Introducing ZeroKey’s Spatial MES Extension for the Tulip Library
Manufacturing operations are growing more complex, with increasing demands for visibility, efficiency, and adaptability. Modern factories generate vast data, yet critical information about physical processes often remains untapped. High-accuracy, real-time location data is emerging as a critical missing layer in the operations tech stack, as it allows factories to bridge the gap between manual processes and digital control systems. Recognizing this need, Tulip, a leading no-code frontline operations platform, and ZeroKey, the world’s only millimeter-accurate indoor location technology, have teamed up to deliver a powerful solution.
Read on to learn more about the launch of ZeroKey’s Spatial MES Extension in the Tulip Library, a suite of ready-to-use apps that bring spatial intelligence to frontline operations in just a few clicks. This groundbreaking extension to Tulip’s Composable MES empowers manufacturing engineers, operations managers, and digital transformation leaders to rapidly prove out the value of precise 3D location tracking in their processes, with no coding required and a clear path from proof-of-value to scalable production deployment.
High-Accuracy Location Data: Quantum RTLS™ Provides A New Foundation for the Operations Tech Stack
In the era of Industry 4.0, where things happen on your shop floor is equally as important as what is happening at any given time. Integrating high-accuracy location data into the tech stack as a single source of truth for framing events in a spatial context is the key to unlocking real-time visibility into physical workflows that were previously “invisible”. ZeroKey’s Quantum RTLS™ is a revolutionary indoor positioning system that delivers 3D tracking in real-time with 1.5 mm precision, exceeding legacy positioning system accuracy by over 100 times. This hyper-accurate spatial data enables manufacturers to create high-fidelity digital twins of their operations, seamlessly linking physical activities with digital systems. By equipping lightweight tags or wearables on assets, tools, materials, AGVs/AMRs, and even personnel, companies can digitize the movement of virtually everything on the factory floor in real-time.
The result is unprecedented operational visibility. With ZeroKey’s technology, managers can pinpoint the exact location and status of each part, tool, or order at any moment, closing information gaps that used to slow down decision-making and impede continuous improvement efforts.
Real-time location visibility fundamentally enhances core operational domains. It provides actionable insight for improving process control and quality assurance by verifying each step in a workflow’s physical execution. It improves safety, as the system can detect unsafe deviations (like a person entering a hazardous zone or a tool left in the wrong place) and trigger instant alerts. It strengthens traceability and compliance by maintaining a digital record of each asset’s journey through production with every movement logged, enabling full historical traceability for audits or root cause analysis. In short, high-precision spatial data has become a foundation of the modern operations tech stack, feeding who/what/where context into MES, IIoT, and analytics systems for truly integrated, intelligent operations.
Tulip’s Frontline Operations Platform: No-Code MES for Agile Manufacturing
On the other side of this partnership is Tulip, a Boston-based company offering a Frontline Operations Platform that allows manufacturers to build, run, and adapt shop-floor applications without writing code. Tulip can be thought of as a modern, composable Manufacturing Execution System (MES) – a no-code platform where engineers and frontline teams can create interactive work instructions, forms, dashboards, and more to digitize their operations. Tulip’s intuitive app builder and robust connector framework make it easy to integrate diverse data streams and devices into customized workflows. This means emerging data sources like the hyper-accurate location data captured by ZeroKey’s Quantum RTLS can be readily contextualized and put to use, without months of software development.
Tulip empowers the people closest to the operation (process engineers, production managers, etc.) to design the solutions they need quickly, via a drag-and-drop interface. Their platform is also built to be extensible. With a library of connector functions and device integrations, it can easily connect to existing systems (ERP, PLCs, sensors, etc.) and now to Quantum RTLS, all in a unified environment. Tulip’s platform handles the heavy lifting of user interface, logic, data storage, and analytics in a secure, scalable way, and it’s backed by a Library of pre-built app templates and dashboards, reflecting best practices across many use cases. This library is where the new ZeroKey Spatial MES Extension lives, making it as simple as a few clicks to install and use fully-functional location-enabled apps on the shop floor.
The Spatial MES Extension (Five Ready-to-Use Apps)
By combining ZeroKey’s breakthrough location technology with Tulip’s flexible no-code platform, manufacturers gain an integrated solution that is both cutting-edge and remarkably accessible. The Spatial MES Extension – now available in the Tulip Library – is a collection of five ready-made Tulip apps that demonstrate how real-time 3D location data can transform common manufacturing workflows. Each of these template apps showcases best practices for leveraging ZeroKey’s precise tracking in tandem with Tulip’s user-friendly workflows. The apps address common use cases on the factory floor, allowing teams to quickly deploy and experiment with spatially-linked processes. Let’s explore the five included applications:
Bolt Sequencing Verification
This app guides operators through a bolt-tightening sequence and verifies that the process is completed correctly. Using tool-mounted Quantum RTLS tags, the system captures the real-time position of the tool tip and gives instant feedback on each bolt tightening step. Quantum RTLS detects errors immediately and alerts the operator if work is performed out of sequence. By catching mistakes as they happen, the app helps eliminate rework and ensures that assemblies meet quality standards on the first pass. With connected smart tools, the template app can be configured to unlock the tool only when it’s placed on the correct bolt or automatically change the target torque value to match the exact fastener being tightened.
Pick and Place Verification
Even simple pick-and-place tasks can be error-prone, leading to downstream quality issues or assembly delays. This app adds a spatial check to picking workflows: it monitors which bin or location an operator picks an item from and where that part is placed, all with 1.5 mm precision. If an incorrect pick or placement occurs, the app provides immediate feedback so the mistake can be corrected on the spot. By preventing errors from cascading into larger issues, this template boosts right-first-time quality and reduces troubleshooting later in the process.
Worker Safety Monitoring
Safety is paramount in any operation, and this app uses real-time location tracking to help maintain a safe work environment. It can continuously monitor the positions of personnel and equipment and enforce digital “geofences” around hazardous areas. If a person enters a restricted zone or a forklift strays too close to a pedestrian, the app will instantly alert the appropriate personnel or sound an alarm. The Worker Safety app can also extend to include events like falls or a lone worker’s inactivity, triggering immediate responses to potential incidents. By dynamically adapting to movements on the shop floor, this application helps prevent accidents and enables rapid response, making the workplace more proactive in its safety measures.
Material Flow Tracking
Knowing the real-time status of material flow is crucial for efficient operations. This app leverages ZeroKey trackers on material containers, kits, or even jobs, to monitor how materials move through production zones. Tulip’s platform combines this live location data with customizable logic to identify bottlenecks or unusual dwell times – for example, flagging if a pallet has been sitting too long at a station or if work-in-process is accumulating in front of a bottleneck. It also automatically bins time per station, providing detailed insights into the velocity and resource allocation of specific orders at different points in a process.
Loss Prevention & Asset Security
In large facilities, it’s easy for tools, equipment, or inventory to be misplaced or removed from designated areas. This app acts as a digital guard, using geofencing and continuous tracking to protect high-value assets. If a tagged asset leaves its authorized zone or if something is moved that shouldn’t be, the system automatically sends an alert so that staff can respond immediately. For example, if a piece of equipment is taken out of a calibration room or a container of parts strays off the assembly line, Tulip can notify supervisors to investigate. By keeping constant tabs on where materials are supposed to be (and instantly flagging anomalies), the Loss Prevention app helps maintain operational integrity and prevents costly losses or security breaches.
The Spatial MES Extension brings together live spatial data and user-friendly app interfaces to deliver immediate feedback and actionable insights on the shop floor. In each template app, ZeroKey’s Quantum RTLS provides the real-time location events (such as a tool entering a zone or a part being picked), and Tulip turns those events into guided instructions, alerts, and automatic record-keeping. The design of these templates follows a plug-and-play philosophy – they are fully customizable to your specific processes, but they also work right out of the box, so you can start seeing immediate results. Because they make use of Tulip’s Unified Namespace, all data captured (like timestamps of each bolt secured, or an alert history of safety incidents) is available for analysis in dashboards or for integration with your other systems.
Rapid Proof-of-Concept Deployment – No Coding Needed, Ready to Scale
One of the biggest advantages of the ZeroKey–Tulip integration is the speed and ease with which you can go from concept to live solution. True to Tulip’s ethos of no-code simplicity, the Spatial MES Extension requires no software development lift to implement. Any engineer or operations leader can configure and start using these apps through Tulip’s drag-and-drop builder. This dramatically lowers the barrier to trying out advanced location tracking on your own shop floor. You can quickly set up a pilot (for example, instrument a single workstation with a Bolt Sequencing app or outfit a small area for asset tracking) and get immediate feedback on its impact. The extension’s template apps are designed for rapid proof-of-concept: install them, connect with ZeroKey’s Quantum RTLS deployment, and see results in days, not months.
Yet, unlike many proofs-of-concept, these apps don’t get thrown away once the concept is proven. Because the entire solution lives on Tulip’s enterprise-grade platform, you can seamlessly evolve a pilot into a full-scale commercial deployment. The Spatial MES Extension is built on the same common data model and infrastructure as Tulip’s core MES apps, so it integrates into existing workflows or can operate standalone alongside them. In practice, this means you might start with the template as-is, then gradually customize it or connect it to other systems as your project scales – all without starting over. Tulip’s composable architecture makes it easy to add new devices, rules, or business logic to the app as requirements grow.
In short, the partnership delivers both quick wins and a long-term solution: you get fast proof-of-value with no coding, and a clear path to scale into a robust, fully integrated production application when you’re ready.
Same-Day Setup with the Quantum RTLS Starter Kit
To support rapid experimentation, ZeroKey offers a Quantum RTLS 2.0 Starter Kit – a ready-to-use bundle that includes all the hardware and software needed to bring millimeter-accurate real-time tracking to your facility immediately. Thanks to ZeroKey’s industry-leading automatic calibration technology, these kits can be set up in a matter of minutes, with the same 1.5 mm accuracy that a full-scale deployment would provide. This makes it feasible to test different use cases on the same day you receive the kit. For example, you could first configure it to track a set of tools at an assembly bench, and later that day, reconfigure it to monitor material flow in a small production cell.
Embracing the Future of Spatially Intelligent Operations
The launch of ZeroKey’s Spatial MES Extension in the Tulip Library is a milestone in the journey toward truly smart manufacturing operations. It showcases the power of an open, collaborative ecosystem: by combining ZeroKey’s cutting-edge 3D location tracking with Tulip’s no-code MES platform, we get tools that are both advanced and accessible to those who need them. Manufacturers at the forefront of innovation are already using this integration to reimagine their processes, from improving assembly accuracy to protecting workers and assets, and are reaping substantial benefits in efficiency and insight.
For organizations just starting to explore these possibilities, the message is clear: spatial data can be a game-changer, and getting started doesn’t have to be time-consuming. With the Spatial MES Extension’s plug-and-play apps and ZeroKey’s Quantum RTLS Starter Kit, even a small pilot can deliver outsized learnings and ROI. And because the solution scales, those early wins will seamlessly grow into data-driven, adaptive operations. Together, Tulip and ZeroKey are delivering on the promise of Industry 4.0 by making the smart factory concept practical and attainable. We invite you to explore the Spatial MES Extension in the Tulip App Library and experience firsthand how spatial intelligence can elevate your operations. The future of manufacturing is one where every process is connected, visible, and optimized in real-time – and with Tulip and ZeroKey, that future is already here.
