humfrey (Automation) Limited has given rise to a wealth of experience and talent in the field of technical automation and control technology.
With an extensive portfolio of blue chip companies employing their designs and innovations they are proud of their success in achieving optimum solutions which are mindful of the current and future needs of their clients while anticipating future technical and economic developments within the industries they serve. Clients include Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, GM and Ford.
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