The aerospace industry revolves around exploring the final frontier of space. Research, development, and engineering are all facets of the aerospace industry. Advancements in technology are necessary to ensure the best possible testing and assembling during the manufacturing process. A Real-Time Location System (RTLS) improves manufacturing efficiency for the aerospace industry.
Aerospace manufacturing involves making parts for planes, spacecraft, and rocket or missile systems. These parts require immense precision. Aerospace manufacturing consists of complex processes requiring the highest efficiency possible. A critical facet of the manufacturing process is ensuring that the correct parts are available when needed.
Visibility is becoming an increasingly important concern with the current state of supply chains. A real-time asset tracking system allows the company to have a timeline. An RTLS shows where parts and materials are and streamlines processes to reduce bottlenecks. Supply chain problems force many manufacturers to discover new ways to manufacture parts, such as additive manufacturing or implementing an automated system.
There are various aerospace use cases that RTLS can resolve:
The real-time location technology needed for manufacturing requires a system for short-range radio frequencies. The technology that uses short-range frequencies is ultra-wideband (UWB), Bluetooth, and XLE. The obvious question is, which technology is best for you?
The first step is to determine how much accuracy will be needed. Large metallic buildings (such as aerospace manufacturing plants) can distort radio frequencies and decrease accuracy. If high-level accuracy is vital to your company, choosing the right technology is essential.
UWB: UWB is a low frequency, wide radio frequency range. UWB has high location accuracy, up to 10-30 cm. With high accuracy comes a high cost. The installation, technology, and hardware tend to be more expensive. Even more, UWB waves are absorbed by metal, making the environment difficult to monitor location.
Bluetooth Low Energy: Bluetooth LE is a type of Bluetooth technology that operates in the 2.4 GHz range. This technology is typically favored because it consumes less energy than traditional Bluetooth. With less energy being used, batteries last longer. A device using Bluetooth LE will be dormant unless a connection is initiated. Batteries running on Bluetooth LE can last up to 3-5 years, depending on usage. Bluetooth LE is a great option for a manufacturing environment because it can operate in various ranges. Manufacturing environments involve indoor and outdoor components that rely on tracking devices to monitor processes. Bluetooth LE is proximity-based location technology. Manufacturing facilities are large and an RTLS system must be able to operate throughout the entire building. Tags operating on Bluetooth LE can be placed anywhere and operate with the same efficiency and accuracy.
XLE: Xtreme Low Energy (XLE) is a technology developed by Link Labs with enhanced battery life and accuracy capabilities compared to Bluetooth LE. Link Labs has also developed phase-ranging technology, which uses nearby beacons and the response time for a tag to send its location. The tag sends location updates based on the closest beacon, and this information is sent to the end user for their viewing. The longer battery life comes from location updates sent by the specifications set by the user. Batteries on XLE tags can last nearly seven years.
Companies involved in aerospace manufacturing could benefit from using AirFinder OnSite. AirFinder OnSite is an RTLS solution that uses patented technology to provide a seamless solution for all of a company's tracking needs. It utilizes Bluetooth LE or XLE technology to provide up-to-meter level accuracy so aerospace manufacturers can monitor tools, optimize processes, and monitor quality and foreign debris. AirFinder OnSite best suits indoor environments and uses patented technology to determine location. To learn more, book a demo.