Case Studies

An automotive company needed to make increasingly variable products on a complex and rigid assembly line.  By using Ubisense SmartSpace, flexible workstations were defined in software allowing changes in real-time so workers could catch-up overrunning tasks or work-ahead without affecting other processes.  This eliminated idle time waiting for products to enter workstations and by smoothing line flow, there was an 80% reduction in line stoppages from overruns.

A manufacturer of speciality materials and chemicals kept manual records of similar looking products over a wide storage area, which was error prone and wasted time searching for products, delaying shipments and impacting cost and customer satisfaction.  With Ubisense, pallets of products were tracked and locations integrated with SAP to give real-time, accurate visibility of the shipping area at all times, reducing wasted search time and increasing levels of control.

An aerospace manufacturer needed to quadruple production of an aircraft while significantly reducing cost.  Productivity was hampered by an inability to locate and monitor critical tools, parts and equipment across a large site.  Ubisense gave real-time visibility of all production assets across the site and integrated with planning and manufacturing execution systems.  Previously hidden process waste was highlighted, helping reduce cost, improve parts supply and ensuring production targets were met.

Assembly of increasingly complex and highly variable products were causing errors and a growing quantity of vehicles requiring rework.  Repair bays often stood empty waiting for the next product increasing cycle time.  Ubisense provided real-time search and mapping on mobile devices so products could be immediately located and scheduled for repair based on priority.  Cycle time was optimized and costs reduced by increasing resource utilization and eliminated unnecessary overtime shifts to catch-up on backlog.

Planes manufactured across a distributed network of sub- and final-assembly plants, required complex forecasting, scheduling and sequencing of tasks.  Manual data capture at regional sites was error prone and often delayed by up to one month, giving poor visibility of processes and inventory.  Ubisense created a digital-twin of each sub-assembly plant, giving a real-world view of actual process against plan, synchronizing the shop floor with ERP systems, removing errors and delays.

A nation’s military runs a large number of simulated training environments, such as urban combat, to continually improve performance.  Ubisense tracks the real-time movement of soldiers and simulated equipment in 3-dimensions to capture combat-relevant events and integrate into After Action Review (AAR) systems.  Detailed review data and instant video indexing by location and event helps optimize soldier training programs.

A toxic waste landfill site was undergoing decontamination, requiring people to work safely in a very hazardous environment.  Ubisense tracked workers inside the temporary building in real-time, logging last known position of workers.  Workers were kept safe by ensuring safety protocols were followed and rescue teams were assisted in case of emergency.  The site successfully closed after 5 years.

A leading logistics company required improved warehouse management to reduce insurance premiums across multiple sites.  Ubisense tracks barcode scanners around the cross-docking warehouses. Whenever a package is scanned, the precise package location is determined and video recording started from one of many cameras around the building. The aggregate video stream for each package is a “video diary” that can be used to demonstrate correct handling of the package in case of an insurance claim.

A healthcare provider required more detailed activity monitoring to improve rehabilitation programs and patient outcomes.  Ubisense tracks patients during their recovery with fine-grained location and movement sensor data, automatically assessing their mobility in hospitals and allowing comparison with rehabilitation plans.

A national primate research center conducting behavioural research programs required tracking of animal interactions.  Ubisense tracked ape colonies, gathering data on animal movements around the facility, allowing researchers to understand the behaviour of the animals in greater detail.

A UK national sports team wanted to use data and analytics from training exercises to improve player performance.  Ubisense tracked the precise location and movement of players in training, providing key performance attributes for analysis including speed, distance travelled, and challenges made.

A large Canadian department store wanted to improve customer experiences in store and reduce waiting time for accessing product experts.  Key in-store personnel were given Ubisense tags, which allowed other members staff to quickly locate experts in any particular product line when customers asked difficult questions.