Real-time Goods Tracking in Industrial Truck Manufacturing
Toyota Material Handling is a subsidiary of the Toyota Industries Corporation and specializes in the production of industrial trucks. These include, for example, pallet trucks, forklifts, tractors or tow tractors. At the factory in Columbus, Indiana in the USA, 180 industrial trucks are manufactured every day.
The company wanted to implement a real-time tracking solution to reliably monitor products in the factory and track their movements. A smooth flow of goods is needed to meet production quotas and customer requirements.
Process Requirements
The production of material handling equipment involves the processing of high-density steel by means of various processes: Pressing, drilling, laser cutting and resistance spot welding. These take place simultaneously along various assembly lines and manufacturing stations. This generates a high level of noise that can interfere with UWB signals.
The solution had to be able to withstand the harsh environmental conditions of the factory as well as be integrated into the factory's existing systems. Disruptions and delays in the production flow had to be detected and corrected in a matter of seconds.
Objectives of Toyota Material Handling
- Complete production overview in real time
- Fast detection and elimination of faults
- Meeting production quotas
The Toyota Material Handling Solution
The company opted for a solution consisting of UWB and RFID. Over 400 UWB tags were applied to forklifts in the factory and 60 RFID sensors were integrated at selected points on the factory floor. The tags and sensors were adapted to the harsh environmental conditions.
Existing APIs were used to install the MotionWorks Enterprise infrastructure, where product orders and goods locations are viewed. Products and components transported on forklifts generate a movement and location history that is read by employees using a handheld device if the movement deviates from the scheduled route. The reason for the deviation can be identified and rectified, while enabling proactive measures to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of such incidents.
Technology Partner
Hardware & Software
- Zebra Technologies - MotionWorks Enterprise
- Zebra Technologies - UWB Tags
- Zebra Technologies - RFID Sensors
Advantages
- Disruptions and delays in production are prevented
- A real-time overview of components is obtained
- Time is saved in rectifying faults
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