IoT – Replenishment Systems in the Pulp and Paper Industry

Challenge

This global supplier of process automation equipment sells doctor blades to pulp and paper mills. These customers have inaccurate inventory processes, causing emergency shipment requests. Standard inventory management solutions were expensive, complex, and not customizable.

Solution

TeraCode designed a smart cabinet utilizing RFID to track blade change-outs. An iPad lets operators view and update inventory data, integrating with the supplier’s internal platforms.

Technology

We used iOS UI for iPad; Azure cloud for backend and data storage; RFID reader and gateway; integration of RFID tags into the manufacturing processes, and SFDC connection to communicate machine maps data.

Outcome

Downtime and rush orders are minimized at the mills, saving them thousands of dollars per minute. The supplier has data on customer behavior to feed into automated alert and replenishment systems.