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| 2003.09.08 |
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logisitic management tests of beverage use PET bottle materials using IC tags started
NTT COMWARE CORPORATION (HeadOffice: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President Yuji Matsuo: hereinafter, NTT COMWARE), SUN MICROSYSTEMS K.K. (Head Office: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, President Daniel Miller: hereinafter, SUN), and DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD. (Head Office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, President Yoshitoshi Kitajima: hereinafter, DNP) have started logistic management tests of beverage use PET bottle materials using IC tags. Pre-preparations such as setting of readers were completed in September, 2003 and tests were started on October 1st.
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[ Test outline ]
At the DNP Kashiwa Plant (Kashiwa-shi, Chiba-ken), pre-formed(*1), which is the material used in beverage use PET bottles is manufactured and delivered to beverage producers using specially built foldable containers. With this test, all containers to be delivered from the DNP warehouse to the Kirin Beverage Shonan Plant (Samukawa-machi, Kouza-gun, Kanagawa-ken) via the TOYO Warehouse which is the middle warehouse and are to be equipped with IC tags. The logistic management tests will be performed by container units.
EPC(*2) and Savant(*3) which are technologies being developed at the auto ID center will be used in this test. Only individual IDs (EPC) will be given to the IC tags and will be network type tags that accumulates attributed data of individual containers in servers on the internet.
This is the first time that a test is to be conducted in Japan where IC tags that are transported between differing business entities are to be tracked using the technologies of the auto ID center. The test period is for 6 months from October, 2003 through March, 2004.
Reference : Test outline
| 1. |
IC tag specifications |
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DNP made IC tag "ACCUWAVE ® " |
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Used IC chip |
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Philips made "iCODE" |
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Transmission frequency |
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13.56MHz |
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Memory capacity |
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384bits (96-bit EPC used) |
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Dimensional standard |
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54 x 86mm (label dimensional standard) |
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Volume |
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approximately 10,000 |
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Container specifications |
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DNP original containers for pre-formed |
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Material |
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Polypropylene (partially metal) |
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Size |
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1100 x 1100 x 105mm (during usage)
1100 x 1100 x 350 mm (when folded) |
| 3. |
Reader setting point (3 points) |
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(1) |
DNP Kashiwa Plant PET bottle pre-formed production line receipt-trap |
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(2) |
TOYO warehouse (middle warehouse) loading/unloading trap |
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(3) |
Kirin Beverage Shonan Plant beverage filling line loading trap (to be set by the end of September) |
| 4. |
Regarding the database |
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When containers pass the 3 locations stated in the above section, the container IDs (EPC) are automatically read and registered in the database set within the internet data center operated by NTT COMWARE via the internet.
The reader ID, the date and time that the ID is read, and the container ID are combined and the data is accumulated.
(By recording the "when", "by which reader", and "what number container passed", it is possible to indirectly grasp the position of each container.) |
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Regarding data browsing |
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(1) |
Data that is accumulated in the database may be confirmed via the internet using the Web browser.
(Since it is via the internet, it is possible to control access by IDs and passwords) |
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(2) |
Within the DNP company, the production data of pre-formed is accumulated and it is possible to browse related information such as order information associated with the container ID as well as product specification information. |
[ Test purpose ]
Along with conducting logistics management of pre-formed and container asset management using IC tags, by conducting these in conjunction with the DNP company internal production system and other existing systems, the effectiveness of the IC tags can be confirmed. Also, in addition to accumulating technology, know-how and data obtained from operating the IC tags, each of the 3 companies will be exploring possibilities within their respective business fields.
In this case, the advantages of actually operating the IC tags are:
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Traceability |
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Traces the present location of containers of the same lot when claims arise. |
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Improving the efficiency of production management / stock management |
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Grasp the real time stock situation of the bottle manufacturer, the middle warehouse and the beverage producer. |
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Real time grasp of the pre-formed usage situation of the beverage producer. |
Such improvements are anticipated and it will be examined to see if the above is actually achieved. The cost vs. effects will also be examined.
In future, in addition to the above anticipated effects:
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Thorough enforcement of FIFO (First In First Out) |
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Linkage of logistics management data and quality management data |
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Data utilization by the beverage producer |
examinations of the effects of the above are also being planned.
[ The allocated roles of the respective companies within the test ]
| NTT COMWARE |
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provision of database related software as well as a system integration data center for the entire system |
| Sun |
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provision of hardware |
| DNP |
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provision of IC tags, reader/writer, and a demonstration test environment |
| Kirin Beverage |
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provision of a test field |
| TOYO Warehouse |
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provision of a test field |
SUN and DNP conducted reading tests of IC tags attached to pre-formed carrier containers on the same matter as this test from November, 2002 through August, 2003 with the focus of conducting operation checks of the IC tags.
Initially, the reading ratio of the IC tags was only about 85%. However, with the improvement of the readers and hardware as well as the optimization of the software, the reading ratio has ultimately improved to 99.97%.
As the reading ratio has reached the acceptable level, the experiment has been moved to the next step which is the field test with the view of commercialization. Here, NTT COMWARE has newly come aboard as the system integrator.
*1 Pre-formed for PET bottles :
Pre-formed is a test tube shaped projection molded component made from PET plastic. This is heated and blown up (blow molding) in metal molds to produce PET bottles. Conventionally, PET bottles were processed by the PET bottle manufacturers and delivered to the beverage producers. At DNP, by taking into account transportation efficiency and environment load alleviation, a system is adopted where delivery to the beverage producer is made in pre-formed form and in-line molding is conducted on the filling line.
*2 EPC :
Electronic Product Code
A next generation product code system that is being developed at the auto ID center.
*3 SAVANT :
A software that communicates with IC tags and controls the EPC reader. It reads and writes data that corresponds to EPC on the network server.
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