A Case Study to Track High Value Stillages using RFID for an Automobile OEM and its Supply Chain in the Manufacturing Industry

The process for shipping components from suppliers to OEM is very complex and can create many problems within the quality assurance processes of logistics and manufacturing departments, both at the OEM and its suppliers. The case study is representing active research at an automotive manufacturing plant covering four vehicle programmes with approximately 400 special container types per car line. These containers are known as stillages and have a unique holding system for the particular component they are designed to transport. They are designed to ensure that a supplier can load components directly into the stillage from their production systems. The stillage can then be loaded onto large articulated trailers for safe transport to the OEM and eventually to trackside, without any damage. Apart from direct costs attributed to stillage leakage, there are other implications for suppliers who require the stillages for agreed component delivery plans. In order to build to the schedule demanded by the OEM, suppliers require the stillages at the moment the component leaves their production line; if the stillages are not available, components may be decanted into cardboard storage to meet the demands of the OEM's schedule. The use of cardboard often leads to part damage but also results in increased packaging and transport costs. The widespread miniaturisation of RFID transponders suggests that wireless tracking has become a realistic proposition for investigation to reduce unnecessary additional costs due to stillage leakage - particularly with high value, bespoke component stillages. In this particular study, the logistics processes of the entire operation within the manufacturing plant of the OEM are thoroughly investigated to determine the feasibility for use of RFID technologies.