Ford. Go further with Ubisense.
Ford may have pioneered the moving assembly line in vehicle production, but Ubisense location sensing technology can take it to the next level – digitizing all the manual and moving parts of the vehicle assembly process to help Ford improve fitness and operational execution.
Ubisense understands the two main drivers of cost in automotive assembly: time and quality.
Reducing assembly time increases throughput and maximizes the utilization of valuable manufacturing resources. Improving quality by eliminating errors reduces expensive repair and rework processes, and lowers future warranty costs.
Drive Ford beyond the fixed workstation
Completely remove the constraints of fixed TAKT workstations at Ford by defining infinitely variable and dynamic work zones in software.
Produce multiple product variations on the same line, eliminate idle time waiting for the next product, and complete overrunning tasks without the risk of line stoppages.
- Vary workstation length on the same physical line based on product variant
- Introduce new product lines without expensive line reconfiguration
- Temporarily extend workstations to complete overrunning tasks or allow work ahead on the next product
- Create partially overlapping workstations to maximize the use of space
- Allow online re-work that is controlled and tracked
Solutions for Ford
Tool Control
Directly control wireless tools in real-time on fast-moving or complex assembly lines.
Yard Management
Locate and manage Work-In-Progress (WIP) in real-time across indoor and outdoor storage areas.
Production Logistics
Add real-time location context to traditional parts management to increase efficiency.
Flexible production for a winning portfolio
Respond faster to global market fluctuations and changing, even more individual customer demand. Digital process chains will mean efficient inventory control, with products, parts and components visible and identifiable anytime and anywhere.
Flexible and more efficient production processes will support shorter innovation cycles and allow introduction of new product innovations into model series in the shortest possible time.
Bringing IIoT to Commercial Vehicles
Rapid advances in the Industrial Internet of Things and analytics are reshaping commercial vehicle production, requiring OEMs to innovate through technology leadership, data analytics and building new business capabilities. Ubisense can help you find new ways to reduce costs, create new value streams and increase the quality of your products and services.
Connecting manufacturing systems to real-world business process is fundamental to realising this vision, and with SmartSpace® you can close a fundamental data-gap between production systems and the real-world physical activities that drive value creation.
Ford vision. Our mission.
We are proud to be a trusted adviser to some of the biggest automotive, aerospace and transit companies in the world, offering in-depth knowledge of the sectors in which we operate and the challenges that our customers face, at every level of the organisation.
Our solutions are based on our powerful, sensor-agnostic enterprise platform that uses location to deliver a real-time digital twin of our customer’s physical operations, proven to drive quality, increase productivity, manage complexity and reduce costs.
Restart operation safely
Ensure employee safety and accelerate return-to-work by monitoring social distancing and person-person and person-object-person contact tracing.
High-confidence separation measurement
- Tags (carried by people or attached to equipment) are precisely located in 3 dimensions to within 15cm
- Dimension4™ RTLS stability provides high-confidence contact traces uncontaminated by the false positives of less accurate systems
- SmartSpace® tracks contact events, not people, overtime; tag data is completely anonymized until a potential safety risk is identified
AI-driven contagion model
- The SmartSpace® AI-driven contagion model operates well beyond simple separation measurement, using detailed models to understand movement and interaction of people over time and within the context of their environment
- The contagion model is quickly and easily adaptable as transmission mechanisms become better understood
AI-driven contagion model
- The SmartSpace® AI-driven contagion model operates well beyond simple separation measurement, using detailed models to understand movement and interaction of people over time and within the context of their environment
- The contagion model is quickly and easily adaptable as transmission mechanisms become better understood
Smart industry and the electric car demand
The passenger vehicle industry is undergoing unprecedented change, driven by consumer choice and the growing demand for electric and hybrid vehicles. Driven by transformative digital technologies, the factory of the future will need to be flexible, standardised and efficient to maintain or grow competitive advantage.
Connecting manufacturing systems to real-world business process is fundamental to realising this vision, and with SmartSpace® OEMs can close a fundamental data-gap between their production systems and the real-world physical activities that drive their product and value creation.
Ubisense Success Story
You’re in good company.
Ubisense is proud to be a trusted adviser and supplier to some of the biggest and most forward thinking automotive companies in the world
Our solutions are based on our powerful, sensor agnostic SmartSpace® enterprise platform, which uses location to deliver a real-time digital twin of our customer’s physical operations, driving quality, increasing productivity, managing complexity and reducing costs.
Location Data Integration
Ubisense Dimension4™ Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) uses not just Ultra-Wideband (UWB) but can integrate any location sensing technology to offer extended use cases across the automotive plant.
Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) or RFID can be integrated in the same system for high volume parts and materials tracking to optimize production logistics, optical vision and laser systems offer millimetre level accuracy for critical fastening and tightening sequencing, and GPS extends coverage outside to storage and test areas.
Application Integration
Ubisense connects to any existing system of record, including ERP and MES to update planning and execution with real-time events and activity, and tool control systems to ensure correct operations are enabled, tracked and audited to reduce errors and improve quality.
Extensible APIs support any non-typical integration through various interfacing technologies including REST services, .NET, and direct RDBMS integration.
Reporting and Dashboard
Build and customize process and KPI reports from large volumes of historical and real-time data. Move from out-of-date excel planning documents to real-time systems offering insight and optimisation of off-line repair and rework processes like Aston Martin <link to case study>
Highlight process inefficiencies and give decision makers valuable business insights into performance, trends and previously hidden processes.
How to get started
Speak to one of our automotive experts to define the sensor and tag coverage required to enable the solution you need; wireless tool control, production logistics, yard management and repair/rework optimisation.
Software integrations with ERP, MES and tool controllers enabled, and reporting and dashboards easily configured whether on-premise or in the cloud.
Hardware installation and configuration with Ubisense and local partners, including automated sensor calibration and verification.
Ongoing tech support and training to ensure continued performance and optimisation for busy, dynamic and complex manufacturing facilities.
Technology
World-class technology specifically designed to operate in complex and dynamic automotive plants with a proven track record of reducing costs and increasing efficiencies.
Advisory
Trusted advisers offering deep understanding of digitizing the automotive assembly processes from long-standing relationships with leading global OEMs.
Customer Service
Strong customer references demonstrating compelling return on investments and a global service network meaning local support where you need it.
Zero Interruption
A solution architected with automotive manufacturers in mind, with the ability to install, configure, test and deploy without disruption to ongoing operations.
Additional features
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Assembly Line Rework – Ubisense Virtual Conference 2023
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Gone in 60 seconds – thinking beyond the fixed workstation
Ever since Ransom Olds introduced the automotive assembly line in 1901, and Henry Ford the moving conveyor in 1913
It’s about time automotive manufacturers replace a 70-year-old technology
The barcode was first imagined in 1948 by Joseph Woodland, inspired by the dots and dashes of Morse code.
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