Finding Instead of Searching with the DeepHub
Manufacturing operations have become increasingly complex, making it more important than ever to have a clear and reliable overview of material flow across the entire chain of process. The strategic use of location data gives organizations valuable insights into each stage of production, logistics and supply chain management and provides a wealth of business opportunities, such as inventory management, stock visibility and process optimization.
Find out how Flowcate streamlined Liebherr’s storage operations through the power of the DeepHub.
The Client
Liebherr is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of construction machinery, consisting of over 130 companies organized into 11 divisions including earthmoving, mining, mobile cranes, tower cranes, concrete technology, aerospace and transportation systems, machine tools and automation systems. It has a worldwide workforce over 42,000, with over 11 billion euros in revenue for 2021.
The Challenge
Liebherr was struggling to efficiently locate machine parts and components stored in their distribution centres. Various types of parts were packed in crates and transported to outdoor storage facilities. Once an order was received, workers had to search for the relevant parts in a cumbersome manner and manually verify the correct parts for dispatch. This cumbersome process resulted in significant time-loss, which lead to delays and increased overhead.
The Solution
To tackle Liebherr’s operational inefficiencies, an omlox-based solution was devised by different partners from the omlox ecosystem, where the DeepHub acted as the core of the solution. Forklifts were equipped with special sensor technologies that would identify assets and track the location of assets throughout the facility – enabling seamless indoor and outdoor tracking.
GPS antennas from SICK were used, as they are well-suited to track the location of assets transported throughout the outdoor area of the facility. UWB tags from Trumpf Tracking Technologies were used to track the precise location of forklifts on centimetre level precision throughout the indoor area of the facility. In conjunction, RFID readers were installed to scan the proximity of RFID tags which were placed on specific assets (crates) and associated with relevant asset information.
Essentially, the DeepHub aggregated all location information and enabled the combination of Auto ID technology (RFID scanners) with RTLS technology (UWB & GPS). Through the use of the DeepHub’s mobile zone extension, the RFID scanners were no longer stationary and complemented with real-time location information. Whenever a crate is scanned through RFID, the exact location (indoor & outdoor) is displayed on the DeepHub with the accociated RFID tag information. This enabled Liebherr to easily and efficiently back track the location of crates.
A mobile application was developed by BridgingIT, which provided an asset search feature displaying the location on a mobile map.
The Results
The DeepHub connected the dots between different technologies and omlox partners, powering an effective new solution to automate and streamline the tracking of assets. By harmonizing location data with proximity events, it enabled seamless location data management in real-time.
The DeepHub provided the customer with an innovative, digital solution to track and trace their assets in real-time throughout their facility, significantly reducing operational delays and costs. This future-proof framework provided Liebherr with full interoperability of technologies and vendors and adds endless options for future extensions through the geofencing functionality of the DeepHub.
Facts & Benefits
sqm of improved space utilization
months Time to value
hours saved per forklift per year
» Improved material flow for more energy-efficient operations
» Full asset visibility for reduction in shipment errors
» Non-intrusive IT setup for greater flexibility and security
» Improved traffic flow and higher asset utilization
The Partners
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