July 31, 2019 Automating Inventory Management Systems

Manufacturing companies around the world are automating inventory management with RAIN RFID. The benefits are both dramatic and measurable.

July 29, 2019

Access to real-time, item-level data is essential to the success of any business relying on an inventory control system. Many companies have traditionally used manual methods to track and maintain stock levels despite the high rate of errors, inventory inaccuracy, labor costs, and time associated with these processes.

With the adoption of Industry 4.0 standards, manufacturers are using the Internet of Things—connecting “smart” items to their applications—to gain insights and automate their supply chains. But how are they getting there?

Today many industry leaders around the world enable automated inventory management processes by deploying RAIN RFID solutions. RAIN RFID is a wireless sensing technology that uses radio frequency waves to provide information about an item’s identity, location, or authenticity to devices, applications and people. And the results are substantial – increased confidence in quantity and location of inventory, the ability to more quickly and accurately meet demand, and decreased reliance on manual processes.

Access IoT with RAIN RFID-Enabled Automated Inventory Management

With RAIN RFID, you can access all of the benefits the Internet of Things can offer; businesses that enable RAIN RFID in their inventory management process see 99% inventory accuracy. The increased accuracy enables businesses to create an IoT ecosystem that is both intelligent and reliable.

Let’s take a look at some real-world examples of manufacturers seeing benefits of automated, connected inventory management.

Manufacturers Gain Real-time Insights with RAIN RFID

Polaris Industries:

Inventory mistakes cost time, money, and resources. Manual checks can be effective, but it often leaves room for errors. Polaris Industries, one of the world’s largest power sports companies and an American manufacturer of snowmobiles, ATVs, and neighborhood electric vehicles, deployed a RAIN RFID solution that automated inventory tracking throughout their manufacturing plant. Their system delivers real-time data to plant workers about where vehicles are on the manufacturing line. By automating with RAIN RFID, Polaris saw a 30% increase in inventory accuracy that saved them $200,000 annually.

Polaris uses a RAIN RFID solution to automate the count & accuracy of materials moving through the production line, saving over $200k per year

Faurecia:

As a leader in the automotive industry and the world’s largest manufacturer of vehicle interiors and emission control technology, Faurecia adopted RAIN RFID as part of their digital transformation efforts. RAIN RFID allows them to have real-time inventory monitoring which means they can stock parts more efficiently and take on more customized requests from customers because they know exactly which SKUs they have, or need to have, on-hand.

1 in 3 cars today is equipped by Faurecia, which is engaging in a strategic transformation of its operations to support the automotive industry

Faurecia’s real-time inventory monitoring helps workers know when parts need to be restocked, reducing waste & increasing efficiency

Dana Incorporated:

Leading car part manufacturer Dana Incorporated has visibility on every item and car part that enters their plant line by using RAIN RFID in their inventory processes. By automating the tracking of items, they were able to eliminate mistakes associated with manual data entries, drastically decrease cycle times, and achieve 100% parts traceability.

Dana increased traceability to 100%, shortened cycle times, & decreased labor cost throughout their plant with a RAIN RFID solution

Setting Your Inventory Up for Future Success

Automated inventory control can help companies when they have a specific use case in mind. But what happens when they want to scale? Once inventory is tagged, with RAIN RFID-enabled items, manufacturers can think beyond their initial use-case and easily implement systems to authenticate items, prevent inventory shrink, and verify shipments.

Scalability is more than just creating more comprehensive systems; by adopting Industry 4.0, you’ll have the ability to upgrade at the speed of innovation— because the RAIN RFID industry is constantly making advances that increase the distance, reliability, and the speed at which systems can identify, locate, and engage tagged items. Industrial manufacturers that implement RAIN RFID inventory control systems improve item visibility and ROI, so automating your inventory control systems isn’t just a good idea; it’s an investment in your company’s future.

Jill West

About the Author
Jill West is the senior director of marketing communications at Impinj, Inc. (NASDAQ: PI), a leading provider of RAIN RFID solutions. The Impinj platform, comprising both hardware and software, enables wireless connectivity to billions of everyday items such as apparel, car parts, equipment, and luggage. Impinj helps companies around the world increase revenue, improve efficiencies, and deliver compelling experiences. For additional information visit www.impinj.com.

Subscribe to Industry Today