Inventory mistakes are amplified when errors accumulate and impact corporate financial statements. Storing inventory that you cannot see—such as in bins and silos—can be particularly risky if manual measurements and estimations are the basis for calculating inventory value. Bulk solid inventory is handled in several ways.
Vendor-Managed Inventory
This strategy allows suppliers to participate in replenishment decisions based on specific inventory and supply thresholds. In these cases, suppliers can save on production and distribution costs by coordinating batch processing and shipments between multiple customers. Buyers are able to delegate inventory management while still exercising final control.
Some industries utilize delivery vehicle routing software. Careful, quick inventory management provides value through product availability, consistent deliveries, accurate inventory, and ordering.
Some companies count on one central supply department to control orders for multiple plants and locations. In these cases, sensors with cloud reports are a must.
Technology Infused Into Inventory Management
When sensors send data to a cloud-based app, it’s called the Internet of Things (IoT). BinMaster IoT measures bulk inventory via sensors placed in a silo, bin, tank, or another storage container.
IoT’s success in manufacturing can be demonstrated by the massive success at Harley-Davidson's manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania. Using IoT, the company reduced the cycle time of motorcycle assembly from 21 days to six hours.
BinMaster is the Answer for Bulk Solids Management Because We...
Minimize Costs
Inventory management should be proactive, not reactive. Time and money are wasted by production interruptions. Proper inventory levels should be visible and planned.
Proper oversight will wipe out rush charges, excessive overtime, and emergency deliveries. Relying on solid data can increase inventory turns, slash safety stock, and maximize cash flow.
Eliminate Guesswork with Real-Time Data
Getting everyone on the same page and looking at the most current data ensures accuracy—and eliminates a flood of emails. The days of data lingering on a clipboard or weaving its way to the right person are over.
Level sensors update measurement data continuously—or at preset time intervals—and revise your inventory throughout the day. With remote access from a phone or tablet, you don’t need to be at your desk or even in the plant to keep tabs on inventory data.
If you’re curious, log in on the weekend or before you get to work, and be prepared for what the day has in store.
Avoid Emergencies
Sharing always-current inventory data between purchasing and production allows people to anticipate issues. Rush orders and last-minute deliveries run up costs, create inefficiencies, and erode margins. Real-time data can prevent them from happening in the first place.
Save Time and Labor
Replace tedious, time-consuming tasks with an automated system that does the calculations for you. At the same time, reduce the risks of walking to silos, climbing ladders, and opening heavy hatches for manual measurements.
Help with History
Past measurements can predict future consumption. Maximizing storage capacity and understanding usage trends helps you schedule deliveries and reduce safety stock. Historical reporting also assists with planning, budgeting, and financial reporting.
Get Data From the Cloud
Sensor measurements are sent to a gateway and transmitted to the cloud for processing. Users log into the web-based software to view inventory data. Customized views can be role-dependent, showing individual silos, groups of silos, or all silos at a single location. Users can make data-driven decisions and generate reports to optimize their inventory.
Let Remote Monitoring Do the Heavy Lifting
BinCloud® cloud-based software is intuitive and easy to learn.
Dashboards present inventory in a simple, easy-to-use graphical interface. Depending on the level of access granted by an administrator, users can see inventory by location, silo, and material type. They can view details for each silo in one click, like the time of the last measurement, how much headspace remains, percentage full, or volume.
A Prioritized User Experience
Customize "views" to your liking. Save them for future use. Pop-up warnings help ensure information is not unintentionally deleted.
An administrator can control user access. Silo, location, gateway, and account information are also available on mobile versions and simply presented for quick views.
More Accuracy, Less Stress. BinCloud offers:
- Remote monitoring via phone, tablet, or PC
- Real-time visibility from the plant, office, or remote locations
- Accurate, reliable level information updates automatically
- Graphical color-coded alerts for low or high levels
- Automated alerts via email or SMS text message
- Wireless sensors and gateways simplify installation
- Scalable for one or many vessels or locations
- Historical reporting optimizes purchasing and logistics
