RFID Work Order Tracking System to Streamline & Optimize your Manufacturing Process
RFID Work Order Tracking Software for Real-time Visibility, Accurate Data, and Improved Efficiency
How can RFID Work Order Tracking Streamline your Production Process?
RFID work order tracking streamlines your production process by automating data capture, eliminating manual updates, and providing real-time visibility into every stage of manufacturing. It ensures accurate status updates, reduces delays, and helps identify bottlenecks early.
A work order in manufacturing is a document that contains the instructions, materials, and resources required to complete a specific production job or task. It typically includes details such as the job description, quantity of the product, raw materials or parts required, the labor required, deadlines, and any other relevant information.
Work orders are typically created at the start of a job and closed when the job is completed. Work order tracking is essential to track the progress of a job and ensure that it is completed on time and to the required specifications, thereby meeting certain quality standards. Work orders are created from various sources such as customer orders, internal requests, and production plans, and they may be used by various manufacturing functions such as production planning, production control, quality control, and accounting.
Work orders are used in a variety of manufacturing settings, including machine shops, assembly lines, and other industrial environments.
What Challenges make Work Order Tracking Difficult in Manufacturing?
Work order tracking is difficult in manufacturing because manual processes, complex workflows, lack of real-time data, and misplaced paperwork lead to errors, delays, and poor visibility.
- Accuracy and Integrity of Data: Data collection is usually done manually, requiring the technician at each station to scan or enter something on a paper form or electronically. Therefore, many questions arise - Did all the data get collected? Is it accurate? Any errors or omissions would affect production and scheduling, as well as result in potential quality control issues. This process is of course, subject to human error, which can result in glaring inaccuracies.
- Manufacturing Process Complexity: Manufacturing processes can be complex - including many interwoven tasks and operations. Keeping track of work orders can be very challenging. This is especially the case, when there are multiple parts to the work order and each part's status has to be captured in the work order. In this context, the work order status could be incomplete, because it is missing the status for a subset of parts.
- Real-time Status of the Work Order: Often, during the manufacturing process, there is a need to determine the status of the work order - what has been completed, where are all the components of the work order and how much is left for completion. That level of granularity is difficult to provide with any degree of accuracy, when manually tracked, especially when dealing with a high volume of work orders.
- Physical Work Order being Misplaced: Many manufacturing processes are still being run with physical paper-based work orders. These could be sheets of paper stapled together or sheets of paper in some form of envelope. These Travelers sometimes tend to get misplaced. A lot of hours are spent looking for the work order. Not only is this a waste of resources, but more importantly, it can stop production and delay delivery dates.
How does RFID Improve Work Order Tracking in Manufacturing?
RFID improves work order tracking in manufacturing by ensuring accurate, automatic identification of each work order at every station, enabling precise progress updates, reducing manual scanning errors, and giving teams real-time insight into where each job stands in the workflow.
Having worked with several manufacturing customers across various industries, including industrial manufacturing, medical devices, electronics, etc., AssetPulse has designed and developed an RFID Work Order Tracking System specifically to address issues related to work order tracking in manufacturing.
RFID is an optimal technology for manufacturing. Not only does it solve the tracking issues very efficiently, but also it is cost effective. Further, since RFID tags are available in various levels of ruggedness, they can be used effectively in all kinds of manufacturing. It is important to note that RFID is not only very suitable for work order tracking and Traveler tracking, but it lends itself well to solve other tracking needs including raw material tracking, tool tracking, WIP Tracking and even personnel tracking.
How does RFID Work Order Tracking Software Provide Real-Time Visibility?
RFID software gives real-time visibility by instantly flagging stalled, delayed, or out-of-sequence work orders, enabling faster corrective action across the production workflow.
RFID technology can track work orders in real-time, regardless of where the work order is, in the production process. For example, if a work order is delayed or stopped at a certain stage, the system can automatically notify the appropriate personnel, and allow for quick corrective action to be taken.
AssetPulse's RFID work order tracking software can provide significant benefits to manufacturing companies by providing real-time visibility, improving accuracy, and efficiency in the tracking and management of work orders. It can help to reduce costs, improve production planning, and ultimately increase profitability.
Can RFID Work Order Tracking Systems Integrate Seamlessly with other Enterprise Systems?
Yes, RFID work order tracking systems can integrate seamlessly with ERP, MES, and other enterprise platforms to synchronize production data, automate updates, and maintain a single source of data across operations.
AssetPulse's RFID Work Order Tracking System seamlessly integrates with other systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). This can provide further benefits such as improved inventory management, streamlined production planning, and better customer service. With the integration of RFID technology, the work order tracking software can accurately track the location and status of work orders, raw materials, tools, and even personnel in real-time. This allows for better management of resources and can help to streamline and optimize production processes, reduce costs, and increase efficiency. AssetPulse has a great deal of experience integrating with a variety of enterprise applications including SAP, Oracle, Maximo, etc.
What are the Benefits of using RFID for Work Order Tracking?
RFID enhances work order tracking by generating precise, time-stamped data for every step of the manufacturing process—allowing teams to see how long each job spends at each station, trace its exact movement path, and identify bottlenecks or delays with data-backed accuracy.
RFID tags are attached to work orders and as they travel through the production process, RFID readers are used to track their location and progress. An RFID reader can be placed at each step on the production floor and as the work order moves from one step to another, the location, timestamp and duration is recorded - automatically, without the need for manual intervention or data input. This helps in providing unprecedented accurate visibility into parts of manufacturing processes that were hitherto opaque. Some of the insight includes:
- Timestamp of when work order enters and exits a location on the factory floor
- Duration a work order stayed at a location
- Last known location of work order - important when it is misplaced
- Route of work order as it is moved through the locations
- Locations of parts of the work order, if it consists of multiple parts
- All the above data can be used to determine percentage completion of a work order
- Bottlenecks that impact manufacturing efficiency can be detected with the above data
Frequently Asked Questions
Work order tracking is the process of monitoring the status and progress of jobs from creation to completion. It ensures tasks move through production in the correct order and that teams have the information they need to keep work flowing smoothly.
Effective work order tracking helps manufacturers stay competitive by eliminating downtime, improving scheduling accuracy, and accelerating production decisions. With better visibility into job progress and resource allocation, companies can reduce lead times, improve delivery performance, and consistently meet customer demands.
A work order tracking system is essential for effective inventory management. It ensures raw materials, components, and finished goods are allocated correctly based on production needs. This prevents stockouts, optimizes reorder points, and maintains accurate inventory counts, leading to smoother production and minimized waste.
Real-time tracking empowers manufacturers to provide accurate updates to customers. When clients inquire about order status, manufacturers can promptly share information on progress, estimated completion times, and any delays. This transparency builds trust and enhances overall customer satisfaction.
Real-time work order tracking empowers departments to collaborate seamlessly. Production prioritizes tasks, maintenance gets repair alerts, procurement orders precisely, and quality control monitors progress. This teamwork helps track work orders efficiently, streamlines operations and yields better results.
Modern work order tracking systems conquer complex workflows with features like multi-level work orders (breaking down big jobs) and dependency management (ensuring tasks happen in the right order). They also allow for parallel processing (doing related tasks simultaneously) and customization to fit specific manufacturing needs. This all leads to efficient execution and smoother operations.
Yes, the system provides seamless tracking across multiple shifts with comprehensive handoff capabilities. Each shift change is automatically recorded with timestamps and operator information. The system maintains continuity by providing incoming shift supervisors with complete work order status, including time spent, remaining tasks, and any issues encountered. This ensures smooth transitions and prevents delays between shifts.
The work order tracking system accommodates real-time modifications through change management protocols. When engineering changes occur, the system can update work order specifications, notify affected workstations, and track compliance with new requirements. The system maintains a complete audit trail of all changes, including who made them and when, ensuring traceability and preventing the use of outdated instructions.
The work order tracking system automatically captures labor time by tracking when operators start and complete work at each station. The system can be integrated with HR systems to apply appropriate labor rates and calculate real-time labor costs. This enables accurate job costing, helps identify labor-intensive processes, and supports pricing decisions for future orders. Reports can show labor efficiency trends and highlight opportunities for process improvements.