Case Study : Pepperl & Fuchs
Problem:
Factory automation plants relied on an inefficient system for testing new automobiles.
Benefit:
Automobiles can now be tracked on the factory floor from one central location.
Pepperl & Fuchs has been providing a complete line of automation solutions for the Factory and Process Industries for the past 50 years. Their factory automation division manufactures products to meet the demands of modern automotive manufacturing systems, including the need for higher speeds, timing rates, and tracking, as well as increased accuracy and dependability.
Until about a year and a half ago, factory automation plants relied on an inefficient system for testing new autos as they traveled down the assembly line. Previously, as automobiles entered each test station, the staff was required to manually print out the vehicles identification sheet and then scan the bar code off of the sheet to run the test. This process created a significant time lag and no real opportunity for tracking vehicles, which is critical to meeting delivery schedules. Pepperl & Fuchs needed a solution that simplified the automobile's test process and allowed for every vehicle to be tracked from one central location.
Pepperl & Fuchs' solution was to create a long-range identification system called Ident-M System T. The solution provided that a vehicle identification tag would be made available on each vehicle. The test stations could then initiate tests automatically by a remote reading device that scans the vehicle's tag. By integrating the Lantronix ETS line of multiport device servers, the information collected from the vehicle's tag could then be sent to a terminal server enabling the data to connect to the factory's network.
Benefiting such customers as BMW, this solution provided the capability to track automobiles on the factory floor from one central location, helping them to ensure scheduled delivery times are met. The network connectivity also gives managers the capability to remotely inspect the progress of any vehicle from a remote location.
"We've been very pleased with the Lantronix solution," said Helge Hornis, Program Manager for Pepperl & Fuchs. "Their customer service has been very helpful, providing us with a tremendous amount of support."
Contact Info:
Kristine Fowler
949-450-7240
kristine.fowler@lantronix.com
