by | Dinesh Ong Beng Keong
About Author:
Project Executive of MDT Innovations, Dinesh Ong Beng Keong has won Merit in MSC Malaysia APICTA 2017 Awards, under Best of Retail & Supply Chain Management organized by PIKOM and MDEC. Having graduated with Bachelor of Law and Commerce from Management and Science University (Malaysia), Dinesh focuses more to Internet of Things (IoT), and how it can be fully utilized by the users. With the revolution of ICT, especially in the IoT industry, Dinesh aims and focuses to learn and provide the most optimal and efficient solution for the end users and to fast track towards Industrial 4.0
A Brief Introduction to Industry 4.0 and MDT Innovations
The industry has changed exceedingly in the past decade, with the existence and rapid transformation of technology. In these days, information can be acquired and managed with just a tap on the screen of a portable device. Under the broad title Industry 4.0, many physical and digital technologies are combining through analytics, artificial intelligence, cognitive technologies, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to create digital enterprises that are both interconnected and capable of more informed decision-making. In the previous decade, the technology was limited and costly. However, due to competitiveness and availability of the technology which we have today, the technology has advanced tremendously and can be easily acquired.
“MDT Innovations (MDTi) is one of the fastest growing technology companies in Asia Pacific. Focusing on entire IoT (Internet of Things) value chains ranging from intelligent wireless communications, IoT as a services, turnkey, to analytics solutions, the company is banking heavily on telecommunications and e-payment, smart retail, and crowd movement in education and aviation. MDTi is proud of its standout engineering achievements mainly the development of world smallest NFC module, MD770R, and NFC in SIM card, which shrunk RF front end and antenna into the size of SIM card, thus empowering all mobile phones to become NFC-enabled.
The immense excitements of IoT and Industry 4.0 mega trends has further put MDTi in the spotlights. MDTi’s solutions in crowd movement, work in progress automation, and smart retail solutions are based on its intelligent wireless sensor systems. These solutions are found in Fortune-500 semiconductor firm and retail chains in China, Malaysia, and Australia. With significant amount of smart devices deployed so far, the company envisages its significant involvement in smart city which will ultimately make full use of its existing and future smart devices.
The company has been profitable since inception. MDTi has seen tremendous growth especially in export sales and has grossed more than half a billion of accumulated export sales to date. As of 2015, 97% of total revenues are contributed by export sales, which is an evidence that the company has made successful international presence.
MDTi is a multiple MSC Asia Pacific ICT Award winner in 2006 and 2007 and it is also the winner of Best of the Best, The Prime Minister Award in 2007 and 2013. The company is also Red Herring Asia 100 and Red Herring Global 100 in 2008 awarded by Red Herring Magazine from California, USA acknowledging 100 most innovative and promising technology companies of that year. This recognition put MDTi amongst past winners like Google, Yahoo!, Youtube, Qualcom, and Ebay. In 2011, MDTi adds Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific in 2011 to its list of accolades and it is ranked 12th. It is also Malaysia’s fastest growing company with 3130% from 2008 to 2010.
At MDT Innovations, we exist to help customers to connect to surrounding things, understanding, and making full sense out of its condition with the aim of giving the best business improvements and user experiences. To achieve this, we have created cultures and instilled values to our team in order to fulfill our philosophy of enabling IoT solutions and services that will enable our customers to reach out to “things” that they have always wanted to.”
How Industry 4.0 can benefit Malaysian SME
With the advancement of technology, the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) can be managed effectively and transparently with Industry 4.0. Managing SME with industry 4.0 integration is far different from the conventional management method. Managing SME nowadays can be done effectively and efficiently.
The new SME definition was endorsed at the 14th NSDC Meeting in July 2013. The definition covers all sectors, namely services, manufacturing, agriculture, construction and mining & quarrying. Sales turnover and number of fulltime employees are the two criteria used in determining the definition with the “OR” basis as follows:
♦♦For the manufacturing sector, SMEs are defined as firms with sales turnover not exceeding RM50 million OR number of full-time employees not exceeding 200.
♦♦For the services and other sectors, SMEs are defined as firms with sales turnover not exceeding RM20 million OR number of full-time employees not exceeding 75.
In MDT, we provide solutions to enable customers to achieve best business improvements and user experience. Among the solutions we have provided is Staff Tracking. The solution provides identification, instant verification, tracking and unauthorized movement. MDTi does not only provide customers with solutions, we also provide business intelligence to our customers. The Data captured can be accessed by assigned personnel via computer dashboard, as well as via mobile apps. This helps organisations to have an overall view on their staff location on their monitor and to manage their staffs effectively and efficiently.
Besides that, we also have solutions which enables customers to keep track on materials from preproduction, which are involved in the production line. Through this solution, the customer will have record on which materials were used during production, and at which stage were the materials being added into the assembly line.
By having and implementing the mentioned solution, customers will have the Kanban solution experience. This is where customers can achieve just in time manufacturing (JIT) in their production line. Our solutions also limit the buildup of excess inventory at any point in production. This helps our customers to have better storage management and to fully utilise their storage.
Besides that, our solutions also limit on the number of items waiting at supply points are established and updated into the system dashboard, and the person who is in charge can do necessary arrangements. This is where inefficiencies are identified and be removed by the person in charge, or by the system, whichever the customer prefers.
Whenever a limit is exceeded, the dashboard of the overall system would provide an alert or notification to the management or person in charge within the production line. The users and customers will have record as to when and what time the materials have arrived in production house, time used to build a specific item as well as data which they can apply in their resource management. In relation to that, unauthorized movement of materials will send an alert to the system dashboard, which at the same time activates nearby cameras to focus on the affected area. In contrast, the system dashboard also provides data for more strategized work in progress (WIP).
Besides the above, our IoT solutions also benefit the supply chain management. RFID has been widely used in retail and supply chain management in many areas; over a decade ago, in many countries. In relation to that, the prices for RFID infrastructure is less expensive now compared to previous times. However, many retails and supply chains still adapt the traditional RFID solutions. The traditional RFID practices are practiced with main purpose of preventing theft on the apparels in the retails or warehouses. As for example, in the retail for apparels, the apparels are tagged with a label tag that is tied via plastic string. However, in today’s modern world, the number of theft cases are rising in most areas. This will affect the retail and supply chain as their assets are vulnerable in falling prey to theft.
In MDT, we not only focus on creating a product for reducing theft in retail and supply chain, we also provide value added solutions for our consumers. Our solutions can contribute in the process of planning, implementation, controlling the efficient and effective flow, transaction, storage and delivery of goods and services, resources planning, and structured data flows from the point of origin to point of consumption in order to meet customer requirements and equally addressing business issues and requirements of the retail industry.
The data collected will be stored in our Rapita RFID Asset Management Cloud System. The Cloud does not only receive and record data, it serves as software support tool to our RFID Tags for the Retail Application. As far as possible assisting Retails in their effective management.
In contrast, we exist to help customers and users to connect to surrounding things, understanding, and making full sense out of its condition with the aim of giving the best business improvements and user experiences and to enable IoT solutions to in pursuit of experiencing Industry 4.0.
