This use-case of a prominent Australian automotive company using advanced IoT-based technologies.

The Challenge: Advanced Logistics

The lack of visibility can create several challenges for logistics companies, including:

Delayed decision-making: Without accurate and timely information about shipments and inventory levels, logistics managers may struggle to make informed decisions. This can result in delayed responses to supply chain disruptions, leading to longer lead times, missed delivery dates, and dissatisfied customers.

Inefficient operations: Lack of visibility can lead to inefficiencies in logistics operations. This can result in higher transportation costs, longer lead times, and reduced customer satisfaction.

Existing system: 

A barcode scanning process was once the only option to record every detail, it was not just time consuming; it was also a manual process and a potential source for human error.

Every process step in the chain must be reported and every wrong or missing activity record – leads to delays in the process flow.

In this case – the process includes manually scanning the ID of the staff member, then the asset at the beginning and the end of each job.

With scores of jobs complete per day, the compounding issue of time spent and record keeping errors were evident.

RTLS Solution

We have found the automotive industry to call for the most advanced hybrid Asset Tags which use a combination of GPS / Wifi and Bluetooth to accurately gather location data from assets which travel through indoor and outdoor spaces and across the country.

In supply chain management, RTLS can track the location of shipments, monitor logistics, provide real-time data on the status of deliveries and stock ready to be picked up, which can help optimize the supply chain to reduce delays and overhead costs.

Asset Tags comprising of multiple IoT-based technologies are increasingly being used in specialised RTLS systems. Primarily due to the fact that these technologies are becoming more affordable and more widely available, making advanced RTLS more accessible. By using mixed IoT-based technologies and merging the data on a cloud platform, manufacturers can create a connected ecosystem, enabling real-time data sharing for internal teams and third parties to gain better insights into their operations.

In this solution the system serves to police third party SLA’s and notify internal teams about incoming stillages which are due to be packed and re-circulated with maximum efficiency.

Take away

The system successfully provides visibility and helps to police;

• The freight company to meet and manage national delivery SLA

• Recipients to prepare for inbound delivery and quickly unpack stillages 

• Internal teams to prepare for stillage re-packing and co-ordinate with dispatch

• Dispatch team to book and arrange consignment

The RTLS system detects and records each action whilst auditing performance against business rules and notifying teams down the line of new information.

This drastically relieves the heads of each department, as the system can provide timely information about what they need to know, when they need to know it.