Why Traditional RTLS Solutions May Be Holding Your Warehouse Back
Technology in the industrial and warehouse sectors is constantly growing and changing, which provides companies with a lot of potential to improve their operations. These real-time location systems can help exponentially when it comes to improving efficiency, reducing downtime, and enhancing worker safety. However, not all RTLS systems are created equally. Many warehouses still rely on outdated RTLS technology that may actually be hindering progress instead of encouraging it.
At ELOKON, we specialize in advanced safety and automation solutions, including proximity detection systems and UWB tracking. In this article, we will explore why traditional RTLS solutions may be holding your warehouse back and what modern alternatives can offer instead.
RTLS Benefits and Potential Problems
RTLS technology is meant to provide real-time data on the location and movement of machinery, equipment, and employees within a particular area. In theory, this should make decision-making, logistics, and establishing a safer work environment much easier. However, many warehouses are not using the most up-to-date systems and are experiencing diminished returns. Some of the limitations of outdated technologies like WiFi-based systems or RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology are covered below.
Accuracy Issues
Older RTLS solutions often fall short when it comes to accuracy. RFID systems can have error margins of several meters, which is problematic in industrial working environments like warehouses, where precision is critical to maintaining safety around high-traffic areas and narrow aisles. UWB tracking, on the other hand, can provide accuracy under one meter, which greatly improves visibility and control.
Data Delays
Traditional RTLS solutions may not provide accurate real-time data. Wi-Fi-based solutions, for example, can suffer from network congestion and latency. This delay in communication can hinder timely decision-making, especially in fast-paced operations where decisions need to be made quickly in order to maximize production.
Infrastructure Maintenance
Installing and maintaining traditional RTLS systems often requires significant and costly infrastructure investment in the form of readers, antennas, tags, and servers, all of which must be carefully calibrated and aligned. Over time and heavy use, the cost and complexity of maintaining these systems can outweigh the benefits in terms of both time and money.
Limited Flexibility and Potential for Growth
Expanding traditional RTLS across large or rapidly growing industrial facilities can be difficult. Changes in workload, inventory, or layout may require companies to calibrate or reinstall certain components, which leads to unwanted downtime and potential profit loss.
Poor Integration with Safety Systems
Perhaps most critically, older RTLS technology can often operate in silos, separate from safety mechanisms such as proximity warning systems. In today’s working environment, where the lines between automation, data, and safety are increasingly blurred, this separation can leave dangerous gaps in your operational oversight.
Using UWB Tracking to Improve Operations
Ultra Wideband Tracking is emerging as a great alternative to traditional RTLS. By using high-frequency radio signals with a broad spectrum, UWB delivers pinpoint accuracy, fast data transmission, and low power consumption. It is especially well suited for the dynamic and high-density environment of modern warehouses. UWB tracking is changing the RTLS landscape in several ways.
Seamlessly Integrating with Safety Features
UWB works exceptionally well with modern proximity warning systems. These systems can automatically slow down vehicles or alert operators when a pedestrian enters a high-traffic or high-risk zone. With UWB systems, these interactions are instantaneous and very precise, which is vital for preventing accidents in real time.
Providing Superior Accuracy and Real-Time Visibility
UWB can pinpoint locations to within a few centimeters, a dramatic improvement over traditional RTLS systems. This level of accuracy is essential not just for asset tracking but also for integrating with proximity detection systems to enhance collision avoidance and worker safety.
Flexible Infrastructure
Unlike older and out-of-date RTLS models that require fixed infrastructures, UWB systems are highly flexible and versatile. Anchors can be easily repositioned, and the system can scale as your facility grows or evolves to meet new demands. This adaptability is vital for businesses aiming to future-proof their operations.
Overall Cost Savings
Though the initial investment for a UWB tracking system can be higher than that of a traditional RTLS system, the overall cost benefits are significant. Reduced maintenance, fewer operational disruptions, and enhanced safety all contribute to a better return on investment over time.
ELOKON’s Smart RTLS Solutions
ELOKON’s team of experts is dedicated to bringing your industrial workplace into the future with a variety of innovative technologies, including our radio-based system, ELOcate. The ELOcate RTLS system tracks and locates all movement within the warehouse in real time. If any irregularities are detected, ELOcate senses them in real time through a web-based app and sends out a notification. This helps prevent accidents and downtime, which protects both employees and the bottom line. ELOcate has a geofencing capability for securing sensitive areas like the ends of aisles and junctions, where employee visibility can be limited. If a truck drives past a specified boundary, the speed is automatically reduced, and a warning system is triggered to alert anyone in the area. This warning system is also set off in the case of a vehicle entering a zone where it is not permitted. Other benefits of ELOcate include:
- Real-time, precise location of trucks, objects, and people
- Limits interactions between people and equipment
- Automatic notifications of incidents through the app
- Increases safer mobility in and around the warehouse
Update your RTLS System with ELOKON
ELOKON has been providing industrial workplaces with state-of-the-art safety systems for warehouses since 1986. We are dedicated to providing cutting-edge technology, which is why we reinvest our profits back into our own company to further product development and continue to be a leader in our field. We utilize Lidar, radar, UWB, and RFID technologies to help warehouses avoid costly collisions and improve workplace safety for employees. If you are interested in upgrading your old RTLS model, contact ELOKON today and consult with one of our knowledgeable team members.