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Success Stories - Automotive SequencingBefore our customer installed an automated sequencing process, they were seeing errors when picking parts for the assembly line. Every time an incorrect part was picked, the delay could stop production and they could be fined by the manufacturer. If these delays in production were lengthy, the errors resulting from the manual picking process were very expensive - a cost that our customer and the manufacturer, was obviously keen to eliminate. The new levels of accuracy the Barcode-IT system brings eliminate these issues and are driving the roll out of the system across the business.
Automotive parts sequencing is a critical part of modern vehicle manufacturing, where each and every car or truck produced is custom ordered. Sequencing the components ensures they are in the precise order to match the vehicles coming down the line, so that the assembly operator simply picks the next component and can fit it to the current vehicle knowing it is the correct part. This speeds production and ensures smooth operation, but mistakes can be costly.
Our customer provides a logistics service for many car and truck manufacturers, which includes material follow up, warehousing, sub-assembly, sequencing, transportation and delivery to point-of-fit on the assembly line. When they won the contract to produce a new vehicle for a major UK manufacturer, the decision was made that their sequencing system needed to be automated to make parts picking a totally accurate and efficient process, which their original paper system never achieved.
Following the implementation of the Barcode-IT sequencing system, our customer has recorded zero picking errors in the trial cells.
"Zero picking errors is the Holy Grail for logistics companies. It means that they have managed their customers instructions perfectly and ensured that the assembly lines work at full capacity". said Nigel Holloway, project manager at Barcode-IT. "The customer is so happy that we are now rolling the system out across the business"
Application OverviewOur customer is contracted to create racks of components, (such as alternators or wiring harnesses) ready to be assembled on the production line. These components need to be in the precise order to match the vehicles coming down the line, which are chosen by the computer to maximise line speed, so that the assembly operator simply picks the next component and can fit it to the current vehicle.
To eliminate errors in the sequencing system, Barcode-IT developed a real-time mobile application using Datalogic Falcon 4423 portable data terminals, running
Parts orders are now sequentially picked, using the LSM (line side module) number located in the top right-hand corner of the pick list, which along with the rest of the sequence data is encoded within the 2D barcode. As the picking is verified and completed information from the Falcon 4423 terminals is uploaded directly to the server via the WiFi network, allowing information to be viewed by managers in real-time. However, a copy of the working and captured data is kept on the terminal in case of a failure of the WiFi network, data system or LAN, so that the terminal can continue to guide the worker to the end of the task without interruption.
Example of "bingo" pick sheet containing 2D barcode
How it startedOur customer saw mobile data applications on the Barcode-IT web site and they needed an automatic picking system to replace their old paper based system, which was inaccurate and resulting in costly errors. They contacted the team at Barcode-IT and following a site meeting, Barcode-IT were able to recommend a total solution to the challenges of accurate automotive parts sequencing.
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a custom written application that verifies that the operator is picking the correct part to add to the sequence of items in the picking rack. The application uses a custom front end written in 
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