The DaimlerChrysler concern has implemented a wireless enterprise communication system from Symbol at its plant in Kassel (Germany). Its task is to reduce costs and increase staff productivity.
DaimlerChrysler uses Symbol MC9000 mobile computers and the Mobility Services Platform to record and transmit data collected at various stages of the production cycle and to manage this data. This includes, among other things, material deliveries as well as the storage and shipping of axles for delivery vehicles.
– We chose Symbol mobile computers because of their reliability, ease of use, and flexibility in installing our own applications. The Symbol MC9000 devices have contributed to a significant increase in the work efficiency of DaimlerChrysler staff – said Karsten Götze, one of the project managers for the implementation of the wireless local area network (WLAN) infrastructure as part of the SAP Automotive system at the DaimlerChrysler plant in Kassel. – For the first time in our company’s plants, a single wireless communication system covering the entire production cycle has been applied.
In plants producing axles for delivery vehicles, huge amounts of data are collected regarding production and storage of products, shipping, and the receipt and delivery of finished goods. Manual counting and labeling of individual screws, rings, and axles was costly and time-consuming for DaimlerChrysler. Symbol’s mobile computers have helped speed up this process by enabling data collection and transmission via a secure wireless local area network to printers.
– The MC9000 mobile devices provide the reliability required in manufacturing plants because they can withstand drops onto concrete floors and are resistant to other external factors, such as airborne dust particles – added Götze.
Symbol MC9000 mobile computers also offer other benefits to distribution centers – all applications installed on them are directly connected to the SAP Automotive system operating at DaimlerChrysler. For this purpose, the Mobisys Solution Builder module was used – an SAP-certified add-on tool developed specifically for Symbol mobile computers. The computers are equipped with a built-in MSP platform agent, which facilitates the deployment, maintenance, and management of mobile systems in enterprises. Thanks to this, DaimlerChrysler can automatically deploy and install new applications on all Symbol mobile computers and manage them, as well as test devices remotely. Compared to manual testing, this solution provides significant time savings and lower operating costs.