Dave Savastano05.19.14
Car buyers today typically order a number of custom options when they make their purchase. For car manufacturers, this means that many of the vehicles they produce are effectively unique. Production is further complicated since several different models are typically assembled in the same production line. To manage such a variety during production, each vehicle needs to be uniquely identified and reliably tracked throughout the process.
In response to these challenges, Volvo Car Corporation uses RFID technology to boost their automotive production. With the help of Confidex RFID tags, Volvo Cars is able to track their production assets all the way from the welding and paint shop to the point of final assembly.
Previously, Volvo Cars was using three different methods for identifying and tracking each car during the production: barcode technology in the manufacturing, active RFID in the paint shop and large barcodes in the final assembly. Not only was this approach costly to maintain, but it was not sufficiently reliable for a well-balanced manufacturing process where the slightest disturbance can affect the entire throughput of the factory.
Confidex developed a robust passive UHF RFID tag solution capable of withstanding harsh conditions throughout the production process. After leaving the welding shop, car bodies proceed to the paint line – the most demanding environment for the tags used. On the paint line, the car is put through an electrolyte bath for corrosion prevention, followed by several layers of paint and a series of high temperature drying ovens. Under these conditions, it is critical that the RFID tag’s performance does not degrade and that it retains its readability and reliability.
The Confidex Corona RFID tag is permanently mounted on the chassis of the car being manufactured at the beginning of the process, and reliably identified at various points in the manufacturing process. The tag is left on the vehicle, eliminating the need for collecting, cleaning and testing the used tags. The Confidex Corona has been in use at Volvo since 2008 and over the period has demonstrated outstanding reliability over the complete car manufacturing process, despite the complex and harsh conditions.
“Automotive production is one of the most challenging applications for RFID not just because of its complexity, but also due to its uncompromising, high reliability requirements. I am glad that a premium brand such like Volvo has trusted in our expertise to supply a tag solution to meet their demand,” added Jarkko Miettinen, vice president of sales at Confidex.
In response to these challenges, Volvo Car Corporation uses RFID technology to boost their automotive production. With the help of Confidex RFID tags, Volvo Cars is able to track their production assets all the way from the welding and paint shop to the point of final assembly.
Previously, Volvo Cars was using three different methods for identifying and tracking each car during the production: barcode technology in the manufacturing, active RFID in the paint shop and large barcodes in the final assembly. Not only was this approach costly to maintain, but it was not sufficiently reliable for a well-balanced manufacturing process where the slightest disturbance can affect the entire throughput of the factory.
Confidex developed a robust passive UHF RFID tag solution capable of withstanding harsh conditions throughout the production process. After leaving the welding shop, car bodies proceed to the paint line – the most demanding environment for the tags used. On the paint line, the car is put through an electrolyte bath for corrosion prevention, followed by several layers of paint and a series of high temperature drying ovens. Under these conditions, it is critical that the RFID tag’s performance does not degrade and that it retains its readability and reliability.
The Confidex Corona RFID tag is permanently mounted on the chassis of the car being manufactured at the beginning of the process, and reliably identified at various points in the manufacturing process. The tag is left on the vehicle, eliminating the need for collecting, cleaning and testing the used tags. The Confidex Corona has been in use at Volvo since 2008 and over the period has demonstrated outstanding reliability over the complete car manufacturing process, despite the complex and harsh conditions.
“Automotive production is one of the most challenging applications for RFID not just because of its complexity, but also due to its uncompromising, high reliability requirements. I am glad that a premium brand such like Volvo has trusted in our expertise to supply a tag solution to meet their demand,” added Jarkko Miettinen, vice president of sales at Confidex.