The asset tracking solution from SmartMakers enables AGCO / Fendt to achieve significantly improved and dynamic yard management for the logistics of its balers and loader wagons at the Wolfenbüttel site.
Efficiency plays a major role for AGCO . As one of the world's largest manufacturers and suppliers, the company specializes in the production and sale of machinery and equipment for the agricultural sector. In addition to tractors and combine harvesters, the German site in Wolfenbüttel specializes in agricultural machinery for transporting straw, hay and silage in loose form or for producing highly compacted bales.
The baling presses and loader wagons are manufactured to customer specifications and prepared for shipment by road or in sea containers. Unfinished and finished machines are parked on the site and stored until delivery or completion. The unfinished machines in particular often have to be returned to the site due to supply bottlenecks and parts shortages.
If a specific press is now required, it must first be found using the order-related serial number. Since the exact location is unknown and the serial number on the press is difficult to see, the search is usually time-consuming. In addition, the re-organization is enormously time-consuming due to frequent shunting of the stored presses and weighers.
IoT Solution required for location detection
It was therefore clear to AGCO that a solution had to be found. The objectives were to optimize the logistics processes and to automate the location determination and transport order in order to organize the machines more efficiently and just-in-time. Above all, it was necessary to precisely locate the balers on the site.
The idea: With the help of automated process improvement and the elimination of manual recording processes for labeling the machines, dynamic yard management can be established. This also means that the new location is automatically adjusted in real time when the stored balers and loading wagons are reorganized.
"By introducing the IoT solution from SmartMakers , we can narrow down the position of a baler or loader wagon to within a few meters, which makes it much quicker to find the machine. Even after reorganization, we immediately receive the new locations of the layered machines."
- Georg Dessaul, AGCO Corporation
Smart Asset Tracking with thingsHub
The IoT platform thingsHub from SmartMakers quickly emerged as the ideal solution for implementing this idea. The GPS trackers are now attached to the baler directly after production. They then communicate with the IT system and report the location of the respective baler.
"We integrated the platform together with the smart low-powerIoT trackers and had it up and running in just a few days."
- Sebastian Stute, CEO of SmartMakers
The introduction of the IoT platform thingshub, including trackers, reduces the time required for a transportation process by up to 80 percent. The IoT platform is also extremely easy to use. For example, the locations of the machines can be viewed and called up on any mobile device.
Georg Dessaul is referring in particular to the fact that the low-powerIoT tracker does not require any installation work. The small devices are also impressive when it comes to maintenance. This is because the trackers can be used for years without changing batteries or requiring any further maintenance.
"We are very satisfied with SmartMakers and its platform. On the one hand, the uncomplicated collaboration is very pleasant. On the other hand, the technical components are also impressive."
- Georg Dessaul, AGCO Corporation
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