Opossumnet, system integrator in the field of logistics and industrial automation, and CAEN RFID, leading provider of electronic instrumentation for radio frequency identification, have joined forces to devise a fully automated system based on the UHF RFID technology to guarantee control of all handling operations at the logistics centres of Automotive Group.
Automotive Group needed a system capable of tracking handling operations and of organising vehicle maintenance (cars and vans) at their logistics centres, where every year more than 35,000 new and long-term vehicles are dealt with and over 500,000 vehicles are serviced.
To achieve this target, Opossumnet has provided the entire fleet of Automotive Group with a sticker equipped with a UHF radio frequency device. This TAG enables the univocal identification of every single vehicle by means of a series of data recorded at the moment of access and exit as well as a worksheet with information on service and fitting carried out or to be scheduled for that vehicle. All vehicles available can therefore be tracked at every moment; they can also be given a priority code based on their type.
By means of bidirectional portals using CAEN RFID technology located at all gates and at the main site facilities, the staff can monitor the following activities: access of vehicles, both on car trucks and circulating, a virtual inventory of the just-in-time logistics centre based on existing, purpose-integrated Automotive Group systems; exit of vehicles, both on car trucks and circulating, to check consistency with transport documents and update the virtual inventory; information on work done on every single vehicle during its stay at the logistics centre, recorded by the existing, purpose-integrated system and therefore readily available.
Opossumnet is involved in the technological development of stickers, which have to resist temperatures ranging from -40? to +40?C, filter UV radiation and withstand the "attacks" of children and pets. Opossumnet has also developed a design aimed at minimising the visual impact of stickers.
"The system devised by Opossumnet using the CAEN RFID technology has enabled us to optimise operations at site gates, by reducing to a minimum the time required to inform all those concerned of any work performed on vehicles. Logistics centres where this system has been installed have seen a 30% decrease in vehicles entry times as well as an 80% reduction in faults connected with vehicles access" declared Matteo Marzotto, Sales and Information Technology Manager of Automotive Group.
Alfredo Peretti, President and Managing Director of Opossumnet, declared: "We are extremely satisfied with our solution, because in only 5 weeks we have been able to implement a system which enables full control over vehicle availability at the logistics centre, total traceability of activities performed on vehicles (both in terms of time and of materials used), complete supervision of cars entering and exiting the site and a remarkable reduction in the use of paper".
"This project", declared Giovanni Riganti, Marketing Manager of CAEN RFID, "contains all winning elements of an RFID solution. The technological innovation will of Gruppo Automotive, together with the excellent integration skills of Opossumnet and the high performances of CAEN RFID modules, made possible the implementation of an UHF gate for the vehicles identification which represents an advanced solution for the Italian and European market thanks to its feature of being an effective deployment. Moreover the use of a low cost tag on the vehicle (an adhesive label properly modified) allows to easily extend the use of these UHF gates to manage the city traffic restricted zones, public vehicles parking, and access to public or private buildings".
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