Automobile Industry
Automobile Industry
Abstract
The creation of RFID is for the purpose of improving the quality of the product and streamlining the manufacturing processes. It also shortens the production and development cycle, achieves savings, and creates transparency across the value chain. One of the RFID systems that the automobile industry has introduced to assists in its processes is the Mojix star system. This is a game changer for RFID tracking in both economics and technology. Mojix star system plays an essential role in increasing the competitiveness and efficiency and in the promotion of the supply chain integration. This paper will aim at discussing Mojix star system in the automobile industry.
Introduction
Radio frequency identification applied systems is one of the key technologies in the automobile industry. The services that this system performs in the automobile industry include product tracking, quality inspection, protection, and tracing against piracy of the product. It is an interrogation method for the identification of objects. RFID has made it possible for complex processes to be automated and tracked all the way to the supplier (Elmaraghy 2012). The creation of RFID is for the purpose of improving the quality of the product and streamlining the manufacturing processes. It also shortens the production and development cycle, achieves savings, and creates transparency across the value chain. The development in RFID technology has opened up new opportunities that enable the complex processes to be controlled and also traceability of cars.
Overview of RFID
In this global economy, is at an unprecedented level of competition, and also in the automobile industry, it is also experiencing the change. New manufacturing techniques needed in maintaining competitiveness. It is necessary for industries to eliminate the wasteful buffer inventories and start relying on the just in time parts delivery system (Elmaraghy 2012). Managers put in tremendous pressure to maintain track as they are moving from real time from dock receiving to storage bins. Automobile industry also tracks assets like tools and also set up components and employees. Being unable of locating the tools, critical parts, and personnel can shut down the production line. Such destruction is likely to make the organization thousands of dollars in an hour. Together with increased competitive pressure, there is a move towards consolidation among the key suppliers and brands.
Basics of Mojix star system
One of the RFID systems that the automobile industry has introduced to assists in its processes is the Mojix star system. This is a game changer for RFID tracking in both economics and technology. This system built on deep space communication to help in detecting the extremely weak radio signals. This system has the ability of reading a signal from an excited passive RFID tag that is as far as 600 feet/182 meters. It is the world longest RFID receiver. This system employs advanced digital signal processor technique (Elmaraghy 2012). It processes the RFID signal in multiple dimensions, which are space and polarization, in addition to the frequency and, time dimensions used by the legacy RFID systems. Mojix star system plays an essential role in increasing the competitiveness and efficiency and in the promotion of the supply chain integration. This is an RFID technology that is barely new to the automobile industry (Proth & Dolgui 2010). Recently, economic and technology limitations have restricted the use of the system in assets which are of high value like finished goods, tools, and main sub assemblies.With its ability of detecting faint signals, the star receiver normally works in concert with the satellite Mojix eNodes so that to support one or more business processes across the entire coverage area of the system (Gillert & Hansen 2007).
The star receiver normally work as a single point, phased receiver where it utilizes the adaptive bean forming and steering, and it manages up to 512 Mojix eNodes. The receiver detects Mojix eNodes and self configures accordingly. It used to schedule interrogation zones. It controls the operation of the eNodes, communicates with the master controller and reads tag data.The star master controller normally provide a single point for data collection, command and control the Mojix star system, and communicate with the corporate, business processes. Master controller directs the Mojix star system to activate the eNodes, it schedules resources, serve as an integration point between enterprise application and star system, and processes tag information (Banks et al 2007). It also hosts the applications that influence the powerful Mojix star system to deliver new capabilities, and also maintain the statistics of the successful reads in every interrogation space of the system. The controller uses these statistics and proprietary set of algorithms in adapting the digital radio parameters for the individual interrogation spaces so that the performance of the system is optimized.
Advances in Mojix star system
Mojix star system is a real time location system, which is a single network element at the edge of the enterprise. One of the RFID systems that the automobile industries are using is the Mojix star system. Automotive industries are turning to Mojix star system as it is a technology system that ensures that all manufacturing materials are in the right place and time across the whole of the global supply chain (Banks et al 2007). Mojix star system provides a real time location tracking system solution. This is through a tagging process that enables automated receiving in the next step of the supply chain. This is a system that identifies the location of every shipment. It also compares to the data at the back end ERP system so that to provide a more integrated supply chain.
The technology that is behind this system include space time array technique, iterative signal processing, digital beam forming, digital packet radio breakthrough, and smart antennae. With these technologies, it enables the system to detect faint signals across vast distances in radio frequency environments that are extremely noisy (Banks et al 2007). This gives the system its unprecedented outdoor and indoor receiver sensibility, range, and accuracy. With this ability, it has enabled new levels of item tracking in all stages of auto manufactures including distribution centers, automotive dealerships, warehouses, and factories.
Industry standards
Automotive manufactures usually leverage lean manufacturing techniques by running to just in time production strategies and eliminating the wasteful buffer inventories. This helps in reducing the in process inventory and the associated carrying costs. Mojix star system known in the automobile industry as a technology that works resulting in substantial OPEX and CAPEX reduction of costs. Mojix star system aims at helping automobile industries to improve their processes as this industry has experienced considerable consideration among the suppliers (Banks et al 2007). With this system in the industry, manufactures offered a competitive advantage and also promoted supply chain integration. It helps in making the consolidation process easy and offers the scalability required for the large suppliers who spread over vast physical areas.
Benefits of Mojix star system
Mojix star system is a product designed for scalable visibility in the wide supply chain. It provides a significant impact on the operation efficiency of the organization and bottom line loss and profit. This system has provided automotive industry with substantial benefit through RFID tags that cost effective. It ensures high levels of customer satisfaction and addresses all the necessities of clients in the market. This system keeps track of valuable assets in real time; optimally manage inventory, and deployment of end to end RFID solutions (Gillert & Hansen 2007). One of the disadvantages of this system is that it is expensive. When introducing this system into the company, the company required to use a large some of the money. Mojix star system is not a cheap technology to be introduced in a company. There are several expensive projects that get involved in its implementation.
Practices associated with Mojix star system
Some of the practices associated with this system in the automotive industry include shipping and receiving. Source tagging is that process of having a second or third tier suppliers tag components before shipment, either at the crate or item level. This sort of tagging enables automated receiving in the next step of the chain where actual goods identified by the Mojix star system re compared to data in ERP system. With this comparison, it usually results to a more integrated supply chain. Source tagging is usually essential in the development of a more superior economy of scale required for working with large suppliers.Staging is another practice of the system. A core principle of lean manufacturing is a correction of mistakes where and when they happen (Mojix 2008).
With Mojix star system, the whole staging floor is visible. If the employees make mistakes, for instance placing a case of parts in the wrong staging line, correction of the problem can be done before goods reach a dock door or even before they get loaded on the wrong truck. Dock door discrimination is another practice associated with Mojix star system.This system improves the functionality and efficiency of dock door RFID readers. Because of the combination of factors, the convention dock door RFID readers reception is poor. This tends to results to inaccurate data. There is the existence of software applications that usually correct these inaccuracies by use of complex algorithms. Nonetheless, the software application is expensive, and it burdens the enterprise system that is using the data. Mojix star system have the ability of reading and exciting RFID tags in a manner that eliminate the problem resulting to substantial OPEX and CAPEX cost reduction (Mojix 2008).In automobile manufacturing, management of re work tends to be one of the most sensitive tasks.
RFID has the ability of helping in maximizing the efficiency of this necessary problem (Mojix 2008). When a car that requires re work leaves the assembly line it is possible for it to be tagged and tracked. This helps as there is no one who will waste time searching for car. In the tracking location, every tag can be stamped according to time so that to track hours spent in rework. Mojix star system help in creating an easy way of prioritizing problems in terms of the cost to fix.Mojix star system also involved in work, in process practice. Just in time and work in process production work together in maximizing waste and inefficiency while optimizing production. This system is effectively applied in WIP, in identification of each item, in the process flow (Mojix 2008). Its offering for work in the process provides an ideal solution as it acts as an instant business radar platform providing key metrics. Automotive industry companies significantly benefit with the use of this system in making sure that the correct items are in the correct place with the right quality. It also detects the potential production problems prior to the occurrence of the problems.
Managerial procedures
During the implementation of an RFID system, the organizations supposed to be aware of why they require the system in the company. This will ensure that when the system implemented into the company, it performs the intended purpose. The company management when deciding on implementing Mojix star system should be aware that the system is likely to change some of the business process in the company. The automobile industry companies need to provide training to its personnel regarding the use of the new system in the operations of the company so that to ensure that its purpose achieved. Proper and effective training will contribute in achievement of the positive productivity in the organization. The organization culture is also likely to change because Mojix star system is a system that gets involved in ensuring that operation efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary for the management to communicate the need for change and its positive impact to the company.
Conclusion
Mojix star system plays an essential role in increasing the competitiveness and efficiency and in the promotion of the supply chain integration. This is an RFID technology that is barely new to the automobile industry. Automobile industries have introduced this system in the businesses to provide a significant impact on the operation efficiency of the organization and bottom line loss and profit.
References
“Wide area passive RFID integrates supply chains, speeds WIP and tracks vehicles in real time” Accessed on 23rd November 2012 from http://www.mojix.com/solutions/rfid-systems-automotive.php
Elmaraghy, H (2012). Enabling manufacturing competitiveness and economic stabilitySpringer Publishers
Gillert, F & Hansen, W (2007). RFID for the optimization of business processes John Wiley & Sons
Hanny, D Thompson, L & Banks, J (2007). RFID applied John Wiley & Sons
Mojix (2008). Mojix star system Mojix, Inc
Proth, M & Dolgui, A (2010). Supply chain engineering Springer Publishers
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