Challenge
The client's sciences lab performs many experiments using assorted lab equipment over a large footprint in the building. Conducting discovery and development experiments for scale-up production purposes, most of the lab equipment is portable and is moved from lab to lab, depending on the needs of the experiments. Consequently, users struggled to locate lab equipment, resulting in delays setting up the lab experiments. The lack of control and clarity over inventory led to frequent unnecessary duplicate equipment purchases.
Approach
We installed an RFID system to track over 600 pieces of equipment at a dedicated location. This RFID application allows users to see the room location of the equipment they need and scan for the equipment once at that room. For convenience and efficiencies, the application is installed on the DeltaV servers that are used to run the experiments and collect data.
Results
The client's lab has significantly reduced time to set up and run experiments, and has reduced purchases of unnecessary equipment, which alone has resulted in savings of more than $100,000.
