Enhancing competitive advantage with radio-frequency identification (RFID) enabled returnable transport equipment (RTE)

Fierce competition within the third party logistics (3PL) market has developed as providers compete to win customers and enhance their competitive advantage through cost reduction plans and creating service differentiation. 3PL providers are expected to develop advanced technological and logistical service applications that can support cost reduction while increasing service innovation. To enhance competitiveness, this paper proposes the implementation of radio-frequency identification (RFID) enabled returnable transport equipment (RTE) in combination with the consolidation of network assets and cross-docking. RFID enabled RTE can significantly improve network visibility of all assets with continuous real-time data updates. A four-level cyclic model aiding 3PL providers to achieve competitive advantage has been developed. The focus is to reduce assets, increase asset utilisation, reduce RTE cycle time and introduce real-time data in the 3PL network. Furthermore, this paper highlights the need for further research from the 3PL perspective. Copyright © 2013 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Identification of key temperature measurement technologies for the enhancement of product and equipment integrity in the light controlled factory

Thermal effects in uncontrolled factory environments are often the largest source of uncertainty in large volume dimensional metrology. As the standard temperature for metrology of 20°C cannot be achieved practically or economically in many manufacturing facilities, the characterisation and modelling of temperature offers a solution for improving the uncertainty of dimensional measurement and quantifying thermal variability in large assemblies. Technologies that currently exist for temperature measurement in the range of 0-50°C have been presented alongside discussion of these temperature measurement technologies' usefulness for monitoring temperatures in a manufacturing context. Particular aspects of production where the technology could play a role are highlighted as well as practical considerations for deployment. Contact sensors such as platinum resistance thermometers can produce accuracy closest to the desired accuracy given the most challenging measurement conditions calculated to be ∼0.02°C. Non-contact solutions would be most practical in the light controlled factory (LCF) and semi-invasive appear least useful but all technologies can play some role during the initial development of thermal variability models.