How to Increase Visibility of Manufacturing Equipment | Link Labs

Manufacturing facilities consist of several buildings filled with machinery where workers manufacture items or operate machines that transform raw materials into finished products. In many cases, equipment or other assets are unintentionally misplaced or not returned, causing production delays and increased costs as a result. Supply chain management systems are becoming more crucial in manufacturing facilities globally. Real-time systems that provide complete visibility enables manufacturers to manage and monitor production flow and other assets with ease.

Why Visibility is Essential in Manufacturing Facilities

Having visibility of all your assets is essential in every manufacturing facility. The visibility of equipment helps provide information such as how it is used, where lost equipment is located, and a variety of preventative maintenance information. Visibility allows manufacturing operations to run smoothly and improve workflow efficiencies. When you have complete visibility, you can see every step in the supply chain process.

Increased Costs Resulting from Lack of Asset Visibility in Manufacturing

Before investing in a real-time location system (RTLS), many manufacturers don’t realize how many costs are preventable.

• Replacement costs: Whether an item is lost or unreturned, a replacement is needed in order for processes to continue. Sometimes the equipment or tool that needs replacing doesn’t cost much, but it adds up over time. 
• Time costs: Delays in production not only waste employee time but also can cost your company current and potential customers. Delays don’t send a good message to customers and can cause even the most loyal customers to leave and conduct business with a competitor.
• Maintenance costs: Using an asset tracking system won’t eliminate maintenance needs, but it will mitigate costs from maintenance inefficiencies. RTLS solutions can send alerts for upcoming maintenance requests. Being able to quickly locate the associated machine enables users to avoid delays and machinery downtime. Taking care of menial issues today can save companies from spending unnecessary money on avoidable repairs.

Increase Your ROI by Investing in AirFinder OnSite

• Low Cost. AirFinder OnSite XLE is a fraction of the cost of competitors' pricing.
• Long Battery Life. XLE lasts up to 7 years with hundreds of location updates daily.
• Increased Efficiency. Spend less time looking for assets, and more time being productive.

How RTLS Solutions Provide Visibility

An asset tracking system, like AirFinder, provides complete visibility of all assets inside and outside a manufacturing facility. Asset tags are attached to equipment, tools, and totes and connected to the AirFinder OnSite Network. Once connected, users can visualize assets moving around the facility in real-time. 

An RTLS system can also provide a work-in-progress (WIP) analysis to guide you in improving production procedures. WIP tracking can help companies identify delays and bottlenecks and drive improvement.

How Link Labs Can Help

Link Labs' asset tracking solution, AirFinder, enables manufacturing companies to increase equipment visibility. To learn more about how Link Labs can help you reduce capital costs and improve workflow efficiencies, book a demo to get started.