Application Case Study: Validating Production Line Materials

CLIENT PROFILE AND ISSUE

A global manufacturer specializing in natural ingredients and recipes contacted CDO Technologies requesting help with their initiative to track their raw materials and validate the use of the right production line. With multiple production lines for different recipes, they faced a challenge in validating the raw material type and batch number. The manufacturer’s fast-paced facilities also encountered inaccurate inventory counts on their shelves, and they were looking for help tracking their assets.

DISCOVERY PROCESS

The CDO team sought to understand the pacing, environment, and workflow at the client’s facilities. A single type of raw material was placed on a pallet and identified with a barcode label. With hundreds of raw materials that could have multiple batch numbers, they were scanning each raw material bag/box individually to validate it was correct for the recipe that was running on that production line. The limitations of the global manufacturer’s current barcode system left their process open to delays and human errors, and CDO helped identify how to eliminate those issues.

SOLUTION

CDO recommended implementing the Critical Asset Tracking Solution (CATS) software and using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to identify their materials. This technology would solve both challenges the global manufacturer is facing. When they need information about what raw material was on each production line, employees could use an RFID handheld reader to quickly inventory the area. The reader picks up signals from all tags on the production line to quickly locate the material type and batch number, notifying of any incorrect materials on that line. They can also use RFID to record, track, and find the inventory on their shelves, and identify any inaccuracies needing corrected.

RESULTS

By using the RFID tags and the CATS solution, the global manufacturer will improve inventory accuracy by auto-filling the materials used in each recipe, saving time, and eliminating human error from the process. With an RFID system, it would no longer be necessary to hand scan every box or disassemble a pallet due to a misplaced barcode, thus reducing their incidence of loss. The CDO solution provides greater visibility to assets in real time, dramatically reducing search time for misplaced inventory. Better ability to track inventory leads to significantly enhanced workflow, reduced production time, and ultimately cost savings.

If you have questions or would like to further discuss your unique asset tracking challenges, please schedule an appointment.