Do MRP and ERP Systems Really Perform Real-Time Tracking?

Savvy manufacturers have been using MRP, MRP II, and ERP systems for years to improve their operations due to these systems' ability to help companies:

1. acquire on-line information throughout all functional areas of an organization
2. achieve full data integration across the enterprise
3. increase overall operational efficiency
4. analyze acquired data and apply result to long-term planning efforts

Many of these systems claim to offer the advantage of providing "real-time" data about the actual status of operations occurring on the manufacturing floor at any given moment. However, the majority of these systems actually rely upon manual data entry to input the needed data into the system. Manual data entry includes inputting data via keyboards and via handheld bar-code scanners.

What are the Disadvantages of Manual Data Entry?

While manual data entry remains a useful method for inputting data in many manufacturing situations, companies who rely on this method experience a number of disadvantages, including the facts that:

1. Manual data entry is error-prone: even the best workers rarely maintain the vigilance and consistency required to achieve 100% data accuracy for significant periods of time
2. There is often a long time delay or lag time between the occurrence of factory status changes and the actual inputting of data by a worker that reflects those changes
3. Relying on manual data entry methods means that enterprises are unable to accurately and instantaneously track the activity of machines, devices, and personnel because it is nearly impossible to acquire accurate data about them manually (e.g., through direct observation and manual data entry) in a cost-effective manner

What is Real-Time Tracking?

Many manufacturing and distribution companies have surpassed the limitations of manual data entry in order to achieve true real-time tracking of manufacturing processes, inventory, WIP items, capital assets, and personnel. With real-time tracking, data is fed instantaneously from machines, assets, and personnel into intelligent software systems that track, record, analyze, and notify the data based upon user-defined business rules.

For the past decade, Orbit Technology Corporation has specialized in the creation of real-time tracking solutions. While none of Orbit's products are ERP systems, all data acquired by Orbit's products can be exported to ERP systems or other software products such as accounting or statistical packages. Most often, however, our customers use our products as stand-alone, self-sufficient "efficency centers" that boost productivity, efficiency, and profits by increasing management's real-time knowledge of their operations.

Orbit's Suite of Real-Time Tracking Solutions

Virtual Factory™

Our flagship product, Virtual Factory™, offers a full range real-time tracking, data analysis, and user notification features. Virtual Factory™ acquires data in three major ways, including from:

1. PLCs and digital I/O devices, which are in turn connected to the power supplies or switches associated with almost any machine, device, light, switch, etc.
2. other software products that leverage Orbit's custom-built SOAP interface; this interface allows Virtual Factory™ to receive data such as machine state changes (e.g., going from "running" to "stand-by") acquired from DNC software programs.
3. RFID systems that use wireless technology to track assets, processes, and
personnel

Each time Virtual Factory™ receives new data, the software analyzes it to see whether the data meets certain user-defined conditions (e.g., "Press #14 is on," etc.). When these conditions are met, the software fires an event. These events are immediately recorded for further analysis, including the date, time and duration of the event firing. In addition, Virtual Factory™ immediately notifies specified personnel of the event via mobile phone, pager, e-mail, signal tower, or other methods. Virtual Factory™ has full video capabilities, including the ability to e-mail video or still-image files to key personnel when events are fired. All Virtual Factory™ functionality is available via the Internet.

Virtual Factory™ can also: automatically calculate machine usage costs, present lot and task data in Gantt or histogram form, provide real-time updates via an online status panel, activate signal towers and chimes, export data to ERP, accounting, and other software systems.

Signal Manager

Signal Manager is a software solution designed to enhance the power of traditional signal tower systems. By detecting signal tower lamp or chime state changes (i.e., from "off" to "on,"), Signal Manager can intelligently log these changes and notify users. For example, with a tradition signal tower system, if a worker at "Laser Cutting Machine #3" flips a switch to indicate "Materials Out," the yellow lamp on the attached signal tower would instantly
illuminate to notify nearby personnel. With the addition of Signal Manager, however, in addition to the lamp becoming illuminated, the materials manager could be also notified
instantaneously via text message to her pager, informing her of the outage and allowing her to respond to the outage immediately. Later, the company's JIT project specialist could analyze the "Materials Out" signal data history for all machines on the production line in order to make process adjustments aimed at tightening material flow in compliance with lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other process-improvement initiatives.

In short, Signal Manager adds valuable intelligence to traditional signal tower hardware systems by greatly extending their reach in both the temporal (e.g., data logging, reports, graphs) and spatial (e.g.., user notification of critical events via cell phone or pager, access to all software configuration and event data via Internet, etc.) dimensions.
 

RealTRAK™

RealTRAK™ is a software product that brings real-time tracking of assets, inventory, and WIP items to a new level of efficiency and effectiveness.
It gives companies the opportunity to get a head start on their competition by tapping into the powerful wireless tracking technologies available on the market today, including RFID and Wi-Fi-based tracking systems that are quickly becoming must-have items at companies across the U.S, Europe, and elsewhere.

RealTRAK™ allows companies to track nearly any tagged item, including personnel, inventory, raw materials, finished goods, WIP items, equipment, trucks forklifts, and more. Orbit's RealTRAK™ software can be coupled with nearly any third-party tracking system, meaning that our customers can take their pick from the full range of available RFID and Wi-Fi technologies, including: LF, HF, UHF, UWB, and 2.4 GHz-based system. Unlike companies who sell only RFID software or one type of hardware technology -- or who limit themselves to system integration and installation -- Orbit can provide complete, turn-key
solutions to our client companies by helping them select the right technology for them based upon a careful analysis of their tracking needs. RealTRAK™ is also available as a stand-alone system for use with existing RFID hardware hardware systems that lack the intelligent data handling capabilies of RealTRAK™ .