ECOSIT® RFID Bin

From 100 to 0 and back to 120. We're not talking about the acceleration and deceleration of a car here, but rather production capacity utilisation trends at many companies over the past two years. Fluctuations in demand have never been as vast and as unpredictable as they are today. This has a huge effect on the security of supply - including for C-parts.

Today it is more important than ever to have a supply system which secures the supply when the output and procurement volume are highly volatile. Böllhoff has managed to cleverly and advantageously integrate the RFID technology into customers' existing supply chains.

RFID is currently used in all automatic detection and monitoring systems. In the private sector, vehicle immobilisers, ski lift passes and anti-theft devices in retail are the best-known applications.
Up until now, however, it has been difficult to use RFID technology for metal products, as these can interfere with the radio waves. That is why RFID systems were more or less unheard of in supply systems for C-parts. Until now, there have been no established systems for widespread use in the market.

At present, barcodes are usually placed on the containers in which the companies store their parts. When required, the barcodes are manually scanned with scanners and the data is sent to the supplier in subsequent steps. The goods are then picked and delivered. The data is recorded and transmitted at set intervals. Unfortunately this means that another container could run done soon after all the empty containers have been scanned.

Böllhoff is one of the first companies in the industry to apply state-of-the-art RFID technology to C-part procurement. The result: deliveries can now be made much more quickly and with greater flexibility. This saves time, keeps costs down and reduces the risk of supply bottlenecks.

The system is simple and reliable, because all the relevant data is saved on the RFID tags of the container labels to ensure prompt delivery. As soon as a container becomes empty, it is placed in a collecting bin positioned beside the rack. The data is automatically read off the RFID tags and transmitted to Böllhoff's ERP system. This process takes just a few seconds and requires no manual intervention, which means that deliveries can be made much faster and with much greater flexibility than in the past.

One particular advantage of the process is that the existing rack systems and workflows can be retained.
Furthermore, it involves no extra work for the customer's staff. It is simply a matter of replacing the old barcode labels with RFID labels. One or more collection boxes for the empty containers and an RFID scanner complete this new, innovative supply system solution. As the collection box only holds plastic containers, there is no interference with the radio signals, thus ensuring the reliability of the RFID Bin system. This technology can be easily integrated into the existing infrastructure and can be started up within a few minutes.

Böllhoff customers receive online access to their ECOSIT® system and can view current system information and the data archive history at any time. This ensures 100% transparency. Moreover, the system also includes online queries and evaluations, a download function, global availability and data security with 128 bit encryption.

All in all, companies with ECOSIT® RFID Bin can enjoy considerable cost benefits thanks to short lead times and consumption-based delivery schedules whilst reducing administration.
At the same time, this innovative system underlines Böllhoff's own commitment to consistent customer orientation by optimising processes, reducing costs and reinforcing competitive positions.