Boeing subsidiary Tapestry Solutions has won a deal to supply its technology agnostic IoT platform into BAE Systems’ manufacturing facilities. The rollout is part of BAE Systems’ large-scale programme to standardise and automate its manufacturing operations.
Tapestry Solutions’ enterprise sensor integration (ESI) software platform has gone live at BAE Systems’ Nashua facility, in New Hampshire; it will be deployed in BAE Systems’ manufacturing plants in New Hampshire, New Jersey, Texas and California in the coming months, the San Diego-based firm announced.
Its IoT platform connects people, processes and data on factory floors, supply chains, and across industrial enterprise operations. It is presented as technology agnostic, so any number of sensors, devices and ‘things’ can be plugged into it, to monitor and control assets and workflow processes. These can be connected by sundry low-power, wide area (LPWA) connectivity technologies
The Nashua installation involved the integration RFID sensors and readers, and a number of enterprise resource planning (ERP) and asset management systems.
Boeing has itself deployed the platform as an ‘information management system’ (IMS) in at least 50 manufacturing sites. At Boeing, it goes under house name, AIT, ‘automated identification technology’. Tapestry Solutions claims the system saved Boeing around $100 million in its first year, by decreasing assembly time, automating asset receipt and payment, enhancing inventory management and improving overall quality and safety.
Michael Spencer, vice president of global sales and marketing at Tapestry Solutions, said: “We are pleased to provide BAE Systems with a flexible, sustainable platform that not only integrates with existing networks, but is also scalable to allow for future growth. We look forward to continuing our relationship with BAE Systems.”
