New Vehicle Management System has proven record

Vehicle logistics using modern technologies are now well established across a diverse range of industries: the Bilanciai Group have had particular success with a new software system in cement plants

Vehicle logistics using modern communication technologies are now well established across a diverse range of industries.

The technology has been successfully adopted by leading cement producers, where it has been proven to optimise vehicle routing and deliveries for both bulk and bagged cementitious products.

However such systems are typically implemented to manage vehicle movements outside the plant.

As a result, vehicle loading and unloading procedures at busy plants and terminals can cause major headaches for staff, operators and drivers.

Prolonged waiting times and traffic bottlenecks bring frustration, whilst complex and inaccurate record keeping inevitably leads to lost revenue and fails to detect fraudulent activities.

Unfortunately existing plant ERP systems are not designed and implemented to address these problems.

They can only react to data they are given and this typically leads to a gap between the ERP system itself and plant activities such as loading and unloading.

Having recognised this problem, the renowned Bilanciai Group Technology Centre have used their expertise in industrial weighing and system interface implementation to provide a cost effective and fool proof solution to meet these challenges.

The resulting SLV500 is an innovative vehicle management system, which already has a proven track record in a number of European cement plants.

The system introduces new concepts to the control of truck and lorry movements during loading and unloading procedures in industrial plants, ports and terminals, acting as a 'thin client' to existing ERP systems.

The SLV500, which is a blend of hardware and software modules, uses real time weight data from critical control points throughout the plant, including weighbridges and bulk loading scales, to optimise vehicle loading and unloading.

Through the use of driver operated terminals, controlled via RFID cards, the Bilanciai solution provides a high degree of self-service for drivers during the loading procedures.

This streamlines vehicle movement and reduces the number of operators required within the plant.

Through a flexible interface, SLV500 integrates seamlessly with existing ERP systems, bringing essential real time data from the plant environment into existing operating management software, providing 100% traceability of product movement.

The Bilanciai solution provides a fully modular approach allowing the level of implementation appropriate to a particular site.

The control provided by the system starts as vehicles arrive in the parking area and continues through to vehicle departure.

At each and every stage, the SLV checks to ensure the vehicle has a valid open order in the system.

PARKING.

The parking management module organises and manages the access control to the plant.

When a vehicle arrives in the parking area, the driver identifies his vehicle at the SLV terminal using the designated smart card.

The plant management system then checks these details against orders on the system and availability of product.

A large digital display in the parking area lists the vehicle registration details, asking the driver to wait.

The system identifies the correct route through the plant and monitors the number of vehicles currently on site.

As soon as space is available, the display calls the vehicle to the entry point.

An additional loud speaker system can also be used to attract the driver's attention.

CHECK-IN : CHECK-OUT.

The check-in module certifies that only authorized vehicles have access to the plant, after they have been called from the parking area, whilst the check-out module ensures the vehicle can only leave after the correct loading or unloading procedure has taken place.

The type of transaction determines whether the vehicle should be weighed on exit.

The check-out terminals are fitted with thermal printers, which produce the required transaction documents.

Operation is via a card reader mechanism, avoiding the necessity for the driver to leave the vehicle during the departure process.

BULK LOADING.

The bulk loading module controls the complete bulk loading operation, allowing the driver to carry out a fully self-service loading routine.

When the driver arrives on the weighbridge under the loading spout, he identifies himself at the SLV console via the smart card.

The system verifies that the vehicle operator has an open valid order in the system before instructing the driver to proceed to the loading control terminal.

Here the driver positions the spout over the vehicle inlet.

Once the spout is correctly positioned and locked in place, the driver is instructed to initiate the fill sequence and the system automatically dispenses the correct amount of material into the vehicle.

The driver now removes the spout and leaves the weighbridge.

All details relating to the fill are automatically recorded in the ERP system.

At the exit to the plant the vehicle checks out through the non-weighed channel where the driver identifies himself via the smart card and is issued with a receipt.

The plant management system is automatically updated with the transaction details.

PALLETISED GOODS.

The pallet module is designed to control vehicle loading operations involving bagged or palletised products.

When the driver arrives at the pallet loading area, he identifies himself at the SLV terminal via his smart card.

The system then checks the information against open orders and sends a message to the forklift truck operator with details on the load required.

The system uses informative panels and wireless terminals with RF technology to provide the operators of forklift vehicles with the necessary information to correctly start and finish every loading operation.

This eliminates problems and errors associated with cumbersome paper work.

It also allows the pre-preparation of product ready for collection, thereby optimising the loading time.

Once the vehicle has been loaded, the driver proceeds to the exit where the vehicle is weighed.

Using the information from the first weighing carried out on arrival at the plant, the load is checked against the order.

If this is within tolerance the driver is issued with a receipt and allowed to leave the plant.

The SLV can be used for the automatic loading of bags directly onto the vehicle.

Again the operation is controlled via the driver-operated terminal using system data for the particular order.

In this situation, the vehicle is weighed on entry and departure.

RAW MATERIAL OFF-LOADING.

Controlling the delivery of bulk raw material to the plant can either be executed using the entry and exit terminals by weighing the vehicle full and empty, or at a separate terminal that controls a weighbridge specifically assigned to the unloading of raw materials.

The use of a separate dedicated weighbridge is particularly useful if there is a specific entrance for vehicles delivering raw material and this also reduces congestion at the main gate.

Details showing drivers where to go on arrival are programmed to be shown on the screen in the parking area.

CONCLUSION.

With a return on investment of less than 12 months, this innovative concept is bridging an important gap in vehicle management and logistics at cement plants.

It is complementary to external vehicle logistics systems and ERP systems.

Where it has been implemented, vehicle congestion and waiting times have been dramatically reduced, with loading times improved by up to 90%.

Full product movement traceability is provided and fraud has been all but eliminated.

The self service related benefits reduce manpower requirements and provide round the clock plant access for drivers.

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