Autoneum began its operations in Poland in 1998 and currently operates two factories, in Nowogard and Katowice, employing 530 people. The acoustic and thermal insulation, rear shelves, headliners, and car carpets produced in Nowogard and Katowice are sold not only in Poland but also exported to Sweden, Belgium, England, Germany, France, Spain, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Consequently, proper product labeling and efficient warehouse management are of great importance.
Until now, the Autoneum production plant in Katowice did not utilize its ERP system for barcode management. There was no wireless network in the facility. Due to the lack of a barcode system, products were labeled with tags that did not contain the aforementioned barcodes, which made scanning impossible. In response to customer requirements, work was initiated to implement a product barcode labeling system for reporting shipments and receipts. For such a system to function, a radio network was required.
SKK, having extensive experience in implementing WLAN wireless networks in production and warehouse environments, proposed that Autoneum implement a centrally managed Cisco radio network based on Access Points. The wireless network implementation, carried out by SKK, consisted of two stages: design, and installation and commissioning. The most important element of the design stage was a site survey combined with radio wave propagation measurements. The site survey aimed to identify areas that strongly attenuate or scatter the radio signal, identify sources of interference in the frequency range used by WLAN networks, and familiarize the team with the structure of the halls where the radio network was to operate.
This made it possible to precisely determine the number and placement of wireless network base stations, select the appropriate antennas, allocate power and radio channels, and subsequently design the radio network. As part of the cooperation, SKK conducted radio wave propagation studies, then designed the wireless network, prepared the radio infrastructure, performed the cabling, and installed the access points operating within the radio network. Furthermore, SKK conducted training for the system administrator.
The implementation of the radio network proposed by SKK, which works with the ERP system at Autoneum, provides the company with measurable benefits. The applied solution allowed for increased control over material flow in the warehouse and supervision of inventory levels. Thanks to the installation of the radio network, Autoneum’s products are labeled with barcodes, and every container in which goods are packed has its own identifier, which facilitates the reporting of shipments and receipts. Within the radio network, it is possible to scan and report production, which was previously carried out based on paper documents. This enabled a partial transition away from paper documentation and a reduction in errors made during warehouse operations. Thanks to the implementation, some warehouse operations at the Autoneum production plant in Katowice are now conducted via the radio network.
SKK is a Partner of the Solution Provider Cooperation Program organized by ILiM – GS1 Poland. Through participation in this Program, it has gained the right to use the “GS1 Compliant” mark.