Conbee GmbH from Wehrheim im Taunus specializes in the optimization of logistics processes. The company, based north of Frankfurt/Main, develops sensors that can be used to localize materials, vehicles or load carriers in real time in operational logistics. As a building block for Industry 4.0, such a sensor (known as an IoT smart tag) enables effective tracking scenarios with added value for logistics and production processes.
An IoT smart tag developed by Conbee GmbH was named best product of the year at LogiMAT 2017.
Managing Director Michael Nickolai explains the advantages of the sensor as follows:
With the help of IoT smart tags, companies are able to improve their warehouse concepts, save resources and optimize their logistics processes across the entire supply chain. In this way, effective information generation becomes child’s play. The intelligent sensor system transmits data and information about the surroundings, status and movement of all vehicles and devices on the company premises in real time.
The battery-operated Smart Tag has also been optimized for maximum runtime with minimum energy consumption and provides up to three years of service even with intensive use. The IoT smart tag is also available in two extremely robust (ruggedized) versions aimed at the industrial market in harsh environments.
The designers and engineers from industrialpartners and their creative ideas were responsible for the product design and mechanical development of the smart sensors B200R – Rugged Smart TAG and B400R – Rugged Smart TAG.
Small but powerful: The robust B200R has the special feature of integrated temperature monitoring. This makes it possible to smartly control and monitor critical processes using the tag: For example, compliance with the cold chain for certain products or triggering alarms when critical threshold values are reached. The integrated radio module transmits the recorded sensor data wirelessly and therefore does not require a SIM card. The IoT smart tag B400R is also characterized by its robust housing, offers authentication functions as a configurable tag and is fraud-proof.
Using the innovative HP Multi Jet Fusion 4200 production system, the industrialpartners team realized the production of a small series of IoT smart tags in-house. Several hundred of the smart tags were manufactured using the rapid prototyping process, which combines high speed with short turnaround times and low material costs and is still one of the most cost-effective additive manufacturing processes.
Whether goods logistics, airport logistics, construction site logistics or warehouse logistics: the modular and scalable IoT Smart Tag offers fast and efficient solutions wherever search times need to be minimized, operations optimized, circulation processes improved or simply an overview of the inventory needs to be maintained. The ability to adapt to individual application requirements combined with high process reliability and greater transparency in asset management make IoT smart tag sensors the new stars in the intralogistics world.
