ThyssenKrupp Steel uses high-frequency RFID system to track and manage production tools
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Ticket system
ThyssenKrupp Silicon Steel Plant, the ticket system is a division of the steel manufacturer ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe, which produces silicon steel products (such as generators, transformers and motor drives) using pickling, cold rolling and forging processes , So a variety of tools are needed. Seven months ago, the company began using RFID radio frequency identification systems to manage, maintain and inspect these tools.
The company provides specialized production tools for internal employees and external contractors entering the factory. All tools are stored in a fixed place, and staff can borrow them when needed. Until October 2011, the company was still using manual recording to manage these assets. However, this manual recording method had too many shortcomings. Approximately 450 tools are stored in the 150-square-meter storage room, including hand tools, wrenches, lifting chains, measuring instruments and lifting accessories. With the passage of time, the work of recording the ticket system becomes more and more difficult and time-consuming. The company has created a classified list of tools, but some of them overlap. The company said the staff reported that this was too time-consuming. More importantly, potential errors are prone to occur.
The company seeks a solution to this problem, not only can automatically record the loan of tools, but also track the maintenance and recovery of each tool. In response to this need, Centiveo has designed an “Ausleihbox” (borrow and return box) solution with a built-in RFID reader.
Centiveo’s business development manager Andre Hannich said that the deployment step of the system is that the steel company affixes all tools with D6.7-Tagspecial 2-kilobit 13.56MHz HF (high frequency) radio frequency identification tags provided by Microsensys. The label conforms to the ISO 15693 standard; at the door, the company will install a “return box” as the entrance and exit of the tool. This device includes the PENmini radio frequency identification reader from Microsensys. In addition, the staff will be equipped with a B-Id KF23 key chain, which has embedded a 13.56Mz high-frequency radio frequency identification chip.
When the worker borrows or returns the tool, he only needs to put the high-frequency radio frequency identification key chain into the reading range of the reader, the ticket system and then press an Ausleihe (borrow) or Rückgabe (return) button, which uses the same ID in both cases. All the information in the process of borrowing and returning will be recorded through the Centiveo Werkzeugausgabe software system, the relevant information will be displayed on the screen, and the parameters in the software system are adjustable.
At present, the company is considering applying the system to asset management in other branches of the company and extending it to other factories in order to take advantage of the special functions of RFID technology. The solution provider is Centiveo, a division of Siemens.
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