Anyone who has ever ordered a new car knows that the list of extras is long and the number of variants is constantly increasing. For car manufacturers, this individuality comes with major challenges. This is because many components are virtually indistinguishable from the outside - for example, a seat belt for German cars looks very similar to one for non-EU cars. Safety-relevant components are therefore provided with a barcode that has to be scanned manually. In the course of digitalization, RFID relieves employees of this routine task and at the same time gives them the certainty that they have installed the right parts by automatically checking them.

Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF in Magdeburg are now equipping production and logistics processes for digitalization and Industry 4.0. "RFID tags on components, short for Radio Frequency Identification, can significantly increase process reliability and efficiency," says Marc Kujath, researcher at the IFF. "We have proven this both through feasibility studies and radio tests that we carried out together with Mercedes-Benz Vans at the Ludwigsfelde plant near Berlin." Such RFID systems consist of the RFID tag on the component and a scanner that reads the information without contact. In a first step, the researchers investigated which of the numerous components of a vehicle are best suited - and identified up to 40 parts. For further developments, the experts initially focused on mirrors and seats.

Inspection during or after installation

The RFID tags are attached to each individual safety-critical component - such as the individual mirrors. A serial number is stored on the tags, similar to a barcode. The big differences: While the barcode only stores information on what type of mirror it is, the RFID tag number provides a wealth of information, such as which vehicle the mirror is to be installed in. While the barcodes have to be read one by one manually with a hand scanner, the RFID tags can all be scanned at the same time automatically and contactlessly - even if the parts have already been installed.

High diversity of variants in automotive production: Many components are almost indistinguishable from the outside for the workers. (Image: Fraunhofer IFF)

This means that the information can be retrieved at any time in a matter of seconds via the RFID tags. This is a decisive advantage for production. For example, during the assembly of the front or rear axle, it is possible to check whether all the required components have been installed. Previously, this was only recorded in the final inspection - by employees using visual inspection and paper lists. "The RFID tags allow us to increase transparency," explains Kujath.

The researchers from the IFF took care of both the technology and the operating concept. "This required several steps, which we tackled together with our partner Mercedes-Benz Vans. For example, we reduced the blind spots in production planning. This means that the project managers now know where the pitfalls of the process lie - and can ask the right questions at the right time. We have also thought through the various roles, as the project manager needs different information to the technician," adds Kujath. The next step is to carry out series tests at Daimler. as