Proud of our strong partnership
In 2022, DatAction guided Volvo Cars to also equip the Chinese assembly line in Daqing with voice picking, a clear sign of confidence in both DatAction and the installed voice solution. After Europe and the United States, this is already the third continent for DatAction and Volvo Cars where the solution is deployed.
Daqing will start using Volvo Car Gent’s ‘Pick-To-Line’ voice solution. This functionality of the application is more in line with their pick-to-line process and therefore works more smoothly and efficiently than their current solution. Marc Brondeel, Software Engineer-Voice & RFID at DatAction, tells more about this special collaboration.
Follow-up of an outdated system
“The ‘Pick-To-Line’ Voice solution used in Daqing originated in the Volvo Cars factory in Ghent,” explains Marc. “The voice system used there from before 2017, to supply the Volvo Car Gent production line, was technically outdated. Speech recognition was slow and replacement hardware was no longer available. For example, Flemish people had to speak with a Dutch accent to make themselves understood. Background noise was also a problem with voice recognition. In 2017, Volvo Cars Gent and DatAction therefore developed a state-of-the-art voice-picking system with the aim of optimizing the supply to the assembly line. Parts are now delivered ‘just-in-time’ thanks to DatAction’s smart and flexible ‘Pick-to-Line’ system.”
Optimal data synchronization ensures higher efficiency
Marc explains how the system works: “The new Pick-To-Line system communicates directly with Volvo’s Building Information System (BIS) for optimal data synchronization. Thanks to the up-to-date picking stock, the automatic replenishment of the stock becomes considerably more efficient: the picker no longer has to arrange the request via a separate mobile application and associated hardware, but now does this directly via the voice solution. The system provides four picking types, with specific functionality for supplying the assembly line. These are: single picking, multi picking, kitting and batch picking. Because the functionality of the new system was developed in close cooperation with Volvo Business Logistics and the BIS development team, it fits perfectly with the wishes on the shop floor.”
Fine-tuning improves productivity
In the second project phase, the system was refined and new functionalities were added to further improve productivity. “A number of voice-picking processes are now also being used in the warehouse,” says Marc. “The pickers can use both their voice and the (built-in) scanner of the voice device to register the parts. The functionality ‘Picking by mix number’ for the prototype cars has been added and it is now also possible to register certain parts, such as airbags, using 2D barcodes. ‘Multi user’ and ‘Out of Sequency’ picking has also been made possible, whereby several pickers can work at the same time to assemble a kit of parts more quickly. “
Implementation in the United States
The system was soon rolled out to multiple factory locations. Marc: “After delivery in Ghent, the system was also implemented in Volvo’s factory in Charleston, United States. In the Volvo factory in Charleston, the same working method is used as in Ghent, which means that the same voice application was perfectly usable. Charleston works with identical hardware and software as in Ghent. This enabled Ghent’s experienced IT team to supervise the roll-out in Charleston remotely without any problems.”
Implementation in the United States
The system was soon rolled out to multiple factory locations. Marc: “After delivery in Ghent, the system was also implemented in Volvo’s factory in Charleston, United States. In the Volvo factory in Charleston, the same working method is used as in Ghent, which means that the same voice application was perfectly usable. Charleston works with identical hardware and software as in Ghent. This enabled Ghent’s experienced IT team to supervise the roll-out in Charleston remotely without any problems.”
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