Work processes are often not or only insufficiently digitized, especially in SMEs.
Manual scanning and recording of goods by employees, e.g. in goods receipt and goods issue, represent a digitalization gap. Even with error-free recording, the manual process often results in a time delay in the digital process mapping until the employee actually carries out the recording and forwards the information. These processes are also time-consuming and prone to errors, as incorrect identifiers can be read or some can be omitted. The resulting follow-up costs typically exceed the value of individual goods and are associated with a large logistical effort.
SMEs are therefore faced with the challenge of ensuring a high level of service in the face of low margins in order to increase customer loyalty and minimize costs at the same time. In production and logistics, the identification of objects must be linked to a location or process step. This is often done by error-prone manual activities such as scanning barcode labels.
Automated warehousing systems are currently expensive and inflexible. However, manual processes in logistics and production are also cost-intensive.Various radio location systems exist on the market and in research.Technologies such as UWB use RTLS to locate active objects with a signal source and energy supply (e.g. the Agilion system).Locating approaches based on magnetic fields or using RFID transponders are not widespread.
The InOrt project aims to develop a cost-effective, magnetic field-based system for the automatic
detection of objects, KLTs and other load carriers with RFID identification (see diagram). The project aims to develop an overall system for monitoring container-based material flows on the basis of low-frequency localization. The system should make it possible to determine the position, removal and loading of containers on shelves by locating passive transponders. Numerous industrial applications can be implemented on the basis of the technology, e.g. E-Kanban and consumption-based optimization of container positions according to ABC or RSU. The solution automatically compares and validates the number and position of the detected objects as well as the read identifiers directly with digitally stored backend information. This enables the seamless recording of process steps and material flows that were previously only reported manually at a later date. Warnings to employees can also be used to initiate measures directly. The system also enables material flow visualization in the event of chaotic storage of goods. Status mapping takes place independently of the manually performed work processes.
The project 011F23109N of the Forschungsvereinigung Bundesvereinigung Logistik (BVL) e.V. is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action via the DLR Project Management Agency within the framework of the program for the promotion of joint industrial research (IGF) on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag.