PDTs Track Valuable Containers
Plants use portable data terminals to trace
chemical containment bins and cylinders
Portable data terminals (PDTS) are helping companies save money
and improve efficiency by keeping track of valuable chemical containment
bins and cylinders of industrial gases.
Hercules Inc., for example, is using PDTs at seven locations
across the United States and Canada to track 3,000 stainless steel
chemical containment bins. The Wilmington, DE-based Hercules uses
the bins to ship and store paper chemicals such as water-soluble
polymers, antifoams, resins and wax emulsions. The bins, which
cost $2,000 each, are tracked as they are delivered to customers,
returned, inspected for damage and cleaned.
Besides using the information collected at the plants, the terminal
data are downloaded to field representatives so they can check
the status of bins that have been at customer sites longer than
usual. The system provides Hercules with timely verification of
bin status and condition, so employees are no longer trying to
ship containers that are, in fact, still at another customer's
plant, need repair or have not been filled.
Bar codes
Bins are bar coded, and product and customer bar codes are kept
in a notebook. Before shipping, customer, product and bin labels
are scanned to create a record of each shipment.
The information is uploaded from the terminals to a Lotus Notes
Networking database. The terminals contain software designed by
a Hercules cross-functional tote-bin tracking team. The database
tracks bin information such as turns and damage and customer information
such as average number of days bins have been outstanding. The
system also handles current information on each bin such as days
outstanding and physical condition.
All seven plants feed information into a common database, allowing
each to process bins from the others. A small macro is automatically
run daily in the database, e-mailing sales reps notices of customers
with bins outstanding more than 30, 45, 90 or 120 days. The representative
then investigates the status of the bins and informs the plant
of the findings.
Lisa DeHaan, LAN Administrator for Hercules, said, "Before PDTS,
many plants tracked the bins either manually or with a spreadsheet.
The validity of the data was dependent on an individual receiving
the correct documentation with the shipment and recording it either
on paper or into the spreadsheet. Many of the documents were lost
in paper shuffle or the information was recorded incorrectly.
We had bins showing on-site that were actually at a customer plant
and vice versa. After years of manual entry, we were not sure
where bins actually were. Before contacting a sales person concerning
overdue bins, many plants had to verify their data-a time-consuming
chore."
Many benefits
DeHaan praised the PDT's. "The benefits of the system are many,"
she said. "With each salesperson equipped with a laptop and Lotus
Notes, they have immediate access to current information about their
customers' bin status. The validity of the information has improved
100%. The majority of 'lost' bins have been recovered. We have immediate
access to the number of turns each bin has been through, allowing
us to better manage our fleet, thus extending the life of each bin
and reducing the number of new bin purchases."
Tracking the missing or dam aged parts of a bin, DeHaan said,
allows Hercules to ensure integrity before shipment. The company
is also tracking the product last shipped in each bin, helping
to protect tote-bin washers from exposure to unexpected substances.
According to DeHaan, the only problem with the system was spotty
and involved handling of the database with some antiquated computer
equipment. Some plants had 386 and 486 computers acting as servers,
causing the download process to take I hr to 2 hr. Most plants
now have at least Pentium 200 Megahertz servers on Windows NT
platforms. DeHaan said during the first two years, the PDTs have
proved durable, with no maintenance required. The PDTs use a Ni/Cd
battery, and none have been replaced so far.
Now, the company knows how many bins are at each site at any
time, which products each customer is using and how long it takes
to turn inventory. Management can view bin information by plant
or company. Hercules can now help customers use financial resources
better by identifying where inventory is turning too slowly, possibly
requiring a change in ordering practices. Hercules can also identify
the places where bins are damaged and the customers who are failing
to return bins. The company has increased return on capital for
the bins and reduced bin maintenance costs.
Gas company tracks cylinders
Tri-Gas, an industrial gas distributor, also uses PDTs to protect
assets. With a barcode tracking system, the company follows cylinders
of industrial gases as they are delivered and picked up from customers.
The cylinders, 600,000 in all, are valued at up to $1,600 each.
The system has been installed in 38 of the company's 50 locations,
which typically have 10,000 to 75,000 cylinders. In addition,
Tri-Gas operates seven rental stores. Most of the stores also
have fill operations, filling on average 4,000 cylinders each
month. They use the bar-code tracking system to identify and monitor
filled cylinders.
With PDTs, Tri-Gas can track inventory and prepare invoices
for gas purchases and cylinder rental. The investment in the tracking
system is expected to pay for itself within three years.
Single-handed operation
PDTs are designed for single-handed data collection, leaving one
hand free. That reduces fatigue and increases productivity.
For applications requiring bar-code reading, PDTs come with
integrated laser scanners or tethered scanners. Plus, they can
decode all popular symbologies.
PDTs come with basic tracking software but also put the user
in control by allowing applications software written with a favorite
program editor. A nonproprietary BASIC interpreter, similar to
the Microsoft BASIC interpreter, is incorporated into PDTS. Enhancements
have been added to the language to give programmers control of
the unit and the bar-code reading capabilities. BASIC gives programmers
good execution speed, built-in debugging and good file handling
capabilities.
Reprinted from:
Chemical Processing Magazine
October 1998
