The site operates as a central LPG distribution hub, receiving, filling, and dispatching large quantities of cylinders daily. Throughput at the filling station directly impacts downstream logistics, making process efficiency a priority.
Challenges
The plant’s manual system for tracking cylinders was creating a serious bottleneck in operations:
- Excessive truck wait times of 90 to 120 minutes, caused by slow barcode scanning processes
- Operators had to manually scan each cylinder, one by one, at every checkpoint—Arrival, Departure, and Audit
- The RFID portals were equipped with fixed antennas installed at 45-degree angles, requiring tags to deliver consistent read ranges of 9 to 10 feet
- Previous RFID tags tested—including several locally sourced models—failed to perform reliably due to the high density of metal cylinders and variable positioning
The resulting inefficiency disrupted filling schedules, increased labor demands, and created unnecessary fuel and driver costs
Solution
“We needed long-range tags that actually worked. After trying several, only Xerafy’s performed reliably in the field.”
The team initiated a proof-of-concept to evaluate Xerafy’s RFID tags, selected for their long-range performance and resilience in metallic environments.
By adjusting tag placement outside the cylinder stack zone—where metal interference was highest—successful hands-free reads were achieved across all three portal locations.
The POC is designed as a scalable test, with initial tags monitored for consistency, read rate, and integration with the plant’s tracking system.
Purpose-built for LPG cylinder tracking, the Xylinder OUT delivers long read ranges where other RFID tags fail.
Benefits
- Marked improvement in read consistency, resolving prior bottlenecks
- Reduction in manual workload and truck dwell time at the filling station
- RFID tracking enables real-time visibility of cylinder flow across control points
- Field validation of Xerafy’s tag design for LPG operations
The site is continuing with its evaluation phase, targeting future scale-up.
Xerafy is a pioneer in Industrial RFID, bringing to market several innovations that enable advanced industrial identification and automation capabilities.
In addition to a complete range of field-proven RFID tags available off-the-shelf, Xerafy offers Custom RFID Tags services, covering everything from a personalization service bureau to custom-design engineering capabilities.
