Cisco Cisco Catalyst 3750-X 3560-X 1G 10G Service Module Folheto
BY PHIL HOCHMUTH
It’s easy to lose track of
something in the world’s
biggest building — even a
jumbo jet engine.
biggest building — even a
jumbo jet engine.
Not that this
happens often at
aerospace giant
Boeing, but the
company recent-
ly deployed a
wireless LAN
( W L A N ) - b a s e d
aerospace giant
Boeing, but the
company recent-
ly deployed a
wireless LAN
( W L A N ) - b a s e d
location tracking system to
keep tabs on all its high-value
components and manufactur-
ing equipment.
keep tabs on all its high-value
components and manufactur-
ing equipment.
“In the factory, the ability to
locate major parts and tool-
ing on a timely basis is criti-
cal,” says Jim Farricker, chief
network engineer and techni-
cal fellow at Boeing. (Vaho
Rebassoo, CTO, computing
and network operations, at
Boeing, will participate in an
Interop panel on the future of
wireless technology on May 4
at 11:30 a.m.)
ing on a timely basis is criti-
cal,” says Jim Farricker, chief
network engineer and techni-
cal fellow at Boeing. (Vaho
Rebassoo, CTO, computing
and network operations, at
Boeing, will participate in an
Interop panel on the future of
wireless technology on May 4
at 11:30 a.m.)
Quickly locating parts is dif-
ficult at times in Boeing’s
Everett, Wash., facility, where
737s, 747s, 767s and 777s are
built. The plant covers almost
100 acres, encloses 472 mil-
lion cubic feet and is the
largest building in the world
(by volume) according to
The Guinness Book of World
Records. The site is also
where Boeing is readying its
Everett, Wash., facility, where
737s, 747s, 767s and 777s are
built. The plant covers almost
100 acres, encloses 472 mil-
lion cubic feet and is the
largest building in the world
(by volume) according to
The Guinness Book of World
Records. The site is also
where Boeing is readying its
787 Dreamliner super-jumbo
jets, scheduled to roll out this
summer.
jets, scheduled to roll out this
summer.
In advance of the 787 proj-
ect, and to speed up produc-
tion of its other aircraft lines,
Boeing’s IT group last year
began installing wireless
location tracking. The tech-
nology will let engineers find
and assemble the collection
of airplane parts and tools —
known as kits — more quick-
ly and allow for better inven-
tory tracking.
tion of its other aircraft lines,
Boeing’s IT group last year
began installing wireless
location tracking. The tech-
nology will let engineers find
and assemble the collection
of airplane parts and tools —
known as kits — more quick-
ly and allow for better inven-
tory tracking.
“It will streamline our pro-
duction environment and
make it more efficient time-
wise and dollar-wise by not
having to replicate tooling
and pieces of gear,” Farricker
adds.
make it more efficient time-
wise and dollar-wise by not
having to replicate tooling
and pieces of gear,” Farricker
adds.
Tagging technology
The idea to track the loca-
tion of factory assets physi-
cally using an 802.11 network
originated in the company’s
PhantomWorks R&D group.At
the time the idea was to use
cally using an 802.11 network
originated in the company’s
PhantomWorks R&D group.At
the time the idea was to use
the existing Cisco Aironet
WLAN installed in the facto-
ries to do the physical tag
tracking.
WLAN installed in the facto-
ries to do the physical tag
tracking.
“Even with fairly big parts,
you’d be surprised how easy
it is to lose track of stuff,” says
Richard Paine, a network
technologist with the
PhantomWorks Math and
Computing Technologies
division.
it is to lose track of stuff,” says
Richard Paine, a network
technologist with the
PhantomWorks Math and
Computing Technologies
division.
The location tracking for
assets in the factory is more
selective than slapping an
RFID chip on every wrench
and bolt. The 802.11 active
tags, which are about the size
of a book of matches and
contain batteries and circuit-
ry, cost $45 to $60 apiece. The
tags are put on only compo-
nents and tools that are “valu-
able enough so that we don’t
mind putting an active tag on
them,” Paine says. Boeing uses
tag products, WLAN tracking
servers and software from
Aeroscout.
selective than slapping an
RFID chip on every wrench
and bolt. The 802.11 active
tags, which are about the size
of a book of matches and
contain batteries and circuit-
ry, cost $45 to $60 apiece. The
tags are put on only compo-
nents and tools that are “valu-
able enough so that we don’t
mind putting an active tag on
them,” Paine says. Boeing uses
tag products, WLAN tracking
servers and software from
Aeroscout.
Everything from lifts, cranes,
jet engines and planes’ fuse-
lage parts are tagged. The
units constantly relay the
position of whatever they are
attached to, using one of two
types of technology: Received
Strength Signal Indicator
(RSSI) and Time Difference of
Arrival (TDOA).
lage parts are tagged. The
units constantly relay the
position of whatever they are
attached to, using one of two
types of technology: Received
Strength Signal Indicator
(RSSI) and Time Difference of
Arrival (TDOA).
RSSI lets an 802.11 network
track an object physically by
measuring the strength of the
signal against three points,
then using that triangulation
to get the exact position.
TDOA similarly triangulates a
WLAN tag, but a time-stamp
technique is used to pinpoint
location. A location tracking
server provides a real-time
view of where everything is
and where it has been.
signal against three points,
then using that triangulation
to get the exact position.
TDOA similarly triangulates a
WLAN tag, but a time-stamp
technique is used to pinpoint
location. A location tracking
server provides a real-time
view of where everything is
and where it has been.
“The issue is that a lot of
[802.11 equipment] is
designed for an office envi-
ronment,” Farricker says. “So
we’re working with our ven-
dors to ensure we have the
capabilities required in these
cavernous locations, which
really look more like the out-
doors.”
designed for an office envi-
ronment,” Farricker says. “So
we’re working with our ven-
dors to ensure we have the
capabilities required in these
cavernous locations, which
really look more like the out-
doors.”
The physical positioning of
the access points in the facto-
ry is simple:“You have a north
wall and a south wall,”
Farricker says. “They both
have [access points] on
them, and they all point to the
middle of the factory.” Before
ry is simple:“You have a north
wall and a south wall,”
Farricker says. “They both
have [access points] on
them, and they all point to the
middle of the factory.” Before
May 1, 2006
Volume 23, Number 17
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Boeing turns to wireless LAN
when a key part goes missing
Boeing’s tracking system keep
tabs on key parts at its air-
craft facility.
tabs on key parts at its air-
craft facility.
“Even with fairly
big parts, you’d
be surprised how
easy it is to lose
track of stuff.”
Richard Paine, network technologist,
PhantomWorks’ Math and
Computing Division
Lessons
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