Case Studies

RFID Solution

Advantiv were consulted by Honda UK to source an RFID solution to provide a tagging system for tracking of critical data for test processes on their engine assembly production line in Swindon.

Honda invests in leading edge technology to ensure they continually improve and enhance the high standards found within their production facilities. Working in line with this ethos, Advantiv researched suitable options available in the marketplace and proposed the integration of a Eureka RFID system to accurately track engines throughout the production process.

The Eureka 411 RFID tagging system implemented involves over 300 high memory tags and 16 tracking antennas providing accurate tracking data, which is sent to the host PC database, enabling engine progress to be monitored at various work stations around the production plant.

This application needed a bespoke enclosure designed to fit with Honda's engine mounting requirements and a tag with large writable data memory capacity. The Eureka 411 high memory tag was chosen as this active tag has an impressive 1,000 writable data characters, second to none data reliability and boasts an excellent operational life.

System Operation

When the tag is within range of a radio frequency field produced by one of the systems tracking antennas, it becomes active and starts to transmit its data. This transmission can function through most non-conducting materials, which means Honda benefit from a system which works in very difficult and harsh environments. The Eureka 411 system allows several tags within the same interrogation field to be identified simultaneously providing fast, reliable and accurate data communication all the way along Honda’s engine assembly line.

There are a number of process stations on the production line, all of which produce data relevant to each engine manufactured. At the end of the production line the data collected by the tag from each station is then downloaded to a PC and stored on a database for ongoing traceability of the engine throughout its life.

By using the Eureka 411 tagging system with the Eureka high memory tags to uniquely identify each engine assembly, the production process is able to quickly collate reliable and accurate information relevant to the build of each engine. This undoubtedly assists in greater quality control and improves the overall running cost and efficiency of the engine production line within the Honda production facility.