Dietmannsried, 12/14/2010 - Always in motion - Truck finds farm equipment
The navigation of vehicles moving targets is one of the disciplines of telematics. The logistics concepts software GmbH (LCI) has developed on behalf of the Federation of machinery rings, a solution based on TomTom WORK and the software CoTrIS. The Machinery Ring will benefit from an automated order management with dynamically embedded and Navigation: The CoTrIS solution optimized in combination with TomTom WORK various status reports, the trip planning, and their complete control.
"You have reached your destination." With this statement, daily border navigation countless processes that are carried out by fixed or mobile devices. In the rapidly growing market for commercial applications, the Dutch provider TomTom WORK with reliable and cost-effective solutions has developed a large market share. Small and large fleets can be located via the online fleet management system WEBFLEET supplied with orders and controlled efficiently. Based on these data and functions added to the LCS the offer by TomTom WORK for more intelligent software solutions.
Right on time at the field
An example is the navigation to moving targets. This is not only military, but also in the civilian sector for the optimal management of farm equipment and heavy goods. Because during the harvest period, it is important, Agriculture and Transport vehicles optimal manner to minimize the waiting time during loading - because time is precious. In agriculture, this is much more than in the traditional distribution logistics. Highly specialized farm equipment such as chargers for the automatic collection of "beet rent" - that is the technical term for the post-harvest on field margins accumulated root crops - require investments of at least 350,000 €. For an individual farmer, this acquisition is totally uneconomical.
Scheduling with two unknowns
For these and similar applications have therefore established in the farm equipment industry rings, which act as co-operatives and the acquired capital goods dispose centrally. "One charger for beet work for 400 to 600 farmers, which form a so-called" loading group ", Dieter Ott, project and IT manager explained the Federation of machinery rings in Neuburg an der Donau. A charge group covers an area with a diameter of up to 100 kilometers. "Within this area a charger runs from mid September and early January, all beet rent," said Ott. This can take the charger with no costly delays of one to the next beet clamp, the removal of the harvest made seamless. Therefore, the main machine associated with a truck on time at the field and are ready to transport the cargo directly into the sugar factory. Any charger for approximately 10 vehicles assigned to this task. The dispatchers of machinery rings therefore had to always work with two dynamic factors. "We could not predict exactly in what place the charger is at any given time," said Ott. A GPS positioning merely allowed the current location of the farm equipment be established. For this purpose, the association had invested seven years ago in an independent telematics solution.
The respective positions of the truck could be determined, however, only with a phone call from the driver. Overall, this situation resulted in repeated delays and delays. Therefore, the Federation of machinery rings last year, has started to equip the fleet of trucks with telematics devices. After comparing several solutions, the Association decided in July 2009 for the system from TomTom WORK. "Besides the technical characteristics of the used farm equipment has convinced us and the service of the TomTom WORK dealer Xplus1 from Neumarkt," says Ott.
Screenshot CoTrIS for TomTom WORK
TomTom WORK provides solid basis
It was found that the standard version of TomTom WORK is an ideal basis and through the LKS can be adapted to the special requirements of machinery ring association. be implemented first, the navigation had to be moving targets and, second, the connection to the existing telematics and harvested area management system of farm equipment. The dispatchers should be able to see at a glance the current positions of the farm equipment and any associated truck on the screen. Telematic expert Thomas Greaney of Xplus1 had for the right solution. Since 2008, his company is working with the concepts of logistics software GmbH (LCS) together to expand customized solutions from TomTom WORK in accordance with specific customer needs and industry requirements. The LCS is the self-developed software for TomTom WORK CoTrIS a toolset of standard products and individual adjustments for all fleet sizes and budgets available. TomTom WORK provides the "link-box" both the hardware and the vehicle location and communication skills that serve as the basis CoTrIS. "We have specialized in the intelligent linking these data with existing or future systems and like to work with all telematics-dealers," LKS CEO Wolfgang Schmid explains.
CoTrIS links
"As a project partner, the LKS is extremely reliable, fast and on time," said Greaney, adding: "Now that our client had decided in July, it took only four more weeks until the LKS had implemented the changes." From the specialists Dietmannsried Allgäu attacked for it deep in their "tool box". The "TomTom WORK toolset" of CoTrIS extends the capabilities of the fleet communications and telematics to individually selectable additional functions to a comprehensive transportation management system. For the sugar beet harvest means a substantial simplification. Once a truck has reached the unloading is triggered automatically by using geo-fencing, the next loading order and reported back to the TomTom server to the truck. From the interface to the telematics system will then issue the Chargers CoTrIS the target position and updates automatically to achieve the targets.
Minimal training required
The Machinery Ring will benefit from the stability and reputation of the telematics solution and can by the use of CoTrIS for TomTom WORK use its existing systems more efficient. In the first season, the system proves its worth. "Low hardware and communications costs, a high acceptance by the drivers through the easy job taking over in the navigation as well as the minimum training requirements have reinforced our decision," says Ott. The next steps are already fixed: After the first year initially 36 trucks have been linked to the predisposition to, the solution can be expanded in 2010 to 100 to 200 vehicles.
