DMMiD: What is it?
How DMMiD Works
DMMiD uses the RFiD system to enable you to scan products into your computer system, taking human error out of reading and entering serial numbers.
DMM achieved this by developing an RFiD reader and RFiD chips.
You can buy DMM products with chips already recessed into them. With some pulleys, for example, the chip is recessed into the barrel. For carabiners, it's recessed into the gate. What's more, you can get chips retrofitted to other products: for example, harnesses, steel cables, slings, etc.
How Gear is Retrofitted with DMMiD Chips
For products that are not DMM, or don't have a chip already recessed into it, DMM have unique retrofitting ideas. Rope tags, for example, can be printed with information (such as the owner of the company, rope length, and so on) – including a unique identifier. Once you attach this tag to your rope, you can scan it on inspection day, and all the information about this particular rope appears on your screen.
Another method is DMM's special cable tie, which has a chip in it. With this cable tie, you can retrofit your harnesses, and other items. Once again, this makes inspections easier.
Next, is the dot. The dot chip is glued on. We've had people trying to pick these off with their fingers and dragging them across concrete. The glues are strong. So far, we haven't received any reports of people destroying the glue that holds the dot chip onto your metalwork.
Finally, DMM developed an RFiD helmet sticker. Some companies advise not to put stickers on helmets, because we don't know what the glues are. But, DMM's helmet stickers use 3M glues that are approved for use on plastic work-at-heights helmets.
DMMiD Benefits
Here are the unique things about this system:
- By using RFiD, we take human error out of entering products.
- We increase product lifespan, because we're no longer retiring equipment when we can no longer read the unique identifier. Most products have a laser-etched identifier – once this wears off, we can no longer use it, because we can't tell it apart from an identical product. By having a chip that is recessed into the metalwork (or retrofitted into it later), this means we can continue to use the product even when we can't read the identifier anymore.
- DMMiD also improves accountability. That's because, in order to use the system, you need to physically scan and touch the RFiD reader onto the chip. That means that every product must be touched by an inspector.
- Also, DMMiD saves time and money. Simple. Every boss loves to save time and money. With DMMiD, companies don't need to spend lots of money on man hours to do the inspection.
- We're saving money on replacing gear. That's because we can keep the gear in service for longer: We can retire gear when it's worn out, instead of when we can't read the identifier anymore.
How DMMiD Works with Your Computer
When you first buy your equipment from DMM, and you want to log it for the first time, go to the DMM website: dmmwales.com/id. This brings up the iD page, where there's an iD search function.
All you do now, is start scanning. By putting the end of the RFiD reader right up against the chip, and pressing the wifi button on the reader, you're scanning the product. Its unique information then pops up on your screen: an image of the product is displayed, along with information such as breaking strains, when it was manufactured, and how often inspections should take place. Most importantly, it gives you the product's serial number.
Once you've scanned your products, you can scroll down, fill in your information (i.e., who owns in the equipment, when it was purchased). After you've done that, you'll get a choice on how to download the information.
You can use DMMiD with any software. For instance, you can open this information in Excel as a .csv file, which you can then format to your liking.
DMMiD in a Nutshell
DMMiD speeds up the inspection process dramatically. You no longer need four or five people to do the inspection, with one poor person reading serial numbers to someone trying to type it into the computer.
That's the biggest advantage, here: We're taking human error out of inspections.
Learn more about DMMiD here.
See our range of industrial gear here.
Questions? Visit us, email us or call us (03 9600 0599).
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