rfid pilot: chemical tracking at pnnl - efcog.org · rfid label verification verify a sampling of...

RFID Pilot:

Chemical Tracking at PNNL

JUDI JOHANNESEN

March 13, 2014 1

Materials Field Services/ Plant Operations

Chemical Safety and Lifecycle Management Operational Meeting, Spring 2014, DOE-HQ

Takeaway

The effectiveness RFID can make in managing your chemical

inventory.

Key points and challenges when considering RFID.

Screenshots and details to provide you a picture of the process.

March 13, 2014 2

What we will discuss:

Motivation to convert to RFID tracking

Decision to implement RFID

Preparation to begin the conversion

Process & Design

Equipment and Supplies

Software

User Guides

Prep Equipment

Communication

Conversion pilot #1: ChemAgain chemical redistribution center

Conversion pilot #2: Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Challenges encountered

Advice

Untested questions

March 13, 2014 3

DISCLAIMER

March 13, 2014 4

PNNL is knowledgeable in RFID technology

Key role revising international RFID standards

~40 RFID-related patents

R&D 100 Award (2001) for Long-Range Semi-Passive Radio Frequency

Identification System

Wave ID spin-off acquired by Alien (2000), Federal Laboratory

Consortium Award (2002)

HF RFID sensor tags (asset health monitoring technology)

More Info

http://www.technet.pnnl.gov/sensors/electronics/projects/ES4CntnrMon.stm

2007 White Paper

March 13, 2014 5

Evaluated CMS application in September 2007--found promising

Insufficient confidence in efficiency with regard to use on chemical

containers at that time to implement

Presentation at CMS Forum: 70% efficiency in 24 hour RFID

stockroom issuing application at biotech firm

Most RFID/inventory applications implemented at the pallet level,

not the item level

Lost coveted leader position by waiting, not much change in

technology between 2007 and now


March 13, 2014 6

Changes in materials management approach

Physical inventory woes

Drive to reduce lifecycle costs through front-

end investments

Motivation to convert to RFID tracking: Changes in Materials Management Approach

March 13, 2014 7

Split Environment, Safety & Health Division

ES&H kept Subject Matter Experts

Identify requirements from regulations & business decisions

Implementation staff moved to Operations division

Implement processes to meet requirements

Standardize practices across the Lab

Increased emphasis on lifecycle management

Materials Field Services


March 13, 2014 8

Risk-Based Chemical Management pilot completed

Roll-out: retagging chemicals w/ OS

Operational Significance (OS) level of importance based on an

asset’s impact to safety, operations, and/or contributions to PNNL’s

research and development mission.

CMS calculates OS for container based on hazards of product

High: Things with very tight fire code limits, things with political

sensitivity

Medium: no High OS hazards, but there are hazards or reporting

requirements associated with the product or a constituent of the product

Low: No hazards, no reporting requirements

Operational Significance Tracked to Action if not found

HIGH Room Investigation, operations manager must approve deletion

MEDIUM Firezone Follow up with custodian, no approval required to delete

LOW Building Delete from CMS


March 13, 2014 9

Hazard Chemical Level (HCL), an IH classification driving mitigating

controls

HCL-1 & 2: Mitigating controls to published lab standards, with HCL-2

requiring more rigor than HCL-1, e.g., engineered/administrative controls

HCL-3: Chemical Process Permit required

Courtesy of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Motivation to convert to RFID tracking: Physical Inventory Woes

March 13, 2014 10

Scanners obsolete – need replacement

>10 years old

Repairs expensive – no parts, one price repair

So obsolete that reprogramming isn’t an option

Efficiency only ~77%


March 13, 2014 11

Downstream problems in chemical management

Untracked chemicals found during physical inventories

many from non-standard acquisitions

No acquisition data

No MSDS

Substandard labeling, no hazard information

Uncharacterized chemicals in inventory in limbo: expensive to find

Let’s see, where is that #245683?


March 13, 2014 12

Physical inventories consuming scarce staffing resources

Physically demanding

Workload issues - full-time job w/o inventory duties

Inventories on 3-year cycle

EMSL and explosives magazines counted annually

EMSL: 260 hours to scan ~9,000 container inventory

EMSL: ~70% efficiency

Motivation to convert to RFID tracking: Up-front investment to contain downstream cost

March 13, 2014 13

Avoid high expense to locate a container in the lab

Centralized chemical ordering and receiving conducted by staff with

chemical and administrative background

Goal: Do everything possible at the first touch

During ordering

During receipt

Receiving warehouse chemical receiving area mods nearly

complete

Fume hood

Storage cabinets

Network drop + wireless

Decision to Implement RFID

March 13, 2014 14

RFID presentation from ORNL (from CSLM Spring 2012)

Jeff Sickau

Materials Field Services assembled RFID team

Laurie True (Materials Field Services, team lead)

Phil Daling (CMS Program Manager)

Michael Kanyid (IT – CMS)

Decision to Implement RFID

March 13, 2014 15

2012 ORNL Benchmarking Visit (Host: Jeff Sickau)

2 days

Hands-on

Met with

Material management operations staff

IT

Field staff

Subcontractor Open Wave RFID

Toured several labs w/ RFID

Operated scanners in lab setting

High scanning efficiency (98%)

Entire lab scanned in a few minutes

Nothing at ORNL gave team pause


Recommendation:

Roll out RFID technology in conjunction w/ risk-based chemical

management

APPROVED

FUNDED

Implementation begins

March 13, 2014 16


Decisions:

Leverage ORNL programming investments and subcontract their

vendor Open Wave RFID to do PNNL’s modifications

Involved Process & Design Analysis professionals

Plan process

Select/acquire equipment & supplies

Develop software

User guides

Prep equipment

Communication

March 13, 2014 17

http://openwaverfid.com/


Process & Design

March 13, 2014 18

Recruited Process & Design Analysis professionals

Modeled process to estimate conversion time

Inventory analysis

Process analysis

Scenario analysis

Informed scheduling

Compared efficiency of possible choices

Process modeling: Rigor of examination strengthened process


Plan Process

March 13, 2014 19

Inventory Analysis:

Analyzed the size and storage location of all chemical containers to

classify containers as very hard, hard, or easy to tag.

Used data from the Chemical Management System to obtain a count of

the number of containers in each EMSL lab.

Inventory Analysis

Easy

Chem

Hard

Chem

Very

Hard

Lab FreezerLab

RefrigeratorLab Drawer

Lab

WorkbenchFlam CabinetCabinet

Containers must be

put back in the exact

location they were

found

Have to search for

containers since they

may be under other

supplies.

Typically full of small,

hard to tag containers.


Plan Process

March 13, 2014 20

Process Analysis and Simulation:

Determined the activities needed to add an RFID tag to each chemical

container.

Generated random numbers to assign time to each activity based on a

container’s classification of easy, hard, or very hard.

Used these time estimates to create a schedule detailing the day and time

each lab would be converted.

Process Analysis

Load Cart Unload CartScan Original

BarcodeApply Tag Test Tag

Check for

Problems

Failed RFID Tag Test

Fix Problems

(Exit)

Is CMS data correct?


Plan Process

March 13, 2014 21

Scenario Analysis:

Analyzed the impact of varying the availability and count of resources,

such as RFID printers, scanners, and staff members.

Scenario Analysis

Staff MemberRFID PrinterRFID

Scanner

How should teams be

orgranized? Two teams of

two? Two teams of three?


Plan Process

March 13, 2014 22

Massive, site-wide tagging effort or Facility by Facility?

Facility by Facility, 2-year schedule

Tag just new chemicals, or replace barcodes on existing inventory?

Replace barcodes: no physical inventory benefit if not.

Build Software solution?

Software on scanner (ChemVue) from Open Wave RFID

Software on PC (CURL, CUSI) built in-house

Existing CMS software modifications


Plan Process

March 13, 2014 23

Two teams of 2 with cart, shared runner

A: fetches and stows chemicals

Batches ~20

Data comparison

B: operates computer/prints tags

Runner: interacts with lab manager, fixes container data in CMS

Shared runner: ½ FTE savings – reduced wait times

Interacts with lab managers

Work room by room through facility


Select/Acquire Equipment & Supplies: Tags

March 13, 2014 24

Passive tag, 900 MHz, recommended by Open Wave RFID

Large & small

Self printed, with human-legible info on tag

Labels for Static and Exempt inventory

Closer look at large tag

March 13, 2014 25


Select/Acquire Equipment & Supplies: Printers

March 13, 2014 26

One for each barcode size

Zebra Printer R110Xi4


Select/Acquire Equipment & Supplies: Scanners

March 13, 2014 27

Scanner

Wireless communication capability

Using hardwired docking for now

Motorola Handheld Scanner MC3190-Z

ChemVue Software


Select/Acquire Equipment & Supplies

March 13, 2014 28

Carts

Laptops

USB linear barcode scanner

Uninterupted Power Supply

Don’t have to reboot printers every time you unplug

Overpack containers

Bags for tiny containers

Rubber Bands

Tape

Scissors

Barcodes, Exempt/Static labels

Toe Tags/attachments

March 13, 2014 29

Preparation to implement

Develop Software

March 13, 2014 30

Open Wave RFID customized scanner software

Leveraged ORNL investment

3 day onsite visit

User stories

Stakeholder requirements

Product: ChemVue software

Inventory mode

Find Item mode


Develop Scanner Software – ChemVue

March 13, 2014 31

ChemVue Software – Main Menu



March 13, 2014 32

ChemVue Software – Inventory Screen



March 13, 2014 33

Scanner in action

Scanning 102

2

5

109 (1359) Unique #s scanned

Total reads



March 13, 2014 34

Find Item screen

358219



March 13, 2014 35

Searching

Find Item Approaching

Found!!


Develop PC Software – CURL

March 13, 2014 36

Develop PC RFID label tool in-house

Product: CMS Utility for RFID Labels (CURL)

Read container ID# off barcode or enter new

Evaluate CMS data onscreen against container data in hand

Correct key fields (at minimum)

Print RFID tag

Affix to container



March 13, 2014 37

Log in

Set up screens

Set location & printer(s)



March 13, 2014 38

Main Screen

Scan/enter barcode

Status

Found

Not Found

Recovered

Uncharacterized

Verify key container data

Update location

Update last inventory date

Print tag (automatic/manual)

Batch Print (whole room)



March 13, 2014 39

Product: CMS Utility for Scanner Inventory

Software to upload/download RFID Scanner data

Load CMS data on scanner (CUSI)

Take inventory (ChemVue)

Transfer inventory data back to computer (CUSI)

Reports needed to reconcile (CMS)

Reports needed to assess management system (CMS)

CMS software adaptations to new process


User Guides

March 13, 2014 40

Desk Instructions for RFID Conversion

Setup

Calibrate printer

Open CURL

Set up printers

Conversion process

Set print to automatic

Enter location

Pull group of chemicals from storage

Sort on tagging strategy

Scan barcodes for group – auto print

Compare tag data to container

Divert containers to correction as needed

Apply tags per Reference Guide

Return containers to storage


User Guides

March 13, 2014 41

Desk Instructions for RFID Conversion, continued

RFID Label Verification

Verify a sampling of tags, particularly

Small

Tags below liquid level

Other: hydroxides, ethylene glycol, metal containers

Prep RFID Scanners (CUSI)

Test tags using Find mode in ChemVue

Assess signal strength

Add chemicals to CMS

Found w/o barcode

Found w/ barcode, but no data in CMS

Generate RFID after adding

Exempt from Tracking (sticker)

Static Inventory (sticker)


User Guides

March 13, 2014 42

RFID Tag Reference Guide

Don’t obscure hazcom info on container!

Tagging strategies developed w/ help of Process & Design Analysis

Testing on various container types

ORNL experience


User Guides

March 13, 2014 43


User Guides

March 13, 2014 44


Prep Equipment

March 13, 2014 45

Set up carts

Load software on computers & scanners

Calibrate printers

Typed in the calibration sequence file (important later)

Test equipment

Stock supplies


Communication

March 13, 2014 46

Presentation to facility management staff

Brown bags & Fact Sheet to facility staff

Fact Sheet developed by Communications staff

Email

Calendar scheduling for lab managers

Notified DOE: assessments on hold during conversion

Physical inventory/reconciliation w/ each facility

Conversion begins

Pilot #1: Chemical Redistribution Center

<1000 chemicals

Used only 1 of 2 carts (important, as we will see later)

Post-conversion inventory efficiency close to 100%

Metal containers

Foil pouches

Some concentrated mineral acids

Used timing and process data from this pilot in process model

Too perfect?

No inventory w/o barcodes

No bad container data in CMS

No glovebags, freezers, cleanrooms

March 13, 2014 47

Conversion Begins

Pilot #2: Environmental Molecular Sciences

Laboratory (EMSL)

Annual physical inventory due

Facility management enthusiastic

Annual inventory: 3x the savings opportunity

Building-specific receiving dock – can isolate process

~9000 containers (1/8 entire PNNL inventory)

March 13, 2014 48

http://www.emsl.pnl.gov/root/emslweb/

Conversion Begins

Pilot #2: EMSL

March 13, 2014 49

Conversion ran October 7-29, 2013

Monday – Thursday

2 x 3 hour shifts per day

Resources

2 carts (uh oh)

3x the number of hours as a physical inventory

Model predicted completion to the day

Out of scope

Craft shop chemicals

Gas cylinders (except lecture bottles)

Will do these at end of conversion schedule

End of conversion inventory

Issues identified

Conversion Begins

Pilot #2: EMSL

March 13, 2014 50

Challenges

Calibration errors in the small tag printer on Cart #2

Oh, so that’s what the contractor meant when they offered to calibrate the

printers – for a price

Two different “printing” mechanisms on RFID tag printers

Tag stock close together on roll

Human legible printing on one tag

Laser printed RFID chip on adjacent tag

Conversion Begins

Pilot #2: EMSL

March 13, 2014 51

No tracking cart to room

Some rooms identifiable from inventory data

~400 containers with bad tags throughout facility

Containers move between labs w/o tracking (OS M & L)

Resolution:

Obtained calibration file from vendor

Locate and replace faulty tags

Sooner rather than later

Increase emphasis on tag verification

Avoid overconfidence/complacency

Contract mod: tag test software

Remember: new process, have patience

Conversion Begins

Pilot #2: EMSL

March 13, 2014 52

Issues remaining:

Tagging gas cylinders

Rotate through vendor’s shop and back

Herding cats

One day mass tagging here and there?

Start replacing barcodes as they’re delivered?

Prior notification of deliveries to prep tags?

CMS needs to generate the unique Container ID#

Using remaining barcode stock in the interim

Resource exhaustion

Already have challenging full-time job

Shortcuts, complacency

Use available research staff?

Conversion Begins

Advice

March 13, 2014 53

Expect problems, be patient

Not a 1-discipline job: need multi-disciplinary team

Very detailed planning, project management

Label, *TEST*, then place into storage

Track equipment used by location during conversion

Pilot where there are many scenarios (glove boxes, freezers, clean

rooms)

Get input from those who understand underlying physics

Dielectric properties

ID problems before encountered

Conversion is a miserable, tedious job

Short work cycles

Quick progress? Worry about shortcuts!

Celebrate successes

Conversion Begins

Untested Questions Remaining

March 13, 2014 54

Tag durability in chemical storage cabinet environment (e.g., acid

cabinets, bottle docks)

Durability of other tagging materials

Rubber bands

Toe tags

Ziploc bags

Tag durability in freezers

Tag adhesive on some materials

Teflon

Greasy tubes

Summary




Process & Design

Equipment and Supplies

Software

User Guides

Prep Equipment

Communication

Conversion pilot #1: chemical redistribution center

Conversion pilot #2: Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Challenges encountered

Advice

Untested questions

March 13, 2014 55

Questions/Discussion

March 13, 2014 56

Contact Information

Judi Johannesen

[email protected]

509-371-7796

March 13, 2014 57

mailto:[email protected]

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