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TECHNOLOGY
Roline Uses RFID to Cut Costs and Save Time
Ferm RFID Solutions and Roline come together to manage tyre retreading logistics. To the left is Jos Uijlenbroek (co-owner Ferm RFID Solutions) . In the middle Hans Jörg Project Manager Roline to the right Marc Flederus (co-owner)
Dutch company Ferm RFID Solutions has announced that it has implemented an innovative RFID tag solution for Dutch retreader Roline based on labels specially designed for new truck and bus tyres and patches which are integrated during the retreading process.
The solution came about because Roline, who retread 500 tyres per week, needed to be able to identify and keep track of every tyre. It also needed to be able to record which customer a tyre belongs to, how many times it has been retreaded previously (customer service level agreements demand that tyres are retreaded a maximum of three times) and where it is located in the process. Until recently, Roline used barcodes on the outside of its tyres to identify and keep track of them. This was unsatisfactory, however, as barcodes could only be read if they were facing outward on the tyre,
making it necessary to move the tyre to scan the barcode. Very often a barcode gets dirty and therefore unreadable.
Roline needed a system that would enable it to count warehouse stock quickly and accurately, comparing it to the information in its ERP system, based on Microsoft Dynamics-Nav. The company’s customers also needed to be able to check the tyres on their fleets more quickly.
In order to solve the problem, Roline selected Motorola partner Ferm RFID Solutions to install a solution based on RFID tags and Motorola handheld scanners. Each RFID tag contains basic identifying information, including the date of the retread.
The tag is inserted into the tyre just before vulcanization, making sure that it is safely embedded and cannot be removed or damaged. Every single tyre can now be traced
and identified. Each tyre is scanned with a
Motorola MC3190Z RFID scanner, and when the process is complete, the employee puts the scanner in a cradle that connects to the computer, enabling it to transfer data to the ERP system.
The ergonomically-designed Motorola scanners are lightweight, easy-to-use and have a convenient gun-style grip. They have very fast read rates, making it possible to scan the entire contents of a warehouse in a matter of minutes. Because the identity data on the
RFID tag on each tyre is linked to a record in Dynamics-Nav, it is possible to find out key information about each tyre: how old it is, how many times it has been retreaded and whether it conforms to European standards. According to Ferm RFID Solutions, the solution has improved efficiency and productivity for both Roline and its customers. To carry out an inventory of stock, Roline employees can now scan every tyre in the warehouse, confident that the result is accurate. Stock records are now always up-to-date. The