Introduction
Team Members:
·
Steve Sullivan
·
Title:
Inventory
Tracking System
Background:
The goal of this project is
to apply systems engineering principles for the system level
development and design of an automated inventory tracking system
for logistical tracking. This system
would contain RF tags designed to track material movements
into and out of warehouses. The system will
be based on an automated data acquisition backbone which
will include tags, transmitters, receivers, pre
processor, and a database to reduce inventory management
time.
An automated tracking
system is very useful today with the move toward improving operating
efficiency, at all levels, of those industries providing
services and goods. In many instances,
companies are
utilizing extensive indirect dollars to inventory and track
materials moving into and out of storage.
However, by automating the system, dollars can be
saved and logistic personnel can have near real time
inventories of the warehouses they manage.
Most
likely, business expansion will drive the economic development and choice of
technology
for this system.
For example, as a company increases its warehouse inventory during
company growth,
either additional people will be needed to track inventory
or an automated system that can easily handle
expansion will need to be installed. Obviously, the latter is more desirable due
to decreased life cycle
costs, as long as the technology utilized is feasible. Therefore, the tags (which will be purchased
in large
quantities) and transceivers must be inexpensive. With the use of preexisting technology, or
commercial
off-the-shelf (COTS) items, this system can be developed at a low
cost to the customer.
Contained herein, is the
utilization of unified modeling language (UML) to visually diagram
components, interactions, behavior, relationships of the
system’s structure and operation, development of
requirements traceability, measures of effectiveness and a
trade-off analysis for system design.
System Overview:
RF
Transceiver Near
Real-Time Inventory and Surveillance (communication
link) Manual Tag Programmer Reader Control Unit with RF Transceiver WAREHOUSE Containers
Tag Logistic Processor
Logistic Data Base Warehouse Operator Tag
Logistic Officer
Figure 1: Logistic
Tracking System Schematic
Figure 1 illustrates the conceptual configuration of our warehouse
based inventory tracking
system. Programmable
radio frequency (RF) transmitting tags, encoded with tracking information such
as
quantity and type, would be attached to bundled items prior to
warehouse storage. The tags, which can
be
programmed by a warehouse worker using a handheld device, would
then communicate with RF control
units and extenders to notify a data base of the pallet
contents, quantity and presence, for instance.
From
the data stored and transmitted by the tags, the data
base will be able to track overall presence, quantity,
type, and age of material stored in the warehouse.
As a largely owner operated and maintained system,
simplicity of design and use will be of
paramount importance.
Utilizing COTS items and technology (such as a computer database), the
development risks are low.
Honeywell, for instance, has developed an RF tracking tag that could be
utilized as part of this system. The challenge occurs in the marrying of all
technologies and integrating
them into a warehouse environment. Although this is a unique task, design engineers
should have very
little problem with the integration as RF communication is
not a new technology. The company may
have
to contract an electrical engineer for system
maintenance or upgrade, however this is less expensive than
employing multiple warehouse workers to simply track assets.
Overall, we feel this system could be very feasibly
developed and maintained, while remaining
open to future additions and advancements. Imbedded sensors could be added to measure
shock and
vibration, or a GPS beacon could be added for global
tracking. For this project, however, we
are only
focusing on the system boundary containing the tag,
programmer, warehouse, transceivers, communication
link, and database.