Point-of-use vending and dispensing helps manage and control the use of regularly required MRO, safety supplies, and high volume and high-value items, thus reducing waste, lowering cost, and increasing productivity.
Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) consumable and durable supplies are overhead costs that reduce a company’s gross profit. Thus, the value and strong market demand for automated point-of-use MRO industrial vending and dispensing systems.
RFID transponder technologies
As this US-based manufacturer (who requested anonymity) sells globally, the RFID-enabled access control card reader in their machines must accommodate the many different RFID transponder technologies used by its customers worldwide.
The RFID-enabled access control card reader must accommodate the different RFID transponder technologies
From personal protective equipment to industrial tools to high-value medical devices, the latest generation of ‘smart’ vending and dispensing machines provide efficiently, automated inventory and asset management of consumables and durables, accessed with just a wave of the employee’s RFID badge. This company, a pioneer in the design and manufacture of such machines for industrial environments, was having challenges accommodating the many different RFID card transponder technologies used by its customers worldwide.
Inventory management nightmare
They required over 60 unique part numbers from their incumbent supplier to provide the correct RFID-enabled access control card reader for the RFID card transponder technology. Carrying 60-part numbers proved an inventory management nightmare, resulting in logistics complexities, outdated parts, waste and excessive inventory carrying costs.
The company sought to find a single part-number RFID card reader solution to accommodate virtually all their customers, regardless of the employee RFID card transponder technology. The cost of the reader had to be comparable to the one currently in use, and its programming had to be fast and easy. The company found and selected ELATEC to replace the incumbent supplier and implemented the TWN4 MultiTech 2 RFID card and NFC mobile credential reader, which enabled a virtual single-part number solution.
Inventory replenishment program
ELATEC solved an inventory replacement concern by implementing a ‘safety stock’
With the MultiTech 2 reader, the company dramatically reduced its 60-part number requirement, decreasing it to only 3-part numbers (including HID Prox and HID I Class and SEOS reader options).
Utilising the ELATEC TechTracer™ Lite card analyser, the company quickly identified which of the 60 RFID transponder technologies was in use and enabled the customer to easily configure the programmable MultiTech 2 reader to their exact requirements. Additionally, ELATEC solved an inventory replacement concern by implementing a ‘safety stock’ immediate inventory replenishment program.
International support team
ELATEC also provided onsite training and ongoing web-based training for the manufacturer. By selecting ELATEC TWN4 MultiTech 2 readers, the manufacturer eliminated its inventory management problems, improved its financial accountability, and enhanced its product performance.
The ELATEC family of card and mobile credential readers are offered at a competitive price and are supported by a renowned international support team. ELATEC readers support all major RFID transponder technologies globally; more than 60, plus NFC and BLE, and is certified in up to 110 countries (for TWN4 MultiTech 2 BLE programmability).