Through knowledge of the location of assets/personnel at any point in time, the process flow of one’s business can be greatly optimised. Tracking consists of more than just merely knowing the location of an asset; it can be used to monitor certain areas, creating alarms/events on certain conditions (low inventory levels, assets leaving specific area), managing personnel, etc. Tracking solutions can be implemented using either active/passive solutions, or a combination of both.

Active tracking solutions make use of tags that are battery driven and are therefore able to transmit data to a receiver by itself. This results in extra reading distance between a tag and a receiver, as well as added functionality to the tag itself (e.g. bi-directional communication functionality). Passive tracking solutions again make use of passive tags that are not battery driven, and are relatively much less expensive than active tags. To read data from a passive tag, the tag needs to be excited by a reader to obtain data from the tag. This result in smaller reading distances, as well as less functionality available from the tag itself.

Active Tracking Solutions

Active tracking is implemented using RFID tags attached to assets, which allows their location to be known throughout an environment. We use 2.4 GHz active Wi-Fi tags in our solutions which have extremely good signal propagation in any kind of environment due to special modulation and coding techniques. To track an asset, a tag (on asset), wireless access point and exciter (optional) is necessary. The tags and software (MobileView) used to track assets/people are products of AeroScout.

For surface tracking applications we use Cisco wireless network switches or AeroScout Location Receivers in our setup, enabling us to easily integrate into the existing network of most clients. This leads to large savings for the client already using Cisco wireless networks, as there is no need to upgrade to different types of wireless network switches. For underground tracking in harsh environments, like mines, we use MST wireless network switches which are specially designed to operate in harsh underground conditions. Tracking takes place by the tag sending messages at preconfigured intervals to the nearest access point, or by sending a message to an access point when the tag is excited. In open air conditions on surface, we provide tags with special GPS functionality. These tags can still be tracked in outdoor environments, even if Wi-Fi coverage is not possible by utilizing built in GPS receivers.

Passive tracking solutions

Passive tracking is also implemented using tags attached to assets to allow their last location to be known throughout an environment. Tags in the UHF frequency range of 860-960 MHz are used for passive tracking in this specific solution set. To track an asset, a tag (on asset), and a passive tag reader is necessary which is supplied by Motorola. The Motorola RFID reader supports multiple antennas which enables you to strategically place read points across your environment. The passive RFID solution can be fully integrated within AeroScout’s active RFID solution by using the Reva TAP processor, which enhances and integrates passive RFID locations within one visual tracking environment. Therefore most of the functionality available to active tracking can also be implemented using passive RFID tracking at strategic read points.

Tracking at Mines (Underground and Surface)

To keep up with the stringent safety requirements at mines, and to keep up with ever evolving technology as mining is moving to a more autonomous approach, it is becoming absolutely necessary to implement systems like tracking applications in mines. Our tracking and tagging system can be scaled from the largest mine wide tracking system through to the smallest electronic tagging system.

The following benefits arise from our mine tracking solutions.

• Ability to manage mine assets more effectively
• Accurately reporting the location & cycle times of all vehicles in your fleet
• Increase asset utilization and prevent equipment loss
• Control access into restricted ventilation & blasting zones of personnel and machinery through automated tags boards and large format displays
• In case of an emergency, know the whereabouts of personnel to co-ordinate evacuation strategies and/or rescue efforts
  

Tracking at Airports

Airports require complex logistic support systems to operate efficiently in today’s crowded airspace. Implementing tracking solutions at an airport optimise these logistic support systems to be more efficient. Most Airports already have full Wi-Fi network coverage which will make it easy to implement our tracking systems as only tags and exciters (optional) are then required to implement a tracking system. Our tracking solutions for airports offer full terminal equipment visibility (trolleys, wheelchairs etc) and ground support equipment (GSE) visibility (fuel cars, tow bars etc). This will improve the operational efficiency, maintenance management and inventory management at airports.

The following benefits arise from ground support equipment visibility:

• Instantly locate all tagged GSE
• Scheduled and on-demand equipment preventive maintenance reports
• Display equipment due for preventive maintenance on map
• Events triggering variety of alerts for e.g. equipment entering restricted area
• Search for assets and receive alerts using PDA’s or VOIP phones

The following benefits arise from terminal equipment visibility:

• Instant location of all tagged assets
• Accurate asset location of baggage trolleys, electric vehicles, wheelchairs etc, enabling asset management to optimise availability
• Alert for shortage of equipment when a shortage exists, or alert when equipment used leaves a restricted area
  

Tracking in banking/office environment

Large office environments face great challenges in continuously monitoring their assets. Theft of assets (laptops, projectors etc) occurs frequently in organizations where the amount of people passing through office space is just too large to monitor effectively using traditional ways. By using tags attached to office equipment, monitoring of the equipment is made easy by placing chokepoints (exciters/readers) at entrances to office space. Events or alarms can be triggered when equipment moves through these chokepoints to effectively keep log of the flow of office equipment through office space. Tags can also be used in the office environment for inventory management, tracking of personnel and access control to restricted areas etc.

The following benefits flow from tracking in an office environment:

• Instantly locate tagged assets
• Improved inventory management
• Autonomous logging of assets moving through office space
• Improved management and control over assets

Tracking in other industrial environments

Although MineRP is mainly a solutions provider for the mining industry we also offer our solutions to any other industry to which we can add value through our services. Our tracking solutions are perfectly suited for any industry which highly depends on logistic support and centralized communications, for ex. Airports, harbours, hospitals etc.

Implementing a tracking system into your industrial environment goes far beyond the mere definition of tracking. Tracking can applied in many different ways to optimize the process flow of a business for e.g. Real-time WIP (work in progress) tracking, equipment utilization and control, inter-site visibility, parts replenishment, yard management, condition monitoring and employee safety.

The following benefits flow from real-time location:

• Streamline business process flow
• Drive lean manufacturing
• Autonomously monitoring inventory and availability status of assets
• Control personnel access into certain zones
• In an emergency, know the whereabouts of personnel to co-ordinate evacuation strategies and/or rescue efforts