The problem

This leading train operator needed to know the vehicles and areas of track with the most WSP (Wheel Slip Prevention) events. Without clearly formatted insights, it couldn’t prove the efficacy of a new sanding unit and improve the operation of trains across its network.

The solution

Instrumentel created a monitoring solution that’s capable of keeping tabs on 32 signals continuously. The data is captured and transferred via a Remote Download Module so users can process and analyse the information. Commissioning and testing was carried out alongside the operator’s maintenance team for a smooth installation. And all data is now available from any device with an internet connection.

The Impact

The information now available from Instrumental provides usable insights that allow targeted maintenance of vehicles and track, resulting in:

• Better vehicle reliability
• Improved vehicle availability
• Reduced long-term damage
• Faster maintenance completion

Serck provides specialist design, manufacture, installation, and service of heat transfer technology across a range of sectors and geographies. Their US distribution business focuses on the heavy-duty truck and commercial radiator market.

The radiator market, like many industrial sectors, has been changing at a pace not seen before. Serck expanded its manufacturing and supply capabilities to be able to offer customers an ever-increasing range of products. This led to excess stock and slow-moving products, as well as having the right products in the wrong location which impeded rapid delivery to customers.

Unipart Logistics has a track record of providing a wide range of supply chain services, underpinned by a suite of digital products across multiple sectors and markets.

Not only was this adding excess cost, but it impacted the high levels of customer service that Serck’s customers were used to.

Serck turned to Unipart Logistics for a solution. Unipart Logistics has a track record of providing a wide range of supply chain services, underpinned by a suite of digital products across multiple sectors and markets. Unipart Logistics is widely recognised for its deep-seated expertise in inventory management through long-term logistics partnerships with market-leading customers such as Jaguar Land Rover, Volkswagen, Sky and Vodafone, who rely on Unipart Logistics to take their productivity, quality of service and customer satisfaction to a new level.

The Unipart Logistics team focused on inventory reduction and obsolescence to increase the availability of products. They optimised ERP technology to enable a review of historic sales and demand data, as well as future planning to ensure accurate availability of saleable products. This identified slow-moving and obsolete products and identified products that should not be purchased going forward.

The results were impressive:

• Excess stock reduced by 16%
• Overall sales increased by 23%
• 74% reduction in stock outs
• Lost sales down 42%

Serck managing director Alex Neill said:

“In a successful, mature operation, changes in the marketplace happen very quickly. Having access to data to analyse, predict and manage stock requirements provides a competitive edge in any market.”

“But with the complexities and challenges in the heavy-duty truck and commercial vehicle market, world-class inventory management is essential to any company striving to be the number one choice for our customers in terms of quality, range, service, and delivery. The support we received from Unipart Logistics helped provide technology-driven world class logistics solutions to these challenges. This will underpin our future growth ambitions by aligning our comprehensive market offering to the specific needs of our customers.”

The problem

ScotRail previously relied on an OTMR (On-Train Monitoring Recorder) for a range of safety and service data. The problem was that ScotRail staff had to manually download the data to perform any kind of analysis – making it hard to work together to solve any issues.

The solution

Instrumentel designed a remote monitoring solution. Data extraction takes place multiple times per second. It’s encrypted and correlated with GPS data for a richer, real-time view of vehicle performance. Instrumentel’s new Diagnostic Hub was also fitted to the fleet in instalments to minimise disruption across the fleet – a testament to Instrumenel’s ‘design for install’ approach.

The Impact

ScotRail now has access to more data than ever before. It’s displayed on Instrumentel’s Paradigm Insight portal, which is available on any device. This means dispersed teams can collaborate to identify key events which might impact passengers, drivers or maintenance teams. The new data is being used as an early warning system for failures as well as for health checks of key assets, such as the engine, battery and brake systems.

Unipart Digital Enterprise System was developed based on Unipart’s extensive experience defining, designing and implementing warehouse management systems for some of the world’s most demanding companies.

When a leading supercar manufacturer approached Unipart to solve a logistics problem, it was clear that no other product could match the flexibility and adaptability that UD Enterprise System could offer in such a fast paced environment.

Compared to volume car manufacturers, supercar production can require far more variation. Every high-performance supercar is customised to an individual car buyer, so the warehouse operation needs to be extremely flexible to ensure the right parts are available at exactly the right time at the production facility.

The supercar manufacturer’s existing system was not optimised for just-in-time delivery of over 180,000 product lines. Much of the operation was still using paper-based systems which yielded low inventory accuracy.

To create a faster, more agile Warehouse Management System it was clear that Enterprise-grade ERP systems weren’t appropriate. They were often too time-consuming to customise, too expensive for implementation in a single site, and too complex to roll out quickly.

However, UD Enterprise System met the requirements perfectly. It’s designed on open source applications with functionality that can be turned on or off. It can be implemented in a matter of weeks and can be customisable to run industrial-scale operations on smaller sites.

UD Enterprise System enables warehouse operators to scan parts at every stage. This data provides new insights – such as the exact time a part was booked into the warehouse – and these can be used to inform decisions at every stage of production.

For the supercar manufacturer, UD Enterprise System delivered specific benefits very quickly. Inventory accuracy jumped to 99.8% and the production facility benefited from just-in-time deliveries enabling smoother, more efficient production.

Moreover UD Enterprise System provided tangible, traceability data, which is imperative when dealing with the high value parts in a supercar.

Proven in the most challenging environment, trusted by the most demanding customers, and transformative in the benefits delivered – that’s UD Enterprise System.