Siemens offers real-time locating system for a safe production environment and optimized production processes

It is not just a case of re-establishing operating processes with new standards; the safety of each individual employee in terms of social distancing will also be a much more important consideration in future. The Simatic RTLS Real-time Locating System offers companies a means of measuring, monitoring and maintaining social distancing between employees. Through the interaction of wearable RTLS transponders with infrastructure devices, the movement of employees in all clearly defined areas can be tracked, while observing all applicable data protection regulations. The additional SieTrace software from Siemens processes the location data from the transponders using an algorithm and determines the distances between employees. If the social distance falls below 1.5 meters, a warning signal is sent to all persons involved via the e-link display of the transponder. This ensures that social distancing can be implemented continuously on company premises, and also means that in the event of a risk scenario those employees who could be affected by the risk are identified quickly and reliably. In addition, the real time data provided by the Simatic RTLS can be combined with a digital twin of the real production environment. In the event of an employee contracting Covid-19, companies can then determine possible interaction scenarios between employees. Possible “hotspots” for particular risk areas can be identified quickly and easily. With this precise knowledge of where the risk areas are, safety concepts can be optimized quickly in these areas where there is an actual need. Large cost-intensive hygiene measures across the entire site can then be avoided in favor of a focus on specific areas.