Government Agency Improves Warehouse Management With RFID
A government agency has installed a real-time location system (RTLS) at its distribution center to better manage assets. Passive UHF RFID transponders are being used to track the movements of pallets, boxes and bags through loading dock doors and into the backs of trucks. The system records when an item is shipped, and also issues alerts if boxes or bags are being loaded onto the wrong truck, or if an item falls off a conveyor and is at risk of being misplaced. When an order is placed, warehouse workers use an electronic pick list and load boxes destined for the ordering customer. In this session, hear how the system facilitates greater visibility within the agency's warehouses.

Takeaways:

• How RFID has improved the efficiency of the company's overall warehouse management, while also reducing loading problems
• Future uses of the system in the entire warehouse, and with the tagging of all items

Freight Company Uses Trailer-Tracking System to Yield Greater Security
A shipping and transportation company has begun using an RFID system integrated with GPS and cellular technology to track the location and status of its trailers throughout North America. The new system provides the firm with visibility into the locations of the trailers and the cargo they contain, and also offers status alerts in the event that a trailer is opened while in transit. With the new system, the company receives greater location data regarding each of its trailers as they are being transported by its own tractors and drivers, as well as by third-party transportation providers. Hear how the system delivers greater security for the trailers' freight—typically, consumer goods and just-in-time raw materials and components.

Takeaways:

• How to increase the utility of trailers, ensuring that empty trailers are moved to the locations at which they will be needed
• How to integrate RFID with GPS and cellular technology to ensure containers have not been tampered with

Improving Offshore Logistics With RFID
A leading supplier of support services to the offshore oil and gas industries is implementing an integrated technology solution to locate and monitor containers at its offshore marine bases in St. John's, Newfoundland, and Labrador, Canada. The solution supports offshore logistical operations, providing complete supply chain visibility, and resulting in reduced costs. In this session, learn how the solution allows the firm to locate containers, as well as the high-value assets contained within, in real time—while also delivering cost savings.

Takeaways:

• Using RFID to ensure that all containers are certified before they are sent offshore
• How to create an RFID system that can withstand the harsh environment of the Canadian offshore, and deliver real-time data and visibility

Logistics Company Uses RFID to Reduce Labor Hours and Improve Accuracy
One of Asia's largest logistics providers has replaced a paper-based and bar-coding solution at its Singapore facility with RFID, eliminating human error and improving accuracy. The company uses the RFID system to track goods received, stored and shipped from the Singapore facility, and to obtain an accurate view into the locations of their products via Internet-based software. The company ships and stores its customers' products in a number of countries, including Thailand, Korea, China and Australia. Learn how the firm is reducing labor hours by phasing out manual methods of tracking shipments, gaining visibility and sharing that visibility with its customers.

Takeaways:

• Using RFID to eliminate the need for manually writing serial number or scanning bar codes
• How the technology saves approximately six minutes of scanning time per pallet, resulting in a total of 625 man-days

RFID Improves Management of Spare Parts Inventory at Nuclear Power Plant
A nuclear power plant has attached EPC Gen 2 tags to 70,000 reactor parts at its warehouse, in order to document their locations and maintenance status in case they are required. The system enables the facility to know exactly where the plant's back-up parts and equipment are, and has reduced the time employees spend taking inventory of its entire warehouse from 2,000 labor hours down to just 300. What's more, the solution has decreased the time workers spend searching for missing items from several days to only a few minutes.

Takeaways:

• How to design a system that can manage a large number of spare parts
• How to create a solution that can identify and warn of irregularities, such as an item being moved from its assigned shelf

Manufacturer Reduces Costs With Wireless Vehicle-Management System
A global manufacturer is using a wireless vehicle-management system on a fleet of industrial trucks at a production and distribution facility in Germany. The system has enabled the firm to gain a competitive edge in its material-handling operations, by identifying opportunities to reduce costs and improve operations. In this session, learn how the company is reducing fleet maintenance expenses by automatically uploading vehicle data, reporting vehicle problems electronically, scheduling maintenance according to actual vehicle usage, rather than by calendar or manual data entry, and helping determine the optimal economic time to replace equipment.

Takeaways:

• Configuring a system so that employees can use existing identification badges
• Improving supply chain productivity by establishing accountability for equipment usage