Sterima: management system loan sets

The customer

Sterima is a service provider in the healthcare sector and is active in Belgium and the Netherlands. The department Sterima Medical Services offers central sterilization services for hospitals and medical companies in Belgium. Sterima also offers sets of care products with reusable instruments and the company distributes implants loan sets from different manufacturers to hospitals.

The challenge

For the implants loan sets, Sterima was searching for a traceability solution which could ensure that:

• each implants loan set which is sent to a hospital, is complete;
• the serial number and storage life of the implants are automatically checked;
• the consumed parts of each set are automatically determined.

It was also important that the solution would completely fit in the existing logistic process and perfectly integrate in the ERP software of Sterima.

The choice to equip each implant with an RFID tag was only a starting point. The challenge was to realize a correct, selective and fast detection of the RFID tag on the metal implants. Furthermore, the process had to be efficient and intuitive for the operators. It was a very interesting challenge for Aucxis to correctly and successfully detect metal implants in an environment which does particularly consist of metal constructions!

The solution

Aucxis developed an RFID tunnel, integrated in a conveyor belt on which the implants sets are transported. The smart design of the RFID tunnel ensures that only the RFID tags that go through the tunnel are read, and that the large quantity of tags in the immediate environment is not accidentally detected.

The success of RFID detection in such a complex environment starts with an optimal tag selection in combination with the assets which have to be tagged. In its own RFID lab, equipped with an anechoic chamber, Aucxis could carry out the necessary measurements. Based on previous experiences and knowledge, the tunnel was equipped with appropriate hardware and specific RFID elements. Finally, the intelligent algorithms of the Aucxis middleware “Hertz” ensure correct observations.  Hertz also ensures a perfect but especially successful integration with the ERP package of Sterima.