Case study
Carlisle Interconnect Technologies
Leading manufacturer of aerospace cable and wire increases warehouse data collection speed by 40% with RFgen mobile barcoding for SAP.
Results
- Reduced staffing costs by reassigning one full-time employee and eliminating two temporary positions
- Increased receiving speed by up to 40%
- Consolidated 4-5 SAP putaway transactions to 2 scans
- Issued material to the floor 40% faster
- Improved accuracy in the quantity and measurement of raw materials to 99%+
- Reduced annual inspection time by approximately 24 hours
- Eliminated the need for an annual inventory inspection due to automated cycle counting
Challenge
Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (CarlisleIT) sought to introduce barcoding to its facilities to improve accuracy and efficiency in the raw materials warehouse, the manufacturing floor, and the shipping department.
Previously, CarlisleIT’s St. Augustine, Florida warehouse was processing transactions manually in their SAP ERP system, without the benefit of barcode scanners or any type of mobile data collection. In various tasks — putting away materials, issuing materials to the shop floor, or shipping goods — each transaction required multiple, time-consuming steps.
Results
- Reduced staffing costs by reassigning one full-time employee and eliminating two temporary positions
- Increased receiving speed by up to 40%
- Consolidated 4-5 SAP putaway transactions to 2 scans
- Issued material to the floor 40% faster
- Improved accuracy in the quantity and measurement of raw materials to 99%+
- Reduced annual inspection time by approximately 24 hours
- Eliminated the need for an annual inventory inspection due to automated cycle counting
Solution
A suite of pre-written, SAP-certified data collection of solutions from RFgen was adapted to feature real-time, bi-directional information exchange with CarlisleIT’s SAP system.
The implementation of RFgen’s mobile data collections drove greater worker productivity and reduced errors by automating routine warehouse and plant floor transactions. Workers can now complete tasks with mobile devices, including barcode scanners. This mobile data collection software solution was quickly adapted to the unique workflows of the manufacturer.
RFgen has enabled our staff to reduce what used to be multiple transactions in SAP and complete the work up to 40% faster. Before RFgen, we would write the weight on the box by hand and hope somebody would cross it out and write the new weight during return.
Jim Necci, Warehouse Manager
Carlisle Interconnect TechnologiesResults
Nineteen warehouse employees now use RFgen with barcode scanners, and they’ve achieved measurable gains in productivity and accuracy. RFgen’s capabilities have strengthened the overall production process and streamlined supply chain management efforts for the organization and its customers.
Benefits and results include:
- Reduced staffing costs by reassigning one full-time employee and eliminating two temporary positions
- Increased receiving speed by up to 40%
- Consolidated 4-5 SAP putaway transactions to 2 scans
- Issued material to the floor 40% faster
- Improved accuracy in the quantity and measurement of raw materials to 99%+
- Reduced annual inspection time by approximately 24 hours
- Eliminated the need for an annual inventory inspection due to automated cycle counting
With mobile barcode scanners, RFgen helped the CarlisleIT team save time and improve the utilization of warehouse employees. Receiving and putaway gained an optimal level of efficiency. Workers accustomed to 4-5 manual steps in SAP now point-and-scan the RFgen label and then point-and-scan the rack bin label.
“RFgen has enabled our staff to reduce what used to be multiple transactions in SAP and complete the work up to 40% faster. Before RFgen, we would write the weight on the box by hand and hope somebody would cross it out and write the new weight during return,” Necci said. “Now, RFgen instantly transacts how much came back and it automatically adds that to the amount in the box and then prints out a new label with updated quantity. Our raw material accuracies with RFgen are above 99%, up from the low 90s. Mistakes have completely disappeared.”
The plant loves this software. The warehouse guys are absolutely ecstatic. The shipping guys cannot wait until it gets to their area.
Jim Necci, Warehouse Manager
Carlisle Interconnect Technologies
Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (CarlisleIT), a division of Carlisle Companies Incorporated, produces high-performance wire and cable, including optical fiber. The company manufactures a wide range of products used in electronics for the commercial aerospace and defense industries.