AIAG Hosts 10th Annual Forum for Automatic Identification Technologies
Traceability Critical to Reduce Warranty Costs for Automotive Supply Chain
DETROIT, May 2 -- What do the automotive industry, the family dog, and Wal-Mart all have in common? Radio frequency identification (RFID).
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What was one of the major clues found in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing that led to identifying the suspect? A direct-part mark on a piece of the axle from the van used in the bombing that was recovered at the site.
RFID technology is used to identify lost pets, track stock on store shelves, and control and error proof the production process. Direct-part marking (DPM) uses a two-dimensional (2-D) symbol and contains information like supplier identification and serial lot traceability information, which is encoded on the part, and is used now on vehicular engines, axles and many other parts.
And these were just a few of the automatic identification technologies that were highlighted at the Automotive Industry Action Group's (AIAG) 10th annual Auto ID Showcase on April 28, at the Burton Manor in Livonia, Mich., where more than 395 industry professionals gathered to learn about automatic identification and its use in the automotive industry.
The conference started off with comments from Peter Rosenfeld, executive vice president of procurement & supply, DaimlerChrysler Corp., who said that automatic identification has made a major contribution to enhance the global automotive supply chain. In fact, AIAG led the way in this area by establishing the first automotive industry bar code standard in 1984 just as the technology was beginning to penetrate grocery stores.
Rosenfeld also said the AIAG event was an example of OEMs and suppliers coming together to improve efficiency and reduce cost.
Blaise Klenow, director, Chrysler vehicle manufacturing, information technology management, DaimlerChrysler, delivered the event's keynote speech, addressing the importance of automatic identification within the Chrysler Group and how the technology is used to improve quality and productivity.
Presentations and case studies from General Motors Corp., Toolworx Information Products, Inc., Barcode Data Systems, Bar Code Solutions, EDS, Kennedy Group, and Advanced Identification Inc. took place throughout the day to help educate the automotive supply chain about automatic identification solutions (bar coding, DPM, RFID, 2-D symbols) that meet federal mandates while optimizing traceability and error proofing. The Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, & Documentation (TREAD) Act (U.S.) and End-of- Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive reporting (Europe) already call for traceability of automotive parts. Ford Motor Co. also rolled out its new shipping label standard, presenting the specifics of and reasons for the latest changes and the timing of implementation. Presentations can be downloaded from http://www.aiag.org/education/autoid_showcase.cfm .
An exhibit floor showcased emerging automatic identification-related technologies from 39 solution providers. A list of exhibitors and descriptions of the products/services displayed can be viewed at http://www.aiag.org/education/autoidexhibitors2005.cfm .
About AIAG
Founded in 1982, AIAG is a globally recognized organization where OEMs and suppliers unite to address and resolve issues affecting the worldwide automotive supply chain. AIAG's goals are to reduce cost and complexity through collaboration; improve product quality, health, safety and the environment; and optimize speed to market throughout the supply chain. Headquartered in the metro Detroit area, its more than 1,500 member companies include North American, European and Asia-Pacific OEMs and suppliers to the automotive industry. Additional information is available on the Internet at http://www.aiag.org/ .
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