Tapestry Solutions

Tapestry Solutions provides enterprise logistics software and services for global supply chains, mission planning, combat training and simulation systems.

Menu
  • About Us
      • Our Commitment & Culture
      • Major Programs
      • Industries We Serve
      • Community Outreach
      • Contact Us
        • U.S. Headquarters
          • 6910 Carroll Road
            San Diego, CA 92121-2211
            United States
            Tel: +1.858.503.1990
            Fax: +1.858.503.1999
            marketing@tapestrysolutions.com
          • Close
        • Europe Branch
          • Building 330
            The Crescent Bristol Business Park
            Bristol BS16 1EJ
            United Kingdom
            Tel: +44 117.931.9800
          • Close
    • Close
  • Solutions
    • air-ops-centerfinal-19002Logistics Operations
    • Vigilant Shield 16Mission Planning
    • Ground Forces Training Invitation Event at Fort Leonard WoodMission Command Training
    • MUF15_RMS280694Technical & Field Support
    • Close
  • Products
    • goldesp_mro-570GOLDesp MRO & Supply
    • Elmendorf Airmen deliver relief supplies to HaitiBoeing Load Planner
    • Container Truck ,ship In Port And Freight Cargo Plane In TranspoBoeing Terminal Manager
    • Pilots in the cockpitMission Management Suite
    • 787 Assembly in Everett, WashingtonEnterprise Sensor Integration (ESI)
    • Close
  • Media Center
    • News & Insights
    • Video Gallery
    • Close
  • Careers
    • Job Search
    • Benefits
    • Close
  • Training & Support
    • Contact Customer Support
    • Technical & Field Support
    • Close

Achieve Total Asset Visibility with Sensor Integration & RFID

May 15, 2019

One of the most complex and vital tasks facing the Department of Defense (DoD) is managing its supply chain to effectively and efficiently provide spare parts, equipment, food and other critical supplies in support of U.S. military forces.  The DoD’s goal and challenge is to deliver the right items to the right place at the right time – and the right cost – yet it still struggles with achieving Total Asset Visibility (TAV) .

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Wyatt L. Anthony

By its very nature, the military supply chain is extremely complex and risky. It  involves an unstable and unpredictable demand, moving end supply points, and ensuring equipment readiness for war. The DoD is also challenged with fragmentation across its extensive network infrastructures, along with disparate sensor technologies that track the whereabouts and status of its assets.

The U.S. military has made steady progress achieving its TAV goals with advances in automatic information technology, including implementing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for asset tracking. However, it continues to face interoperability challenges due to “stovepiped” networks and IT systems that were developed independently with differing requirements and data formats. The challenge is providing a unified infrastructure that can effectively capture massive amounts of data – and turning that “Big Data” into actionable insights.

This is what the Internet of Things (IoT) is all about. The IoT is changing lives in the commercial sector, connecting everything from smartphones, smart appliances, smart home thermostats, wearables and much more. The application of the IoT in the manufacturing industry – dubbed the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or Industry 4.0 – leverages intelligent, connected devices to greatly improve operational efficiency, productivity, and profitability across manufacturing plants and supply chains.

With the rapidly evolving IoT market, the DoD is looking to capitalize on civilian successes and lessons-learned to help manage the sheer volume of data produced for both tactical and logistics operations.  DoD representatives actively engage with industry leaders and participate in conferences such as RFID Journal Live  to keep abreast of the latest advances in RFID and related IoT solutions, including Tapestry’s Enterprise Sensor Integration (ESI) technology.

Leveraging ESI’s Commercial Successes

ESI has been deployed across Boeing, including the massive Everett plant, pictured here.

With its proven success in the commercial industry, ESI holds great potential for asset/tool tracking, sustainment and supply chain management for the defense sector. In the commercial aerospace & defense market, ESI has significantly enhanced asset visibility, increased production rates and reduced costs for Boeing and BAE Systems.

At Boeing, ESI has interconnected nearly every aspect of the organization’s asset management and supply chain across 27 major manufacturing sites comprising over 300 buildings. This unity of information, powered by sensor integration, has saved Boeing more than $100 million in the first year alone. The technology, proven to handle up to 6-10 billion RFID tag reads each week, continues to save Boeing millions each year. Today, ESI saves the company an estimated $80 million in recurring annual savings through reduced labor costs, increased workflow efficiency, asset loss prevention, and improved decision-making based on the Big Data analytics.

BAE Systems also rolled out an award-winning ESI-enabled RFID solution last year at several manufacturing sites, including its Electronic Warfare Integrated Manufacturing Center (EW-IMC) in Nashua, NH. Because of its successful implementation, BAE Systems recently captured an award for “Best Manufacturing RFID Implementation” at the 17th annual RFID Journal LIVE conference.

BAE Systems’ primary task was to replace existing manual processes with RFID to effectively track and manage inventory, assets/tools and work-in-process (WIP). The RFID technology, driven by ESI, has automated the tracking of more than 200,000 assets, 30,000 parts and about 6,500 work orders at its plants. BAE Systems reported that it saved 2,400 hours tracking WIP, and an additional 1,248 hours in searching for missing items.

ABOUT ESI

As an IoT middleware solution, ESI integrates disparate sensor technologies to connect people data and processes across factories and supply chains. ESI solves connectivity challenges caused by the proliferation of proprietary IoT devices and tracking solutions that cannot share data with other sensors or networks.

Download ESI White Paper

ESI features a unique “sensor-agnostic” platform that ensures interoperability with various hardware and software vendors’ IoT solutions, regardless of brand or data formats.  ESI connects sensors ranging from RFID position-information tags, passive and active GPS-enabled WiFi tags to embedded hardware and complex ERP systems, both legacy and next generation technologies. ESI also includes real-time alerts and integration with sensors that monitor temperature sensors, pressure and humidity.

The software platform can be implemented across a global enterprise, either in the cloud or on dedicated servers. With ESI, decision makers have total asset visibility of equipment, tools, cargo and processes – anywhere at any time for 360° supply chain clarity.

As a successfully deployed IoT platform, ESI can  help military forces increase efficiencies, reduce costs and enhance situational awareness across its supply chain networks. For more details, download White Paper  or watch video below.

About Tapestry Solutions

Tapestry Solutions, Inc. is a global provider of information management software and services for defense, government and commercial markets. We provide mission planning, training and simulation support to maximize readiness for our warfighters. We also help solve logistics challenges for the world’s largest and most complex supply chains. Supporting customers from more than 50 locations worldwide, Tapestry Solutions is part of Boeing Global Services.

Operating as one of Boeing’s three business units, Global Services is headquartered in the Dallas area. For more information, visit www.boeing.com/services.

Contact:

Janet Dayton
Boeing Global Services
janet.l.dayton@boeing.com

 

The appearance of U.S. DoD visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

 

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: BAE Systems, DoD supply chains, Enterprise Sensor Integration, ESI, IoT, RFID, TAV, Total Asset Visibility

BAE Systems Wins Award for RFID Rollout w/Enterprise Sensor Integration

April 30, 2019

BAE Systems has been recognized for its smart factory transformation using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to track and manage assets/tools, inventory and workflow processes. The company captured an award for the Best Manufacturing RFID Implementation at the 17th annual RFID Journal LIVE conference after demonstrating significant savings using RFID-enabled technology developed by Tapestry Solutions, a division of Boeing Global Services.

BAE Systems’ team members, pictured during production.

BAE Systems leveraged Tapestry’s Enterprise Sensor Integration (ESI) technology to connect RFID-tagged materials with its enterprise resource planning systems – setting the stage for an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) ecosystem. Within the first year of deployment, BAE Systems reported that it saved 2,400 hours tracking work-in-progress, or WIP, and saved 1,248 hours in searching for missing items. The solution has also significantly accelerated manufacturing processes while improving quality.

“The BAE Systems’ program was an excellent example of how RFID and the right software can drive real value for companies. It was truly an award-winning project that demonstrated how RFID can translate into quantifiable results for a major enterprise,” said Mark Roberti, founder and editor of RFID Journal.

The conference is the world’s largest RFID venue, with several domestic and international companies vying for the Best Manufacturing RFID Implementation award. The winners were selected from six different end-user categories.

A highlight at the conference was the keynote address delivered by Deirdre (Dee) Schmidt, BAE Systems’ Operational Excellence Leader, who spearheaded the RFID initiative at the Electronic Warfare Integrated Manufacturing Center (EW-IMC) facility and several other plants. She described the program’s three-pronged objective of automating inventory replenishment, managing the status and location of asset and tools, and improving visibility of WIP.

RFID barcode scanners track the location and condition of tagged assets at BAE Systems.

Prior to the RFID-enabled system, BAE Systems had a largely manual process for tracking and managing supply inventory, assets and tools, as well as workflow on the assembly floor. The firm used a time-intensive barcode scanning process to track and replenish inventory at multiple sites. Procurement teams also released orders manually, which often resulted in longer than desired lead times.

To address these challenges, Tapestry provided the ESI/RFID solution in 2017, leveraging the same sensor fusion technology that it implemented across 27 major Boeing manufacturing sites incorporating over 300 buildings. The ESI solution saved Boeing $100 million in its first year alone, and today processes 6 to 10 billion tags each week.

At BAE Systems, the RFID/ESI solution is currently tracking over 200,000 assets, 30,000 parts and an estimated 6,500 work orders at its facilities. The automation of material replenishment has enabled BAE Systems to transform from a “push” scheduling process to a “pull,” where there is a just-in-time inventory flow through its supply chain. The tool and asset tracking solution enables users to identify items as they enter and return from specific zones with associated alerts. It also monitors recalibration due dates on specific equipment.

ABOUT ESI

ESI is a middleware software solution that connects people, processes and data to improve visibility in the factory – and across an entire enterprise. ESI solves interoperability challenges due to the growing number of disparate tracking technologies that speak different languages.

ESI integrates a myriad of sensor technologies that track, monitor and control assets and workflow processes – providing the gateway to the Internet of Things and smart factory transformation.   As a “sensor-agnostic” solution, ESI can be integrated with an organization’s legacy RFID and sensor systems, regardless of hardware or sensor types or brands.

Contact:

Janet Dayton
Boeing Global Services
janet.l.dayton@boeing.com

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: BAE Systems, ESI, IoT, manufacturing, RFID, sensors

Boeing’s Tapestry Solutions’ Sensor Integration Platform Goes Live at BAE Systems

April 9, 2018

Boeing [NYSE: BA], through its subsidiary Tapestry Solutions, today announced that its Enterprise Sensor Integration (ESI) software platform has gone live at BAE Systems’ Nashua, New Hampshire, facility.

The rollout of Tapestry’s ESI is part of BAE Systems’ large-scale effort to standardize and automate the infrastructure for its manufacturing operations. Plans are now underway to implement ESI at additional BAE Systems’ manufacturing plants in New Hampshire, New Jersey, Texas and California.

ESI integrates myriad sensor technologies that track, monitor and control assets and workflow processes. ESI also integrates smart Internet-enabled devices, or Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, into one intelligent and interactive network. The software harnesses the power of big data and analytics to boost manufacturing efficiency, productivity and profitability.

As a sensor-agnostic solution, ESI solves connectivity challenges in the evolving digital landscape. It also integrates with an organization’s legacy and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and operates in the cloud or on dedicated servers.

“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,” said Michael Spencer, Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing for Tapestry Solutions. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with BAE Systems.”

The ESI installation at the Nashua plant involved the integration of Impinj Speedway Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers, Mojix STAR wide-area RFID sensors and readers, and several ERP and asset management/ordering systems.

ESI mirrors Automated Identification Technology (AIT), the sensor integration solution implemented across 50 Boeing assembly plants. AIT saved Boeing more than $100 million in its first year alone through decreased assembly time, automated asset receipt/payment, enhanced inventory management and improved quality and safety.

About Tapestry Solutions

Tapestry Solutions, Inc. is a global provider of information management software and services for defense, government and commercial markets. We provide mission planning, training and simulation support to maximize readiness for our warfighters. We also help solve logistics challenges for the world’s largest and most complex supply chains. Supporting customers from more than 50 locations worldwide, Tapestry Solutions is part of Boeing Global Services.

Boeing Global Services, headquartered in the Dallas area, was formed by integrating the services capabilities of the government, space and commercial sectors into a single, customer-focused business. Operating as a third business unit of Boeing, Global Services provides agile, cost-competitive services to commercial and government customers worldwide.

Contact:

Janet Dayton
Tapestry Solutions Inc.
Boeing Global Services
jdayton@tapestrysolutions.com

Watch video to learn more about Tapestry’s ESI technology:

Filed Under: Press Releases, Recent News Tagged With: BAE, Enterprise Sensor Integration, ESI, IoT, RFID, sensors

IoT for Military Asset Management (Part II): Tapestry’s Sensor Integration Solution, ESI, Changes the Game for Defense Supply Chains

January 17, 2018

Decades ago, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) played a critical role in laying the foundation for the Internet of Things (IoT) with sensors, extensive computer networks and communications technologies. Today, as the IoT transforms the world around us – from smart homes to smart factories – leveraging the IoT for the defense supply chain seems like the logical next step in the military’s digital transformation. But it’s not that simple.

ESI

Over the years, the U.S. military has focused its IoT-related deployments on combat operations, primarily network-centric warfare – the centerpiece of military transformation that relies on sensors, platforms and networks for battlefield situational awareness. The DoD also continues to drive innovation with machine-to-machine communications and artificial intelligence.

In the area of asset management, the military uses radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to track shipments and manage inventories, but RFID sensors are just part of the IoT equation.

 The IoT Elephant in the Room: CONNECTIVITY

The IoT has become a ubiquitous term with all the hype surrounding sensors and smart devices in the private sector. The Internet of Things actually involves much more than a network of sensors and smart devices collecting data. The ultimate challenge is connecting these technologies as part of an intelligent network, and transforming “Big Data” into meaningful information. Connectivity, therefore, is key to a true IoT infrastructure.

IoT systems are more than just sensors collecting massive amounts of data. To be a true IoT system, the data must undergo analysis and be used to effect some type of physical or virtual response,” as noted in the CSIS report, Leveraging the Internet of Things for a More Efficient and Effective Military.

A major challenge is that information is often collected from sensors that are not designed to communicate with one another, and this poses a major problem in managing supply chain assets.  Rather than extracting data from each sensor type, a true IoT platform fuses the data from multiple sensors in real time, providing timely, actionable information to decision makers.

In the commercial sector, the IoT is transforming everything from manufacturing and supply chains to transportation systems and maintenance management systems. It is significantly improving productivity, efficiency and profitability. However, the military has not kept pace with commercial IoT deployments for several reasons, including security concerns, shrinking budgets and interoperability challenges.

While the military has been a driver in connected and machine-to-machine communications such as radio frequency identification, more commonly known as RFID, it has been slow to adopt true IoT applications that knit these communications into interoperable, automated cycles. Communications remain within their given channels, not easily shared or aggregated,” according to the Deloitte article, Continuing the march: The past, present, and future of the IoT in the military.

With this in mind, broader deployment of IoT technology across the military “requires investment in increased connectivity, digital analytics and improved interoperability,” noted to CSIS authors Denise E. Zheng and William A. Carter.

ESI: Solving the Interoperability Challenge

Tapestry Solutions provides the gateway to the IoT with its Enterprise Sensor Integration (ESI) technology. ESI effectively bridges disparate sensors together via a single interface, solving challenges related to interoperability. It also delivers automation, real-time alerts, mapping applications and analytics – the full offerings of the Internet of Things. This ensures total asset visibility of equipment, tools, cargo and processes anywhere and at any time.

In fact, Boeing – the world’s largest aerospace company – has already reaped the rewards of ESI.  At Boeing, ESI has integrated its asset tracking and supply chain management systems on a common platform across 50 assembly plants. This unity of information, powered by sensor integration, saved Boeing more than $100 million in the first year alone, and it continues to generate huge savings each year.

The ESI platform integrates sensors ranging from RFID position-information tags, passive and active GPS-enabled WiFi tags to embedded hardware and complex servers. ESI also seamlessly integrates customers’ legacy and next generation systems. As a “sensor agnostic” solution, ESI can communicate with many different hardware and software vendors’ IoT solutions.  The platform can be implemented across a global enterprise, either in the cloud or on dedicated servers.

With sensor fusion as a core capability, Tapestry Solutions has been delivering enterprise-level solutions to commercial and military customers for decades.  Let’s take a closer look at Tapestry’s asset management solutions of the past and how these technologies eventually led to the development of solutions like ESI.

BCS3: A New Age in Information Sharing

Dating back to the U.S.-Iraq War, Tapestry Solutions developed the Army’s Battle Command Sustainment Support System (BCS3) in response to mounting pressure for better asset tracking. First fielded in 2004, BCS3 represented the start of a new age in sustainment information sharing. BCS3 was among the first battle command systems for logistics that helped commanders filter critical logistics information.

Still in limited use today, BCS3 provided commanders with a joint logistics common operating picture. It tied together information from numerous, disparate Army logistics systems, in-transit visibility systems, and other fragmented data sources. This enabled operators to view the supply stockage levels in warehouses and track the movement of supplies as they traveled through the distribution systems via air, land and sea.

Among the subsystems feeding into BCS3 were RFID tags and fixed-site interrogators. BCS3 processed RFID tag data and graphically depicted the data on a map or report (shown above).

The RFID tags work like “wireless bar codes” that record, track, and manage the supplies and equipment of a modern networked military, according to the article, “RFID Technology: Keeping Track of DoD’s Stuff.”    There are many benefits to RFID, including improved asset tracking, inventory management and automation. However, the DoD had faced challenges of achieving widespread RFID implementation, mainly because it was unable to demonstrate the return on investment.

Improving the Effectiveness of RFID – and Multiple Sensor Technologies

Fast forward to today. As the costs of using RFID technology decreased phenomenally, RFID has been deployed across military supplies and assets, including aircraft, tanks, weapons and ammunition, soldiers and equipment.

It is estimated that the military has over 3 million active RFID tags in circulation, including over 3,000 tag-reader devices in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait and Pakistan, according to ToolHound, a developer of web-based tool management software.  RFID is often used with barcodes to record, track and manage military equipment and supplies.

The information collected by RFID tags is significant, but its value is limited if the data remains siloed, or isolated from other data sources. Its true potential can only be realized when connected to other sensors and asset management systems via an Internet of Things platform, like Tapestry’s ESI.

By fusing data from multiple sensor technologies from multiple vendors, ESI gives decision-makers a complete picture of their asset movements and inventory.  For instance, if an enemy mobilized against the U.S., military officers can immediately identify what is happening, determine which assets are nearby, mobilize those assets and ensure they have enough equipment, supplies, and soldiers to overcome the opposition.

Despite the challenges of adopting IoT for military applications, ESI can help defense organizations leverage this interconnected architecture to increase efficiency, reduce costs and enhance situational awareness across the full spectrum of defense logistics management.

It’s all about information-sharing – and achieving information superiority in the battlespace – because military commanders have always lived and died by information.

he appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information
does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

Contact:

Janet Dayton
Tapestry Solutions Inc.
jdayton@tapestrysolutions.com

Watch ESI Commercial to Learn More

Related articles across the web

  • The new smart gun looks pretty cool, except…
  • Your Next Wearable May Not Need Electricity
  • New technology is coming to cruise ships
  • Your smartphone’s sensors can reveal your PIN

Filed Under: Blog Posts, Uncategorized Tagged With: Asset Management, Enterprise Sensor Integration, ESI, Internet of Things, IoT, IoT for Defense, RFID

Moving from Hype to Reality in the Application of the Industrial Internet of Things, or IIoT, for Manufacturing Operations

September 27, 2017

Tapestry Solutions has pioneered the use of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for manufacturing operations – turning hype into reality when it rolled out its Enterprise Sensor Integration (ESI) platform across 50 Boeing factories.

For this monumental achievement, The Internet of Things Institute, Inc. has included Tapestry’s IoT technologies in its listing of the Top 20 Industrial IoT Applications. The Top 20 list includes companies that are “not idly boasting about the promise of the IIoT to transform their business; they have already begun the transformation,” according to the Institute.  

As noted in the listing for Boeing: Using IoT to drive manufacturing efficiency:

“Aviation pioneer William Boeing quipped that it “behooves no one to dismiss any novel idea with the statement, ‘It can’t be done.’”
The multinational 
aviation company founded in Boeing’s name apparently still subscribes to that ethos … Boeing and its Tapestry Solutions subsidiary have aggressively deployed IoT technology to drive efficiency throughout factories and supply chains…”

As a sign of aggressive deployment of its IIoT application, Tapestry recently completed the initial phases of an ESI installation for a major defense contractor. The technology will provide the customer with automated asset tracking, workflow and material replenishment processes at their assembly plants throughout the United States.

About ESI

Tapestry’s ESI is an innovative integration platform that connects disparate sensor technologies through a standard ­­interface – seamlessly connecting people, data and processes through automation.  The technology addresses concerns surrounding interoperability between devices and machines that use different protocols with different architectures.

With ESI, there’s just one platform that can communicate with many different hardware and software vendors’ IoT solutions. As a result, supply chain visibility is not completely dependent on one manufacturer or sensor type. This ensures total asset visibility of equipment, tools, cargo and processes anywhere in the world.

The sensor integration solution saved Boeing over $100 million in its first year alone. It continues to generate savings year after year due to improved productivity, reduced inventory costs and increased supply chain velocity.

Unlike other IoT sensor solutions, ESI is a cloud-based platform that can be implemented across a global enterprise.  In addition to manufacturing applications, ESI supports global supply chain logistics for industries including pharmaceutical, automotive, aerospace and defense.

 

Contact:

Janet Dayton
Tapestry Solutions Inc.
jdayton@tapestrysolutions.com

 

Watch video to learn more

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: ESI, IIoT, Internet of Things, IoT, manufacturing, RFID, sensors

Tapestry White Paper Addresses Solutions to Fragmented IoT Supply Chain; Read How Data Fusion & Sensor Integration Provides Seamless Gateway

June 21, 2017

The Internet of Things (IoT) is fueling a fourth Industrial Revolution, and with it, comes significant interoperability challenges for industries. As you’ll read in our white paper, “The Sensor Revolution,” there’s been a proliferation of stove-piped IoT sensor technologies that are not designed for the larger IoT ecosystem.

Tapestry Solutions has addressed the interoperability challenges with its Enterprise Sensor Integration (ESI) technology. Cloud-based ESI utilizes data fusion and a sensor agnostic platform that ensures interoperability across all brands, manufacturers and ERP systems. ESI has global enterprise scalability that ensures total asset visibility of parts, equipment and processes – anywhere in the world.

ESI leverages technologies that Tapestry developed for Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company. Here, the technology has interconnected nearly every aspect of Boeing’s asset management and supply chain – not just at a single factory, but across more than 50 Boeing sites.

Our sensor integration solution saved Boeing over $100 million in its first year alone and continues to generate savings year after year. It has improved productivity, reduced inventory costs and increased supply chain velocity. With ESI, there is also better situational awareness and actionable decision-support capabilities as well as enhanced safety and security at the assembly plants.

ESI is a flexible platform that supports a broad range of missions and operations including:

  • Global Supply Chains
  • Industrial Manufacturing
  • Depot Maintenance Operations
  • Defense Logistics Operations
  • Commercial Asset Tracking

Download white paper

 

Janet Dayton
Tapestry Solutions Inc.
jdayton@tapestrysolutions.com

 

 

Related articles across the web

  • Industrial IoT is the most important tech scene you haven’t heard of
  • 8 things you need to know about augmented reality and mixed reality
  • How Airlines Are Using The Internet of Things
  • 5 Easy Ways to Turn Your House into a Smart Home

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: Big Data, Enterprise Sensor Integration, ESI, IoT, RFID

Tapestry to Integrate its IoT Platform for Major Defense Manufacturer

May 4, 2017

Tapestry Solutions has entered into another agreement with a major defense manufacturer to integrate Tapestry’s Enterprise Sensor Integration (ESI) software at its assembly plants throughout the United States. The technology will provide the defense contractor with automated asset tracking, workflow and material replenishment processes using touchscreen monitors and handheld RFID readers.

The first installation is set to go live in August, with additional installations expected to follow at more than two dozen plants under a multi-phase project approach.

“We are proud to offer a package that no other vendor was able to match,” said Michael Spencer, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, Tapestry Solutions. “The customer made it clear that they chose Tapestry because no other vendor demonstrated our unique understanding of the Internet of Things (IoT) hardware, software, operations and customer centric implementation.”

Unlike other sensor solutions, ESI is a sensor-agnostic IoT platform that can be scaled across the global enterprise. It is also available as a cloud-based solution for factories of all sizes and supply chain operations.

With ESI, supply chain visibility is not dependent on one manufacturer or sensor type. ESI interfaces with major RFID vendors as well as sensor solutions from providers including Oracle, SAP and IBM Maximo. This ensures total asset visibility of equipment, tools, shipments and processes anywhere in the world.

ESI is based on automated information technology that Tapestry rolled out across 50 Boeing plants. Boeing reported a savings of more than $100 million during its first year by reducing labor costs, increasing workflow efficiency, preventing asset theft, lowering rental equipment expenses and improving decision making based on the analytic data. Tapestry estimates a recurring savings for Boeing of $70 million annually.

As a result of the successful implementation at Boeing, Tapestry launched the commercially available ESI product line in November 2016.

Media Contact:
Janet Dayton
jdayton@tapestrysolutions.com

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: AIT, Enterprise Sensor Integration, ESI, Internet of Things, IoT, manufacturing, RFID

Tapestry Solutions Launches IoT Sensor Integration Solution; ESI Leverages Enterprise Technology Deployed at Boeing

October 25, 2016

SAN DIEGO, November 16, 2016 – Tapestry Solutions, Inc., a non-fully integrated subsidiary of Boeing [NSYE: BA], has launched its Enterprise Sensor Integration (ESI) software platform that will transform supply chain operations and help businesses tap the power of the Internet of Things (IoT). Tapestry’s ESI middleware solution seamlessly connects people, processes and data on factory floors, supply chains, and across the enterprise. By providing a standard infrastructure for data and analytics, ESI gives decision-makers a complete picture of their inventory and asset movements during the production process.

Wing Sets in the 747 Factory in Everett
(Photo: Jeff McNeil/Wikimedia Commons)

“ESI is a game-changer in the industry. It will modernize supply chain and manufacturing operations, and in the process, help businesses grow their bottom line,” said Robin Wright, President & CEO of Tapestry Solutions, Inc.

ESI is based on Tapestry’s field-proven technology recently deployed at 50 sites throughout The Boeing Company – the world’s largest aerospace company. At Boeing, the custom technology is known as the Automated Identification Technology – Information Management System, or AIT-IMS. In its first year alone, AIT-IMS saved Boeing approximately $100 million through decreased assembly time, automated asset receipt/payment, enhanced inventory management and improved quality and safety.

The software harnesses the power of Big Data, boosting manufacturing efficiency, productivity and profitability. It serves as the foundation for the IoT, where internet-enabled devices are connected, intelligent and interactive.

“ESI not only will give businesses a competitive advantage, it will also help accelerate industry innovation around the globe. We are proud to be Automotive industry manufacture line with different metal partspart of this IoT sensor revolution,” added Jens Pohl, Vice President of Engineering, Tapestry Solutions.

Tapestry’s commercially available ESI solution features expanded capabilities, including a cloud-based platform and integration with temperature sensors, thermostats, pressure sensors and humidity sensors.

Through data fusion, ESI integrates a myriad of sensor technologies that track, monitor and control assets and workflow processes on a common platform. It synthesizes data from sensors, software and electronics – everything from bar codes, active and passive RFID, Wi-Fi and GPS tags to scanners and ultra-wideband wireless systems can securely and seamlessly interact with one another.

pharmaceutical factory equipment mixing tank on production line in pharmacy industry manufacture factory

ESI also unlocks the massive opportunity of the future IoT, where everything is smart and interconnected – from smart cities and homes to smart factories. From a manufacturing perspective, the sensor management system is not limited to tracking assets and enhancing supply chain visibility, however. It can also be linked to a building’s infrastructure and equipment, such as managing and controlling heating, lighting and door security systems as well as machine sensors.

The enterprise-class platform has interconnected nearly every aspect of Boeing’s asset management and supply chain. As a result of its successful implementation, AIT-IMS will serve as the platform for Boeing’s IoT integration efforts. (See AIT-IMS Case Study)

Tapestry Solutions, Inc. is a global provider of information management software and services for defense, government and commercial markets. Backed by our parent company, The Boeing Company, we help solve logistics challenges for the world’s largest and most complex supply chains. We also provide mission planning, training and simulation support to maximize readiness for our warfighters. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., Tapestry supports customers from more than 50 locations around the world, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Afghanistan, Kuwait, the UK, South Korea, Australia and Germany.

Media Contact:
Janet Dayton
jdayton@tapestrysolutions.com

Filed Under: Press Releases, Recent News Tagged With: AIT, AIT-IMS, Asset Management, Enterprise Sensor Integration, ESI, Internet of Things, IoT, manufacturing, RFID, Supply Chain

U.S. HEADQUARTERS

6910 Carroll Road
San Diego, CA 92121-2211
United States
Tel: +1.858.503.1990
marketing@tapestrysolutions.com

Links

Menu
    • About Us
    • Solutions
    • Products
    • Media Center
    • Careers
    • Training & Support

PRIVACY NOTICE

The Privacy and Cookie Statement for The Boeing Company and its family of brands has changed, effective May 22, 2019, to allow for a more unified customer experience. You can review the updated Statement here.

Copyright ©2019 Tapestry Solutions Privacy PolicyTerms & Conditions

Thank you for your interest.
Please fill out the information below to access this white paper.

Thank you for your interest.
Please fill out the information below to access this case study.