Near Proximity Non-Contact Can Production Tooling and Tool Characteristics Identification & Tracking System

An industrial facility for mass production of cans using industrial production tools which may include but not be limited to knockouts, punches, dies, shapers, the industrial facility comprising:

• a plurality of N can making machines, and a plurality of industrial production tools, each can making machine having at least one industrial production tool mounted to it, each industrial production tool having an RFID tag;
• a production area, the plurality of can making machines disposed in the production area, the production area having a first door;
• a tool area, the tool area having a re-tool storage space, a re-tooling machine, an inspection station, and an inventory storage space, the tool area having a second door;
• a first RFID reader disposed at the first door;
• a second RFID reader disposed at the second door;
• a third RFID reader disposed at the re-tool storage space;
• a fourth RFID reader disposed at the re-tooling machine;
• a fifth RFID reader disposed at the inspection station;
• a sixth RFID reader disposed at the inventory storage space;
• a plurality of N additional RFID readers disposed at the plurality of can making machines, one each of the N additional RFID readers disposed at each one of the plurality of can making machines, whereby each can making machine has a single RFID reader;
• each RFID reader having a range R;
• a group of assigned places, the group consisting of the plurality of can making machines, the first and second doors, the re-tool storage space, the re-tooling machine, the inspection station, and the inventory storage space;
• each member of the group being located apart from any other member of the group at a distance equal to or greater than the range R whereby any single RFID tag of the plurality of RFID tags is only readable by one RFID reader, whereby the location of each one of the plurality of industrial production tools may be known.