The first indication that the value of RFID (radio frequency identification) will extend beyond the supply warehouse was shown last week by WhereNet, a provider of wireless location and communications technology.
WhereSoft Vehicle -- a VTMS (vehicle tracking and management system) -- will marry RFID and business rules to automate workflow in an effort to reduce the cost of recalls and recovery, as well as those attributed to redesigns forced by legislative initiatives.
Targeted initially at vehicle processing centers and rental car companies, WhereSoft Vehicle adds context to RFID tracking.
“The context [aspect relies on] business process and business rules that help a company ignore things that are happening the way they are supposed to and alert a manager to an exception that needs to be taken care of,” said Bill McBeath, chief research officer at ChainLink Research.
Together, context and tracking can reduce manufacturing costs by as much as 22 percent, according to Kevin Mixer, research director of automotive and heavy-equipment industries at AMR Research.
For example, cars assembled with parts found to be defective must be stopped before they ship. Until now, containing the fallout of such a discovery was time-consuming and costly, forcing the closure of the auto yard, the search for affected vehicles, and the return of vehicles that had already shipped.
Mixer believes the technology behind WhereNet’s VTMS will prove useful beyond the auto industry, especially in sectors marked by high-volume products with highly complex components.
“VTMS is an opportunity to improve asset utilization, but also reduce issues of quality and reduce warranty and scrap inventory,” Mixer said.
Get the independent advice and expertise you need to support a virtual workforce.
The increase in Linux popularity has increased the frequency and sophistication of malware attacks. Read this 2 page white paper now to learn how you can protect your Linux environment with real-time protection that is certified by all major Linux vendors.
Download now »Ensuring acceptable application delivery will become even more difficult over the next few years. As a result, IT organizations need to ensure that the approach that they take to resolving the current application delivery challenges can scale to support the emerging challenges. This handbook elaborates on the key tasks associated with planning, optimization, management and control and provides decision criteria to help IT organizations choose appropriate solutions.
Download now »A common misconception is that mid-range storage requirements are dramatically different than that of a larger enterprise. Mid-range storage users may require less capacity, but they have similar functionality and management requirements. This ESG paper examines mid-range storage needs and reviews a new solution that adjusts size while retaining value, performance and functionality.
Download now »
