SATO Vicinity
How Zato helped SATO Vicinity successfully deliver a custom app with multiple software integrations
SATO Vicinity develops and sells products that use its global-standard
PJM RFID (Phase Jitter Modulation Radio Frequency
Identification) technology to track and identify tagged items.
Uniquely, PJM RFID can quickly identify large amounts of tagged
items with 100% accuracy, even when randomly or tightly packed.
A subsidiary of electronics manufacturer SATO Global, SATO
Vicinity builds high-end, customized applications for customers
worldwide from industries including healthcare, blood and
pathology, and wholesale diamonds.
The challenge
Developing a custom tagging app requiring several software integrations.
SATO Vicinity was asked by orthopedic implant manufacturer
LimaCorporate to develop an automated solution for tagging
items into its inventory, using PJM RFID. LimaCorporate makes
artificial replacements for joints, bones, or cartilage, for clients
around the globe.
Typically, LimaCorporate's clients order large batches of implants
in multiple sizes, as they don't know exactly what size will be
needed until during surgery. Labeling and tracking each implant
correctly is vital to prevent mistakes. But manually checking and
labeling each new implant was slow, error-prone, and limited
the scalability of the production process.
With thousands of implants built daily, LimaCorporate needed
a faster, more accurate way to log each new implant into its
inventory management system. They chose PJM RFID as it is the
only RFID tagging solution that is unaffected by the radiation sterilization
used during LimaCorporate's manufacturing process.
As well as supplying PJM RFID tags, readers, and printers, SATO
Vicinity needed to develop a bespoke tagging application -
an automated solution for registering each new implant in LimaCorporate's existing systems.
To achieve this, SATO Vicinity knew the tagging application would
need to communicate with several different databases, as well as
to its RFID readers. But SATO Vicinity didn't have the in-house
capabilities to easily build the complex arrangement of multiple
software integrations required.
The solution
The Zato platform makes it easy to connect to multiple databases and RFID readers.
SATO Vicinity turned to Zato Source, who had previously helped
develop SATO's innovative platform PJM Global, which connects
RFID readers to applications anywhere.
The tagging application needed to connect to the RFID readers,
communicate with three databases - in MongoDB, Microsoft SQL,
and Oracle - and listen for a particular file type from LimaCorpo-
rate's ERP system. SATO Vicinity and Zato Source worked together
to build all of these connections and workflows in Zato software,
plus a web-based user interface. Zato Source implemented all the
various integrations required.
"We chose to build the application with Zato Source because
the Zato platform makes it easy to connect to multiple databases,
and it was a natural fit to communicate with our PJM Global
platform. These were key requirements for the tagging application."
— Daryl Dusheiko, Chief Solutions Architect at SATO Vicinity
How the new solution works
As each implant is built, it is put in a box alongside an encoded RFID tag. The tag draws on data which the tagging application automatically pulls from the ERP system, detailing which implants are about to be manufactured.
When Orbit 2 rolled out, how much difference did existing Orbit
users notice? Very little - which in this instance, was a marker of success.
Everything is working smoothly, meaning no disruption to Orbit
users' business operations.
The boxes of implants pass through an RFID reader on a conveyor
belt and the reader sends information about each one to the
tagging application. When this happens, the tagging application
automatically:
- Adds information on each new implant to the tagging application database (via the integration with MongoDB)
- Registers each new implant in the inventory management system (via the integration with Oracle)
- Logs each new implant in Orbit 2, a specialist logistics management app (via the integration with Microsoft SQL)
LimaCorporate staff can access and manage data on what's happening
via the custom user interface, which always has up-to-date
information thanks to the Zato integrations. The tagging application is
also set up to automatically send emails
to alert staff to any issues occurring.
The outcome
Greater efficiency, productivity, and accuracy in adding items to inventory.
The new automated tagging system has streamlined LimaCorporate's
workflows around adding items into its inventory. Implants are
tagged much faster, manual errors eliminated, and staff productivity
has increased as they are freed up from manually tagging and
logging items.
"Because we're using RFID and Zato, the tagging application
automates all of what used to be a very slow manual process.
So now you have a conveyor belt with lots of items traveling on
it, automatically registering these implants into multiple different
databases without any human intervention."
— Daryl Dusheiko, Chief Solutions Architect at SATO Vicinity
Automating the tagging and associated data updates across multiple
systems has increased LimaCorporate's operational efficiencies.
PJM RFID-tagged items can easily be tracked from end to end of the
supply chain, without the need for retagging or manual processing.
And because the tagging application integrates with LimaCorporate's
inventory and logistics management systems, staff have peace
of mind that data about the implants is always accurate and up to date.
"We've had good feedback on the new system. LimaCorporate
are happy with it and they're looking at expanding the use
of RFID in other areas of the business."
— Daryl Dusheiko, Chief Solutions Architect at SATO Vicinity
Business Challenge
Building a custom tagging application
for an orthopedic implant manufacturer,
which required multiple integrations with
different systems
Solution
Zato software and expertise made it easy
to connect to multiple databases so the tagging application could function as required
Benefits
Successful delivery of the tagging application,
which increases the customer's operational
efficiency and data accuracy by automating
previously slow manual processes
"Making the tagging application work requires a lot
of connections - with the
readers, three databases,
email servers, plus
the user interface API. And all
of that is built in Zato.
There was very little additional
boilerplate code I needed
to create."
— Daryl Dusheiko, Chief Solutions Architect at SATO Vicinity
