In the wave of manufacturing to lean, digital, intelligent transformation, the production workshop as the core scene of value creation, its auxiliary materials, materials, tools, management efficiency directly determines the production rhythm, product quality and comprehensive cost. The traditional management mode relies on manual registration, paper records and experience scheduling, and there are common inventory confusion, disordered, difficult to trace, inefficient and other pain points, which has become a bottleneck restricting the intelligent upgrading of the workshop. The emergence of intelligent material cabinet and intelligent tool management system, through the hardware equipment and software platform of the synergistic linkage, to build a “full visual, accurate and controllable, data-driven” integrated management system for the workshop materials and tools management provides a revolutionary solution. In this paper, we will discuss the application path and practical value of the two in the comprehensive management of workshop from the aspects of technical characteristics, application scenarios, synergistic value, industry practice and development trend.

I. Intelligent material cabinet: workshop auxiliary materials and general materials of the digital management center

Intelligent material cabinet is an integrated material management equipment integrating Internet of Things, automatic identification, weight sensing, authority control and other technologies, taking metal cabinet as the carrier and combining with backstage management system to realize automated storage, collation, inventory and data tracing of auxiliary materials, small materials and general tools. Its core value lies in breaking the subjective limitations of traditional manual management, shifting the material management from “passive record” to “active control”, and becoming the core hub of the workshop line warehouse and workstation material supply.

(i) Core technology and functional characteristics

Intelligent material cabinet's intelligent characteristics come from the integrated application of multiple technologies, forming the ability of full-process digital control. At the level of identity authentication, it supports multiple authentication methods such as swipe card, face recognition, fingerprint recognition, etc., and can set up material access rights according to positions and work types, so as to avoid misuse and abuse of materials from the source, which is especially suitable for the management of valuable auxiliary materials and special materials. At the level of inventory monitoring, integrated RFID tags, weight sensors and other modules, real-time identification of deposited materials and weight perception, the system automatically updates the inventory data after the employee access, realizing the “take that is remembered, storage that is more”, bidding farewell to the time-consuming and labor-intensive manual inventory and data errors. Part of the intelligent weighing cabinet can also be used for screws, nuts and other small materials, through the weight changes in the accurate accounting of the number of collated, without manual counting, to further enhance the accuracy of management.

The background management system is the “brain” of the intelligent material cabinet, with inventory warning, data statistics, report generation, system docking and other core functions. Through the preset safety stock threshold, when the material balance is lower than the standard, the system automatically triggers the sound and light warning and pushes the message to the terminal of the management personnel, at the same time, it can be seamlessly docked with the ERP system to automatically generate the replenishment order, so as to avoid production line stoppage due to the lack of material. The data statistics function can record real-time information such as material receiving personnel, time, quantity, workstation, etc., forming a complete flow of accounts, providing accurate data support for cost accounting and consumption analysis. In addition, the intelligent material cabinet supports 24-hour unattended operation, and employees can independently complete the material requisition and return, which greatly reduces the waiting time and improves the efficiency of workstation operation.

(ii) Typical application scenarios and value realization

Intelligent material cabinet application scene covers all kinds of manufacturing workshop, especially in the auxiliary materials, general materials and small tools management show remarkable value. In the electronics manufacturing workshop, for electronic components, wires, anti-static tools, glue and other high-frequency auxiliary materials, through the intelligent material cabinet to realize the zoning and accurate storage, combined with RFID technology to quickly locate the material position, the staff to adopt the whole process takes only tens of seconds, compared with the traditional manual registration efficiency of more than 80%. At the same time, the system traces the flow of each batch of components, so that once product quality problems occur, it can quickly locate the related material batch, providing strong support for quality investigation.

In automotive manufacturing, home appliance assembly and other assembly line production scenarios, the intelligent material cabinet as a line warehouse intelligent replenishment terminals, according to the production work order automatically push the material demand, to achieve “on-demand replenishment, accurate distribution”. For example, in the automotive parts assembly station, the intelligent material cabinet can be preset in advance corresponding to the fasteners, seals and other auxiliary materials required by the model, the employee through the work order authentication, the system automatically unlocks the corresponding material grid, real-time synchronization to the MES system after the completion of the receipt, to ensure that the production schedule and the supply of materials to accurately match the reduction of the line of material backlog and space occupation. In the equipment maintenance workshop, intelligent material cabinets are used to manage maintenance tools, spare parts, lubrication materials, etc. Maintenance personnel quickly receive the required items through identity authentication, the system automatically records the borrowing information, and reminds the return of the expiration date to avoid the loss of tools and waste of idleness, so as to shorten the response time of maintenance by more than 30%.

For semiconductor, precision machinery and other industries that require high precision of material management, the fine management capability of intelligent material cabinet is more critical. Shandong Jingguang Microelectronics through the deployment of cloud-based intelligent material cabinet, to achieve the full life cycle management of cleavers, copper wire and other key consumables, not only through the partition storage and intelligent identification to avoid confusion of consumables, but also set up a special recycling channel, reusable consumables for standardized recycling and testing of the inventory, resource reuse rate increased 20%, saving more than a million dollars in annual cost of consumables. This management mode not only meets the requirements of high-precision production on the consistency of materials, but also realizes cost reduction and efficiency through resource recycling.

II. Intelligent tool management system: full life cycle control program for precision machining tools

As the core production tool of machining, mold manufacturing and other industries, cutting tools have high value, fast consumption, miscellaneous specifications, and have a big impact on processing quality, etc. Its management level directly determines the stability and efficiency of precision processing. Intelligent tool management system through the “hardware + software platform + process optimization” of the integration of solutions, to achieve the tool from the procurement of inventory, assembly and commissioning, use, grinding and calibration to the end-of-life recovery of the whole life cycle of digital control, to crack the traditional tool management data disconnect, disordered scheduling, loss of control and other pain points.

(i) System architecture and core technology advantages

Intelligent tool management system consists ofIntelligent tool cabinetIt is composed of data collection terminal, backstage management platform and integrated interface, and its core relies on RFID, barcode, big data analysis and other technologies to realize intelligent control. By assigning a unique “digital identity” for each tool and toolholder, shank and other accessories, embedding RFID chip or binding barcode, all the flow information of the tool from the beginning of the warehouse is collected and uploaded in real time, including the assembly relationship, the number of times of use, the degree of wear and tear, repair and grinding records, reasons for scrapping, etc., to form a complete digital file.

Intelligent tool cabinetAs a physical storage and scheduling terminal, it is equipped with functions such as work order linkage, intelligent sorting, and regrinding classification. For example, ZebraIntelligent tool cabinetSupporting the dual mode of self-service knife and work order knife, the system can automatically pop up the required tool according to the production work order after the employee authentication, which originally takes half an hour to shorten the process of receiving the knife to 30 seconds, and the whole process of receiving information can be traced. For the tool after use, the system can automatically categorize the tool through the wear detection data, push the sharpenable tool to the sharpening station, and the scrapped tool is included in the compliant disposal process, avoiding misjudgment of the reusable tool, and reducing the cost of consumables.

The background management platform has core capabilities such as intelligent scheduling, data analysis, and early warning reminders, and can be deeply integrated with CNC equipment, MES, ERP, WMS, and other systems to realize the synergy and linkage of production and tool management. The system can automatically match the optimal tool combination according to the machining task, predict the remaining life of the tool based on its wear data, and issue a warning for replacement in advance to avoid interruption of machining or product scrapping due to tool chipping and excessive wear. At the same time, through 250+ standard reports and charts, the system visually displays tool consumption trends, inventory status, procurement costs and other data, providing data support for process optimization and procurement planning, which meets the requirements of ISO 9000 quality management system.

(ii) Effectiveness of industry applications and practices

In the machining and mold manufacturing workshop, the application of intelligent tool management system has completely changed the traditional tool management mode. Ningbo Weili Robotics developed the “full business flow tool management system”, through the radio frequency identification technology to realize the automatic identification of tool batch, through the tool library and machine tool real-time communication, according to the production plan dynamic deployment of tool resources. After the application of the system, a machining enterprise avoided production interruption due to tool failure through tool life warning and accurate scheduling, saving more than 3 million yuan in tool costs throughout the year, and enhancing the efficiency of 10%. Meanwhile, the system will be repairable tools in time for repair, and the rate of grinding reuse is increased by 30%, which greatly reduces the amount of new tool purchases.

In high-end manufacturing fields such as aerospace and precision parts processing, the full life cycle control capability of the intelligent tool management system guarantees the stability of machining accuracy. By recording the use parameters and wear data of each tool, the system can analyze the suitability of different tools in specific machining scenarios, optimize tool selection and cutting parameters, so that the product machining qualification rate increased by 2%-5%. In addition, the system's full traceability of the tool calibration process ensures that each put into use gauges and tools are in line with the accuracy standards, to meet the stringent requirements of high-end manufacturing for quality control. to meet the stringent requirements of quality control in high-end manufacturing.

For multi-species small batch production enterprises, the flexible scheduling capability of intelligent tool management system is particularly important. The system can quickly retrieve the appropriate tool based on the order demand, real-time adjustment of tool distribution priority, in the peak production period will be the priority allocation of high-precision tools to the key processes, while coordinating the grinding and inventory resources, to achieve the maximum utilization of tools. After the application of a mold manufacturing enterprise, the tool scheduling efficiency has been improved by 40%, and the order delivery cycle has been shortened by 15%, which can effectively cope with the production demand of small batch and multi-batch.

Third, the intelligent material cabinet and intelligent tooling system synergistic management: building workshop integrated control ecology

Intelligent material cabinet and intelligent tool management system is not run in isolation, the two through the integration and linkage with other systems in the workshop, to build up a comprehensive management ecology covering the whole category of auxiliary materials, materials, tools, to achieve “data interoperability, process synergy, optimization of resources” for the workshop intelligent upgrading to provide core support.

(i) Systems integration and data synergy

The core of the synergy between the two lies in data interoperability and system integration, breaking the information silos by interfacing with MES, ERP, WMS and other enterprise core systems through open API interfaces. When the MES system issues a production work order, the intelligent material cabinet automatically synchronizes the list of required auxiliary materials and general tools, and the intelligent tool management system matches the tool combinations of the corresponding processes to realize the precise linkage of materials, tools and production tasks. For example, after the work order for auto parts processing is issued, the MES system pushes the material demand to the intelligent material cabinet and the tool demand to the intelligent tool management system, and both of them complete the preparation and distribution of auxiliary materials and tools respectively, the whole process does not require manual intervention, which ensures the smooth connection of the production process.

The real-time sharing of inventory data realizes the integrated management of materials and tools in the whole workshop. The inventory data of intelligent material cabinet and intelligent tool management system are synchronized to ERP system, and the managers can grasp the overall inventory status of auxiliary materials, materials and tools in real time in the background to avoid repeated procurement and inventory backlog. By analyzing the historical consumption data, the system automatically predicts the demand trend and provides a scientific basis for the procurement plan formulation, which improves the inventory turnover rate by more than 25% and reduces the stagnant inventory by 30%. At the same time, the system automatically triggers the cross-departmental warning when a certain type of material or tool is not enough in stock, coordinates the rapid response of the procurement, warehousing and workshop to guarantee the continuity of the production.

(ii) Process optimization and management upgrading

The synergistic application of the two promote workshop management from “decentralized control” to “centralized integration”, optimizing the whole process of material and tool flow. In the storage link, the intelligent material cabinet and intelligent tool management system through automatic identification technology to quickly complete the material, tool information entry and classification storage, instead of the traditional manual scanning registration, the efficiency of 60% or more, and the data error rate is close to zero. In the collation link, employees can complete the one-stop collection of auxiliary materials, tools and knives through unified identity authentication, and the system automatically correlates the work order information to form a complete collation traceability chain, which is convenient for cost accounting and quality traceability.

In the recycling and inventory process, the collaborative management mode realizes the whole process automation. Intelligent material cabinet on the return of general tools, auxiliary materials for automatic recording and inventory updates, intelligent tool management system for classification of tool recovery and status detection, both real-time synchronization of data to the background, the management staff can be completed through the system of the entire workshop materials and tools remote inventory, without the need for on-site manual checking, inventory time shortened by more than 80%. This process optimization not only reduces manpower costs, but also makes the management process more standardized and standardized, laying the foundation for lean production.

(iii) Value stacking and maximization of benefits

The synergistic application of intelligent material cabinet and intelligent tooling system realizes the value superposition of “1+1>2”. In terms of cost control, through accurate control of material and tool consumption, improve the reuse rate of resources, reduce inventory backlog, the enterprise can reduce 20%-30% material and tool costs, Shandong Jingguang Microelectronics, Ningbo, a machining enterprise and other cases have proved this benefit. In terms of efficiency improvement, by simplifying the requisition process, avoiding material shortage and work stoppage, and optimizing the scheduling and allocation, the overall production efficiency of the workshop can be improved by 15%-25%, and the delivery cycle of orders can be shortened by 10%-15%.

In terms of management decision-making, based on the massive data accumulated by the two, the system can carry out multi-dimensional analysis to provide data support for workshop management optimization. For example, by analyzing the correlation data between material and tool consumption and production work order, optimize production scheduling and material allocation; by analyzing the relationship between tool wear and machining parameters, optimize the cutting process and tool selection; by analyzing the frequency of receipt data, adjust the position of the material and tool placement in the line warehouse to further enhance operational efficiency. This data-driven management mode enables workshop management to shift from “empirical judgment” to “accurate decision-making”, and promotes the deep transformation of the enterprise to intelligent manufacturing.

IV. Application challenges and future development trends

(i) Major challenges to current applications

Although the application value of intelligent material cabinet and intelligent tool management system is remarkable, it still faces some challenges in the landing process. First, the initial investment costs are high, including equipment procurement, system deployment, personnel training and other costs, some small and medium-sized enterprises are difficult to bear a one-time, restricting the popularization of technology. Second, the system integration is difficult, different brands, different types of equipment and the original ERP, MES system compatibility is insufficient, the need for customized development, increasing the complexity of implementation. Third, personnel adaptation problems, some of the old staff of intelligent equipment operation is not skilled, need to strengthen the training guide, and at the same time need to be equipped with professional and technical personnel responsible for system operation and maintenance, to ensure the stable operation of equipment.

(ii) Future development trends

With the continuous development of IoT, AI, edge computing and other technologies, the smart material cabinet and smart tool management system will evolve in the direction of smarter, more integrated and more automated. In terms of technological upgrading, identification technology will be more advanced, and the convergence of RFID, visual identification, weight dynamic monitoring and other technologies will realize the senseless claiming of materials and tools and automatic inventory, which will further reduce the manual operation process.The in-depth application of AI algorithms will realize the accuracy of demand prediction and failure early warning, for example, by analyzing the wear data of the tool to predict the remaining life, and optimizing the inventory configuration by analyzing the trend of material consumption. Optimize inventory allocation by analyzing material consumption trends.

In terms of system integration, the two will be deeply linked with AGV, automated three-dimensional warehouse and other intelligent logistics equipment to realize automatic distribution, automatic replenishment and automatic warehousing of materials and tools, and build an “unmanned” material management system. At the same time, through the edge computing technology to achieve data local processing and real-time response, combined with the cloud platform to achieve cross-workshop, cross-enterprise remote management and resource sharing, to adapt to the integrated management needs of the group enterprise.

In terms of industry adaptation, for the management needs of different industries, the system will show a differentiated development trend. For example, the semiconductor industry will pay more attention to the high-precision traceability and clean management of materials, the machining industry will strengthen the tool life prediction and process synergy, and the automotive industry will focus on the flexible distribution of assembly line materials and work order linkage. At the same time, as small and medium-sized enterprises enhance the demand for intelligence, low-cost, modular intelligent management solutions will become the mainstream of the market, promoting the popularization of technology.

V. Conclusion

Intelligent material cabinet and intelligent tool management system as the intelligent carrier of workshop material and tool management, not only cracked the traditional management mode of many pain points, but also through the data-driven and collaborative linkage, to build up a lean, transparent and efficient integrated management system, for the enterprise intelligent manufacturing upgrade provides the core support. From electronic manufacturing to precision machining, from large enterprises to small and medium-sized factories, the application of the two has shown significant value of cost reduction and efficiency, and has become an important symbol to measure the level of workshop intelligence.

In the face of the wave of intelligent transformation of the manufacturing industry, enterprises need to combine their own production needs and management pain points, reasonable deployment of intelligent material cabinets and intelligent tool management system, strengthen system integration and personnel adaptation, give full play to the value of technological synergy. In the future, with the continuous iteration of technology and application scenarios continue to expand, intelligent material cabinets and intelligent tool management system will play a more critical role in the workshop management, promote the manufacturing industry to a higher quality, higher efficiency, lower cost direction, to help China's manufacturing industry to achieve intelligent transformation and high-quality development.