Asset management is similar to inventory management, but the big difference is inventory management is about the physical goods that are in the warehouse or sold, while asset management is about the equipment and machinery used to make the product orservice.
 
Some factories and manufacturing locations choose to manage assets by manually recording each element and then transferring the information onto the computer, usually using an excel file. And though this seems like an easy option, since it costs little to no money, it often results insignificant error and miscalculation. Furthermore, recording the location of an asset or it’s given serial number does not take into account its maintenance schedule, who was using the equipment when, and whether it was moved. On average businesses lose up to $437,000 annually as a result of lost or misplaced assets.

Below are some things to consider when choosing the right asset management solution for you:

What do you need to track? 
Keep in mind that it is important to know the maintenance schedule, equipment uptime and downtime and the user on each machine. By integrating an asset management system into the warehouse or factory’s daily routine companies can increase the availability of production equipment and reduce the overall costs through better services and maintenance programs. 

Why is it necessary to track maintenance schedules and machinery downtime?
Machinery and equipment should be in good working order, and it’s crucial to know if those machines are running at maximum capacity with an uptime of 99.9 percent. If a business is collecting revenue, it must actively ensure machines are fixed and kept in good working order in terms of repair and warranties. This is especially true if a business is in the world of production or delivery. The more downtime equals lost revenue and time.

What are the benefits?
Forget the ease of operation of most asset management systems, the real return on investment occurs with time and money saved. Not only will proper tracking save a business money in regards to not over-stocking, understanding repair schedules and full knowledge of each asset’s location; it also saves significant time that manual tracking monopolizes, freeing up those employees to take care of other needs. Periodic reviewing and preventative maintenance of machinery in a factory of 500 employees or moresaves an average of five hours a week, equating to $1 million saved annually.

How hard will it be to implement? 
This will vary according to which solution is chosen.  But some asset management solution companies offer software that is compatible across multiple programming languages making it easy to link up to multiple computers.  It is often the case that the software is user friendly, and if wireless solutions are chosen, can be used anywhere while transferring information to one central hub for all users to locate. 

What are the types of solutions?
• Asset/Plant Maintenance: Using a rugged mobile computer connected to your computer-managed maintenance system (CMMS) can help reduce asset downtime and improve technician productivity. Manage work orders, access inventory for spares or parts in real-time as well as ensure the proper and timely scheduling and maintenance for your assets. Increase asset and labor utilization while capturing critical data for reporting requirements.

• Asset/Tool Tracking: Track assets and tools more efficiently leveraging bar code or RFID technology to reduce costs and increase productivity. Capture information about your assets and tools regardless of where they move and when they move. Check-in and check-out processes are automated when your workers are armed with a mobile computer, barcode scanner or an RFID reader and best of all—you have an accurate record of your inventory so you can ensure your tools and assets are available when and where you need them.


This is an edited article provided by Wasp Barcode Technologies. For more information, visit www.waspbarcode.com.

Master Lock Canada Inc. has completed an agreement to acquire N4 Systems Inc., the company behind Toronto-based Field ID, a provider of safety management software. Field ID will become a new, complementary offering in Master Lock’s Life Safety business.
 
Field ID’s software-as-a-service product offering gives customers around the world the ability to manage safety more efficiently and effectively with the use of mobile apps and the web. The Field ID solution will complement existing solutions offered by Master Lock’s Life Safety business, such as lockout/tagout locks and accessories for industrial safety.
 
"Field ID’s comprehensive system for digitizing safety management tasks and information is not only an excellent complement to Master Lock's current Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO) offering, but also provides an organization broader safety audit and compliance tools,"  said Franco Daino, VP/GM, Life Safety at Master Lock Company.  “With the acquisition of Field ID, we are well-positioned to execute against our vision of a successful Life Safety program and look forward to offering this solution to institutions and industrial companies around the world.”
 
Field ID will continue to operate independently from its Toronto headquarters but will leverage Master Lock’s sales and marketing capabilities.
 
“Modern safety management includes using the latest technology,” said Somen Mondal, vice-president of sales & marketing of Field ID. “With the popularity of mobile devices and acceptance of software-as-a-service, we’ve seen tremendous growth here at Field ID. Together with Master Lock, we expect exponential growth in the adoption of Field ID among safety professionals around the world. We are truly looking forward to working with them and providing our customers with an even better experience than they’ve come to know.”
 
Field ID is a provider of safety compliance and inspection management software for the web and mobile devices operating on Google Android, Apple iOS and Windows Mobile. The company's easy-to-use, cloud-based inspection software has revolutionized the way organizations manage safety compliance and create safer workplaces. Field ID combines web-based and mobile technologies with the power of electronic identification (RFID and barcodes) to improve the efficiency, reliability and reporting of workplace safety management. Manufacturers, distributors, third party inspectors and end users worldwide use Field ID to inspect facilities and equipment, conduct job site audits, manage corrective and preventive actions, improve training/certifications management, and track assets such as cranes, slings and harnesses. For more information, please visit
www.fieldid.com
www.masterlock.com

Mobile devices can help improve plant worker safety, ensure compliance with safety regulations and reduce costs at the same time. Thanks to advances in mobile hardware and software, safety management can now play a considerable role in broader efforts to enhance plant operations.

Worker safety has always been a top priority for manufacturers. But until recent years, inspection and safety compliance management (ISCM) technology had lagged other manufacturing technologies that have driven more efficient and cost-effective industrial processes. Increasingly sophisticated software and equipment have transformed plant operations, yet safety compliance continues to be stuck in a time warp of pencils, paper and filing cabinets.

With today’s technologies, the decision to go mobile is easier than ever before. Here’s how it works. Mobile handheld devices are used to read RFID tags or barcodes, which can be attached to virtually any type of equipment where safety is a factor: slings used in heavy lifting, harnesses, fire extinguishers and much more. Used in combination with ISCM software, a record of each inspection is automatically stored in a secure, cloud-based infrastructure.

Inspectors can use the system to conduct facility-wide audits and to verify the safety certification of each item is up to date. Moreover, such systems are also suited for tracking employee training and certifications in much the same way they are used to track assets.

A record of each inspection is permanently available for review by inspectors, safety managers and compliance officers, ensuring a facility always ready for a surprise audit.

The benefits are greater efficiency and reliability in both workplace safety and regulatory compliance. Mobile ISCM systems, such as Toronto-based Field ID, overcome challenges faced by many plants: the complexity of managing safety inspections for numerous pieces of equipment; safety audit preparedness; accident readiness; and more.

Here is a look at some of the most common challenges:

Lots of equipment, too much paperwork
Larger plants may have thousands of pieces of equipment requiring periodic safety compliance inspections. This can generate a huge paperwork burden.

Mobile safety compliance systems make it possible to instantly identify each unique piece of equipment and automatically determine if it complies with safety regulations. These setups are sutied for handling safety inspections as they automatically upload results to cloud-based infrastructure. Electronic inspection certificates can be generated directly from the web. Paper, clipboards and filing cabinets are taken out of the picture.

A tangle of safety standards
Different types of equipment are subject to different safety standards and varying inspection schedules. This generates a complex web of inspections and standards that can overwhelm paper-based compliance management. For manufacturers with multiple locations in different jurisdictions, the complexity is amplified by variances in standards.

Mobile ISCM systems bring order to this complexity by automatically identifying each piece of equipment, and linking it to its unique safety certification checklist and compliance record. In effect, safety standards are built right into the system, with all documentation digitized and securely stored in the cloud. This takes the guesswork out of inspections and ensures compliance throughout the plant. Technicians can even use the software to schedule inspections for individual pieces of equipment, according to the standards and schedule applicable to each item.  

Compliance uncertainty
With numerous pieces of equipment scattered throughout a facility, how does one find out quickly and with certainty whether an individual item not only complies with safety standards but also is safe for workers to use? Paper records housed in back-office filing cabinets make it difficult, if not impossible, to confirm safety and compliance status on the spot.

ISCM software, combined with mobile devices and bar codes or RFID tags, provide plant managers with instant access to the information they need. The status of any piece of equipment can be checked in real time simply by scanning it with a mobile reader, reducing the risk of non-compliance. More importantly, workers can know right away if a piece of machinery is safe to use.

Audit readiness
Safety compliance audits can happen at any time, without any advance notice. When an audit does occur, the search for paper records can become a scramble to prove compliance: Is every piece of equipment accounted for? Where is the documentation proving compliance? Are the records up to date?

Mobile ISCM systems like Field ID digitize all compliance records and store them securely in the cloud. Reports and safety data can be produced in real time, day or night.

Accident preparedness
Despite a company’s best efforts, accidents can happen unexpectedly. Should an accident occur at a plant, will they be ready for the investigation that follows? Cumbersome, paper-based systems can add to the challenge of quickly proving safety standards compliance.

Mobile systems make proving compliance fast and easy, 24/7. Not only do they expedite post-accident investigations, but they also reduce the risk of fines and other sanctions that can result if paper records are out of date or cannot be located.

Universal application
Mobile safety inspection and compliance solutions can be applied to virtually any manufacturing operation. Food processing plants, to cite just one example, can use mobile systems to ensure their food manufacturing processes comply with strict health and safety regulations.

Whatever the type of plant, the questions asked are much the same:

• Do we have the proper records for all our equipment?
• When was the last time our equipment was serviced and maintained?
• What must we do to maintain compliance?
• Are we ready for a safety audit?
• Are we conducting and storing the required safety inspections?
• Can we provide safety traceability?
• Is the training and certification of our employees up to date?

Mobile safety compliance systems make it possible for plant managers, safety managers, technicians and CIOs to have the right answers to these questions at their fingertips.

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Somen Mondal is the CEO of Toronto-based Field ID. For more information, visit www.fieldid.com.

Engineered Systems Inc., a major provider of overhead cranes, trolleys and hoists in the U.S., has chosen Toronto-based Field ID inspection software to strengthen its safety compliance management and improve the efficiency of equipment inspections.

The company, which until now used pen and paper to record most safety inspections, is implementing Field ID to enhance its compliance processes, improve the communication of results to customers, and gain faster access to comprehensive safety information.

Engineered Systems attaches RFID tags to crane, trolley and hoist components. Using mobile devices and Field ID’s cloud-based inspection software, Engineered Systems’ safety inspectors can now instantly identify equipment at any customer location and access information such as the date of last inspection, certification deadlines and work orders to repair safety deficiencies. The company also uses Field ID to certify equipment and to immediately notify customers about parts needing repair or replacement.

“We’re in an age when this kind of technology is expected by our customers,” says Tim Wilson, head of electronic inspections and assistant project manager with Engineered Systems. “Our company is dedicated to customer service excellence, and Field ID helps us deliver.”

Other Field ID benefits cited by Engineered Systems include: reduced paperwork; more accessible and better-organized information; access to equipment safety history; and improved customer compliance with manufacturer specifications.
www.fieldid.com
www.engineeredsystemsonline.com

IDBLUE has introduced a starter kit for mobile RFID solutions in the cloud. The kit provides an introduction to high-frequency RFID with an out-of-the-box solution that includes an IDBLUE mobile RFID reader, sample RFID tags and two six-month licenses for Zerion’s iFormBuilder platform, which provides easy form-development along with a secure, flexible mobile data collection platform for mobile workers. Users can create, edit and assign tasks or work orders on any web browser. With real-time notification, mobile workers can receive assignments wherever they are located.
www.idblue.com

Since opening in 1963, the Unilever Canada Lipton dry soup and side-dish production and packaging plant in Brampton, Ont., has undergone several expansions. As a highly efficient producer, this location was the choice for the North American production base for over 150 different Lipton and Knorr soups and side dishes. The plant encompasses the entire process, from raw materials and mixing to packaging and shipping. Unilever produces more than 30 million cases of packaged products annually at this plant.

Today, the company continues to upgrade its practices and facilities to achieve its sustainability goals, including a plan to increase machine operator safety while achieving faster production through reduced downtime.

An inefficient beginning
One of the pieces of equipment Unilever upgraded was its Bartelt-brand form, fill and seal machine, which produces its Knorr Asian SideKicks. Rollers feed the pre-printed airtight foil into the automated machine, where the foil is folded, sealed on three sides, cut into separate pouches, opened, filled, then laser-labeled and sealed before it exits the machine onto a conveyor. This entire process is done within an enclosed Plexiglas environment to keep the product sanitary and still provide visibility into the operations. Plexiglas access doors at each station used magnetic safety switches with relays that signaled the entire line to stop when a door is opened. This was designed to protect employees from moving machine parts.

With the magnetic safety switch system, the operator panel displayed “Guard Door Open”; however, it did not tell the operator which door it was referring to. Various machines have between 15 and 20 doors, so machine operators found it time consuming to figure out which door was open and, therefore, which station had the problem.

The existing hard-contact, safety-interlocking door switches kept the employees and machines safe, but if an issue occurred with the switches, it caused downtime, difficulty troubleshooting and lost production. The existing magnetic switch system could also be overridden, potentially creating unsafe conditions.

“It took time to contact an electrician, him to get there and find the problem, then maybe he has to go get parts — it can turn into half an hour or an hour,” says Jose Suarez, plant engineer at Unilever Canada.

To meet demand, the company produces about 100 pouches per minute. He estimates the value of downtime is about $7 per minute — so every second counts. Downtime doesn’t stop Unilever from filling its orders though. They must make up the lost production with a second shift and overtime pay that increases operations costs and decreases profits.
Unilever needed a solution that could indicate which of the many doors was open and which switch is faulty that would not allow override and would reduce the amount of safety relays.

“We wanted better efficiency, improved safety and complete reliability,” Suarez said.

Choosing RFID switches
Frustration with downtime inspired an innovative Unilever employee to suggest upgrading the safety switches. Unilever worked with Concord, Ont.-based Gerrie Electric, a Rockwell Automation authorized distributor, and its sensor and safety specialist, Gadi Hamou.

The food producer began a sample of Rockwell’s SensaGuard RFID non-contact safety switch on one machine. The switch uses inductive technology for sensing, and the RFID (radio frequency identification) technology uses a code that looks for the matching RFID partner block before the machine is allowed to start.

The machine cannot be operated if a monitored door is open, and it is undefeatable to steel or magnetics so it cannot be held open and overridden while it is still running.The product is designed and built to global standards rated Category 4/SIL 3 per EN954-1, and TUV functional safety approved to IEC61508. LED indicators located on the switch give a visual indication of door status; indicate door misalignment and offer advanced diagnostics to help identify faults.

“The SensaGuard was the perfect solution for Unilever’s application,” Hamou stated. “The ability to provide indication lights and reduce the amount of safety relays made this conversion possible.”

This solution provided the ability to connect 15 switches to one safety relay to communicate to the main panel. The light indication on the switches provides the information to diagnose a problem. “Green indicates everything is good,

flashing red indicates that a switch in the switch string is open, and red indicates that a particular switch is open or the switch is faulty,” Hamou explained.

Results
Unilever Canada installed about 170 SensaGuard non-contact safety switches on doors on various operations throughout the plant. The solution had standard and safety products working together to turn the safety capital outlay into an investment with positive returns.

The indicator lights on the switches help minimize downtime and makes troubleshooting easier by pinpointing the faulted sensor and identifying it to the operator. It helps operators safely access areas of the machine where there is motion and gives them more control to keep the line running as much as possible.

“The operators on the new machines love these sensors,” Suarez said. “They can identify the problem without calling an electrician. It actually helps improve morale, as the operators can resolve the problems themselves and have a greater sense of control.”

Unilever Canada’s solution met the criteria it was aiming for: to indicate which door is open, which switch is faulted, and be able to fix issues without the assistance of an electrician, while also reducing the amount of safety relays needed on each application. The combined experience of Gerrie Electric and Rockwell Automation in machine safety and industrial automation helped them to understand its factory-floor issues and the solutions.

These switch upgrades have helped Unilever increase efficiencies by three percent over the past 14 months. Unilever has many more sustainability projects in the pre-engineering phase and plans to upgrade its remaining machines with the same SensaGuard switches over time.

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This is an edited article provided by Rockwell Automation. For more information, visit ca.rockwellautomation.com.

WICKLIFFE, OH — The new Parker Tracking System (PTS) from Parker Hannifin Corporation, a global leader in motion and control technologies, will keep vehicles and machines running longer by increasing the speed, timing and accuracy of acquiring replacement hose assemblies. Using PTS can eliminate hours of costly equipment downtime, claims the company, helping customers achieve greater productivity and profitability.

PTS, developed for the United States by Parker's Hose Products Division, has two key components. First are uniquely encoded tracking labels that incorporate visual data, barcodes and optional RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology. The labels are generated by special printers and are affixed to the hose assembly at the time it is made. The second component is a Web-based PTS software system that can be accessed securely through an Internet connection.

Each tracking label code is cataloged in the PTS database. The code identifies several key pieces of information about the hose assembly - for example, where and when it was made; what hose, fittings and accessories were used; and the length of the hose. Special OEM features will include details about the asset in which the assembly is installed as well as other information.

Today, customers must typically remove old hoses, drive to their local store and wait while the new assembly is made. PTS dramatically expedites this process by making "call ahead" or "site delivery" service possible. The result is additional machine uptime that can dramatically improve the customer's bottom line.

With PTS, customers can reference the code on the assembly tracking label and relay that information to their nearest Parker distributor, ParkerStore or mobile Parker HOSE DOCTOR. The Parker location can then prepare an identical replacement assembly before the customer arrives, or the HOSE DOCTOR can deliver the finished assembly directly to the customer's site.

PTS users will also benefit from reporting tools that provide access to a variety of data that can be used to drive quality control and continuous improvement programs. Furthermore, documentation of the original bill of materials ensures hose assembly replacement to exact OEM specifications and compliance with applicable industry and safety standards. This is particularly important for mining, military, aerospace and other regulated industries.

Presently, PTS is in use in more than 18 countries, making the system a powerful resource for global OEMs seeking an intelligent tagging, tracking and reporting solution for fluid conveyance products.

www.parkerhose.com