Background

BHP Industry Solution, a solution provider specializing in digital transformation, has long been a NexAIoT partner in system integration. One of BHP's clients, an electronics manufacturer, was struggling with an outdated warehousing system used to manage a massive warehouse with more than 1,000 shelves. The inventory process was a simple manual operation that was neither cost effective nor beneficial to business expansion.

Challenges

The old warehousing was an eight-station PLC-based system that controlled digital inputs and outputs from sensors and indicators across 1024 storage locations. In addition, the original HMI was neither expandable in performance nor manageable remotely, creating major inconveniences for operation and management.

Solution

- Hardware: NexAIoT NISE 105U, NexAIoT Web HMI

- Automation Software: CODESYS WebVisu

To build a system that supports remote monitoring, BHP again partnered with NexAIoT. A NISE105U loaded with CODESYS Control RTE was used as the master PLC to control 8 slave units. The system design allows further extensions for additional PLC units or inputs and outputs, while a Web HMI enables remote management thanks to CODESYS WebVisu.

Offering

NexAIoT's solution successfully accomplished the task without additional costs for personnel or plant expansion: 1024 spots with all sensors and displays via 8 PLC stations. From a phone or tablet, operations staff and management now have real-time access to the status of the production floor, making it easier to manage items on the shelves and respond to events on site. Increased productivity is just the beginning. The new system is capable of handling more stations as new tasks arise.

[Case study] Warehousing transformation

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