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Psion Teklogix’ TekRF™ Puts Power of SAP® R/3® Directly on Osmonics’ Warehouse Floorns – Eliminates Manual Inaccuracies at 4 Locations

Psion Teklogix, a global provider of mobile computing solutions for the enterprise, is process enabling material flows and their reporting requirements for Osmonics, a leading manufacturer of purification and filtration systems.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA—March 6, 2003—Psion Teklogix, a global provider of mobile computing solutions for the enterprise, is process enabling material flows and their reporting requirements for Osmonics, a leading manufacturer of purification and filtration systems. With TekRF, bar coded data is now passed directly to the SAP® R/3® software solution in use at Osmonics, eliminating the time, inaccuracies and costs of manually entered data. By combining separate steps of SAP solution transactions into one and simplifying the user screens, TekRF increases worker and system efficiencies at warehouses in Minnetonka, Minn., Kent, Wash., Rockford, Ill. and Milwaukee, Wis.

At Osmonics, the Psion Teklogix TekRF solution provides both on-line posting and asynchronous processing whenever SAP R/3 is unavailable. By communicating directly to the SAP Warehouse Management application, the TekRF interface software facilitates the processing of orders using wireless terminals. Tightly integrated into the R/3 environment, it extends the functionality of the SAP solution, optimizing Osmonics’ business processes.

“We originally implemented the Psion Teklogix solution in 1999 to stop inaccurate data from entering SAP R/3 in use at our Minnetonka facility,” reports Osmonics Systems Analyst Razak Nawaz. “Our warehouse workers used to write information on pieces of paper when moving stock. That data then needed to be entered into the system. It was after-the-fact, and the classic problems of manual data input occurred. With the Psion Teklogix system, we now enter wireless real-time data from bar codes. Workers scan and go, and the SAP solution processes the information immediately.”

According to Nawaz, when Osmonics upgraded to SAP R/3 Release 4.6C, they used TekRF to redo the transactions to make them comply with their business processes. Osmonics decided not to adjust the mobile transactions of the SAP solution to their business needs but to utilize TekRF functions for this adjustment instead. TekRF smoothed the process by combining transactions, which increased speed and efficiency for both the system itself and the workers.

“At this time, our Kent facility, which must comply with FDA regulations, was planning to automate,” relates Nawaz. “They had been trying to record batch numbers, in addition to everything else, manually. When they saw the Minnetonka implementation, they wanted a similar paperless system.

“Kent can now issue both batch and serialized managed materials to a production order, pick both batch and serialized managed materials, and post both batch and serialized goods issue easily with complete tracking. To assure proper entry, the screen in TekRF requires the user to enter the valid batch or serial number before they can move to the next screen.

“Since all shop floor users in Kent use TekRF via their barcode scanners, material accuracy has greatly improved,” Nawaz attests. “The TekRF users also use scanners to cycle count material in their area at the end of every day. Production and inventory control personnel analyze these results and adjustments are carried out before production starts the following day. After some initial reservation, no one now wants to go back to the old days of manual transacting.”

According to Nawaz, TekRF is also used at their Milwaukee plant which is basically repetitive manufacturing operations, the ‘repetitive backflush & stock put away’ transaction helped improve speed and accuracy. The latest implementation at Rockford was able to take advantage of the TekRF system and is used for most of the shop floor transactions.

“Since the initial implementation, Osmonics has gradually expanded their TekRF functionality by adding and modifying transactions to suit evolving business procedures,” states Duncan Smith, senior vice president, Psion Teklogix Global Solutions. “Osmonics is a very cost-conscious company with talented people who understand how to make people and processes more efficient. With extensive experience in providing wireless data collection solutions tailored to SAP solution-specific environments, we will continue to help them quickly adapt to market challenges with both hardware and software solutions.”