Lean Methods & Asset Tracking Lean concepts and principles have the potential to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and increase profits. How can you achieve these potential benefits by better managing your assets and materials? Track em Get Absolute Control
What it means to be lean The word lean has more or less the same connotation irrespective of how it is used. Lean meat, lean production, lean construction, lean thinking, lean methods and all other uses of the wordessentiallysuggestthesamething;removal of unnecessary elements in order to highlight the core value-based offering (as viewed by the consumer). These days, lean methods and principles are quite popular in all walks of life, primarily due to the holistic benefits they provide.
Lean Methods, What does it involve? Lean methods indicate streamlining of processes in order to eliminate wastage. Lean methods have been prevalently used in the manufacturing industry where the leading sources of wastage stem from overproduction, waiting, transportation, non-value added processing, unnecessary motion, excess inventory, and defects. Lean principles aim to eliminate waste through consistent improvement and advancement of the production processes. Contrary to popular belief, lean methods and principles are not a one-time investment; rather, it is a continuous process, streamlining operations to provide higher value for the end consumer or business owner. If you review the production statistics of different manufacturers, you can clearly see how lean methods have helped in keeping prices low while providing high value to consumers. It is particularly evident in the automobile manufacturing industry. In fact, Toyota is credited with pioneering the concept of lean production in the first place!
Can Asset Tracking Help? It definitely does! Asset tracking enables companies to eliminate several sources of wastage in one go. It resolves the problem of managing excess inventory, in turn resolving issues pertaining to over-production and waiting. Asset tracking is increasingly becoming an essential part of the lean philosophy. Asset tracking involves tracing the movement of physical assets across the value chain and the distribution channel, ensuring timely delivery to end consumers. This can be done via barcode or RFID systems. However, both technologies require specific infrastructure in order to function appropriately. Nevertheless, an investment in asset tracking infrastructure will continue to yield operational efficiencies for several years.
Reported Benefits of Asset Tracking Inventory Accuracy Access to fast & accurate information Greater supply chain visibility Theft protection Increased efficiency Lower machinery and labour down-time Reduced operating costs
Barcode Or RFID? When it comes to asset tracking, both barcode and RFID deliver improved results. However, RFID systems are known to be more efficient, requiring minimal human involvement, if any. RFID tags can be attached to any asset. RFID readers are capable of reading multiple (up to 1000) tags at a time. So while you need a human to scan barcodes one-by-one, RFID systems makes the process efficient and seamless. Barcode can be your ultimate solution however if you just want to track an item. If data collections and information management aren t a big part of your process then barcoding may be the most cost-effective and simple solution to implement. Benefits of Barcode Fast access to information. Accurate reading of information Automation of data collection and inventory management. Low cost. Easy setup and use. Benefits of RFID Greater scanning range. Does not require line of sight scanning. Has read and write capability. Tags come in a variety of sizes. Durable enough for the harshest conditions. More data storage. Faster scanning.
Lean Methods and Asset Tracking The lean philosophy is revolutionizing industries, enabling companies as well as consumers to channel efforts towards an exclusive value proposition. The adoption of lean principles for management of assets can save significantly across multiple facets of the businesses operations- production, transporting, idle-time, processing and inventory to name a few. Asset tracking is fast becoming an essential part of the lean philosophy, enabling companies to address inefficiencies and non-value added processing in a better way. On the same note, RFID technology is expected to become huge with respect to asset tracking and lean methods. Continued improvements in tracking technology and the development of advanced data capturing and management systems are enabling organisations to achieve greater cost savings and benefits. The concept of lean thinking and the optimisation of work processes are no longer optional activities for business. These changes are becoming a necessity to remain competitive and fierce competition will ensure lean is at the forefront of good business management.
Conclusion RFID, when implemented correctly, can provide numerous benefits to your business by improving efficiency, reducing human error, and essentially saving you time and money. If you would like to find out more about how RFID can help you (with no obligations), please contact Trackem on 1300 897 610 or email info@trackem.com.au Scan the QR Code
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