Tire factory uses RFID system to reduce waste of overdue materials and improve product quality

Korean tire manufacturers are using passiveUHF RFID tags to track rubber material consumption in their two assembly plants. The RFID scheme can improve efficiency, better manage rubber materials and ensure the use of rubber materials to follow the advanced first out (FIFO) principle, so that rubber materials are consumed before their shelf life. The system has been installed in Kwangju and Gokseung factories in South Korea. The company will install the system in the other two factories in the next two years.

The company reported that the system has played a major role in improving efficiency and reducing the waste of expired rubber materials.

In 2013, XX tire light and two Gokseung factories began to attach passive UHF RFID tags to bus and truck tires for distribution center inventory management and logistics management.

At that time, the company only wanted to track inventory level and WIP of rubber materials. Therefore, the company needs a real-time location system covering 200 thousand square meters (RTLS). This requires more expensive battery powered RFID tags, rather than the low-cost passive UHF RFID tags that companies want to use.

According to a tire worker, the company began to search for a passive system that could provide a certain level of real-time location tracking.

The rubber material of tire production line has a certain period of use. If it is not used in a specific warranty period, the quality of the material will decrease. Kumho tire spokesman said: "after the expiration date, these materials will be discarded." Therefore, the company hopes that the use of rubber materials will follow the FIFO principle. This prevents material waste and improves tire quality.

This year, two factories have installed 18 receivers and more than 2000 reader antennas. The company inserts a cardboard with RFID tags on each rubber material shelf. At the same time, RFID tags are attached to each trailer for transporting tyres.

Software is also stored on the company server to store information related to RFID tag binding. Each cardboard label will bind the manufacturing time and shelf life of the rubber material. Launch label ID number information. The antenna connected to the receiver will transmit the data to the software after capturing the tag signal, so as to indicate the location of the label in real time.

When the rubber material is moved to the manufacturing area, the receiver will read the label data and calculate the location information. Then the company will know when supplies are needed.

When assembled, rubber material will be placed on the RFID trolley. When the cart arrives at each station, the system will read the label information, so that the company can know the assembly situation and provide suggestions for material supply.

Due to the use of the system, the company has reduced the waste of expired materials and improved the quality of products.