Tool Tracking
With RFID Systems
Management of tool inventory in mission-critical operations to actively prevent FOD and save time.
Tool tracking plays its role in mission-critical operations where effective tool inventory management and accountability are key to actively preventing FOD incidents and promoting time savings. Industries deploying RFID tool tracking solutions include aerospace, rail, defense, nuclear energy, manufacturing, construction, and tool rental.
A tool tracking system automates all tool inventory management procedures by using wireless tags and RFID readers, with the option to deploy smart tool storage such as an RFID toolbox and customized tool crib software, to identify, track and control tools in real-time throughout their workflow and lifecycle.
An RFID tool tracking system generates a positive return on investment by primarily saving costs for replacing lost or stolen tools. Furthermore, the system provides valuable data on the history, usage, and preventive maintenance of each tool, enabling informed decisions regarding purchasing or selling tools that contribute to saving both time and money for the company.
FOD prevention drives the adoption of RFID control systems in mission-critical operations such as Aircraft MRO, where unaccounted tools and other maintenance incidents can have catastrophic consequences.
Tool Control procedures traditionally rely on visual tool identifications such as tool foam organizers for toolboxes and drawers. Tool cribs and sign-in/sign-out procedures provided another level of control but with limited efficacy and accuracy.
MRO operations have been early adopters of tool crib software and solutions, setting the standard for how other industries can address their own safety, compliance, and productivity challenges.
Automated Tool Control (ATC) solutions are now available that bring tool control RFID systems to drive safety, efficiency, and digitization.
The ATC solutions are built around multiple smart RFID-enabled mobile and fixed tool storage options, including tool crib, tool trolley, tool cart, tool cabinet, CICO kiosk, tool room, toolbox.
Industrial operations rely on specialized tools and equipment: Securing them from theft and locating them quickly when they are needed is critically important in their daily operations.
By improving both the accuracy and the effectiveness of tool tracking, RFID tool tracking reduces the substantial costs of tool availability and life cycle.
The limitations of manual tool tracking in industrial environments are well documented:
- Loss of tools, due to misplacement or outright theft, and therefore the direct cost of replacement
- Lost productivity due to personnel check-out/check-in of tools, searching for lost tools, or waiting for replacements to arrive
- Poor customer satisfaction from missed commitments, maintenance, and added cost
Sockets, ratchets, drills bits: Tagging smaller tools presents a sizeable challenge.
With sockets and ratchets accounting for up to 30% of a typical MRO tool inventory, delivering a near 100% tool tracking coverage is critical in environments prone to FME and FOD incidents.
But given their small sizes, traditional tool tagging solutions are limited given that there really is no good place to mount an RFID tag that won’t interfere with daily operation.
Railway operations leverage RFID for the management of their tools and rolling stock.
Operators of passengers, freight, and metro services rely on RFID tracking systems for smart tool management in rail maintenance operations.
Xerafy RFID also powers self-reporting communications systems to drive rolling stock availability and safety as used by manufacturers of locomotives and unpowered rail vehicles.
Construction sites rely on a complex and fluid organization. RFID Systems for Construction Tool Tracking brings them the real-time situational awareness required to run smoothly and safely, helping with the location and availability of tools and equipment in the field.
Tools, equipment, teams, materials, sites: Maintaining a safe and efficient on-site environment is a daily challenge for the Construction industry.
Construction Tool Tracking RFID Systems are helping to increase the availability of tools on site by reducing losses and delivery movements to different sites. Employees can easily check-in and check-out tools and equipment with a simple handheld RFID reader scan. RFID Systems extend to materials and yard management, for instance, keeping track of rebars.
Market adoption is supported by a very diversified offering with RFID solutions and software adapted to team sizes, contractors, tool and equipment types, IT configurations (onsite / cloud, mobile / ERP).
RFID is particularly well suited to construction sites: The technology’s traditional advantage over Barcodes and other optical identification methods are at their maximum when it comes to operations in the field.
Benefits of RFID for Tool Tracking
FOD Prevention
Locate lost tools by providing visibility into tool usage and potentially identifying the last known location of the tools
Productivity
Analyze tool management processes and identify any inefficiencies, challenges, or pain points that are affecting operations
Visibility
Offer visibility into the last known location or usage of tools, enabling companies to track and monitor tool movements, and have a record of when a tool was last seen
Maintenance
Evaluate the condition and usage of tools, allowing to assess if any tools are damaged, require calibration, and make informed decisions on whether replacements are needed
Analytics
Assess tool inventory and usage, allowing to identify any gaps or shortages in tools and make informed decisions about the need for additional tools
What are the challenges of Tool Inventory Management?
Tool tracking systems are deployed in mission-critical environments that cannot afford the FOD and FME risks that come with relying on employees to manually track and record the hand tools, power tools, and equipment they use throughout the day.
But successfully deploying tool crib software or systems involves overcoming many challenges regarding the tool inventory, existing processes, change management, and technology.
Aviation and industrial operations have first-hand experiences of the limitations of manual tool inventory management relying on tool foam organizers, sign-in/sign-out procedures, visual identifiers, or barcodes.
Cost
Loss of tools due to misplacement or outright theft, and therefore the direct cost of replacement.
Visibility
Up-to-date information of availability of specific tools and kits.
productivity
Lost productivity due to lengthy manual check-out/check-in procedures of tools.
Safety
FOD risks of lost or unaccounted tools.
reputation
Reputational risks from missed commitments and added costs.
Why is UHF RFID preferred in tool tracking applications?
UHF RFID is preferred in tool tracking applications because it has a longer read range compared to other tracking technologies such as barcodes or QR codes.
The longer read range enables systems to inventory many tools simultaneously, automatically in an RFID-enabled tool crib, or using a handheld UHF RFID reader that also allows for tool locating.
Passive UHF RFID (aka RAIN RFID) in particular does not require any battery, therefore reducing costs and limiting the need for additional maintenance.
Moreover, RFID tags are rugged and durable, making them suitable for physically demanding environments.
How to decide if RFID is suitable?
Common questions faced when deciding if RFID is suitable for a tool tracking application:
- Will RFID provide accurate and real-time tracking data?
- Can RFID handle the volume and variety of tools in our inventory?
- What are the implementation costs and potential return on investment?
- How will RFID integrate with our existing systems and workflows?
- Will RFID improve efficiency and reduce tool loss or theft?
The steps involved in determining if RFID is the right solution for tool tracking include evaluating the specific requirements of the organization, understanding the capabilities and limitations of RFID technology, considering the cost-benefit analysis, and assessing if RFID can effectively address the identified challenges in tool tracking.
Companies can define the business problem by brainstorming the challenges that their team or business is facing in terms of tool tracking. This involves identifying the pain points, inefficiencies, or areas of improvement related to tool management and tracking within the organization.
What are the components of an RFID tool tracking system?
A tool tracking RFID system typically consists of hardware and software components, all integrated for optimal accuracy at long and short ranges, and for work in a high density of metal surfaces:
- RFID Readers – Fixed RFID readers are used to inventory an area continuously, at set intervals, or after key events like doors opening. Mobile/handheld readers, on the other hand, enable mobile inspections and tool search functions, allowing for flexibility in when and where the inventory is taken. They can be incorporated in both fixed and mobile tool storage units such as cribs, drawers, cabinets, and toolrooms.
- RFID-tagged Tools – Tools are tagged using RFID for mounting on metal and for embedding, available in a variety of small sizes to accommodate even the most limited available real estate. Tags are all available for optimized performance on metal, plastic, and wood surfaces. Tags can be deployed at scale, offering resistance to shocks, abrasion, fluids, and chemicals, with epoxy and heat-shrink tubing a common retrofit method at point-of-use.
- Customized Software – Adapt to your workflows to minimize change management. Update for additional capabilities: Alerts for missing tools, calibration notifications, replenishment triggers, override options, and data insights.
- Access Control – An access control system will allow controlling access to all or specialty tools, based on a physical location such as an area, room, van, trailer, shelves, displays, cabinets, tool boxes, or even custom vending machines.
How can companies get started with tracking tools using RFID?
ROI
Specify particular enterprise and/or departmental problems to be addressed, as well as the business rationale.
Procedures
Review your tool management, whether it is done manually with tool foam organizers, with sign-in/sign-out procedures, with visual IDs, or with barcodes.
Inventory
Know your legacy inventory of hand tools, smaller tools, power tools, and equipment to track. Include storage units in use for tools.
Deployment
Consider strategic stages, such as team, department, and enterprise-level deployment. Include redundancy and quality during proof of concept.
Connected Tools
Industrial tools with native RFID features are available from leading OEMs: A short-term alternative to retrofitting or a long-term direction for procurement.
Additional resources such as case studies, white papers, and videos are available to learn about deploying RFID systems for tool tracking.
What is a RFID tool tracker?
Xerafy has developed a unique range of rugged RFID tagging solutions, built on overcoming several challenges of traditional RFID technology relating to Tool Management when it comes to metal interference, harsh environments, and long-range read distance requirements.
What are Connected Tools?
Connected Tools are professional tools coming with native RFID features to enable tracking, identification, location, usage data capture.
Unlike retrofit tools that gain RFID features at point-of-use, Connected Tools see the RFID chip integrated into the very design of the item and embedded by the manufacturer.
Xerafy has pioneered this new approach with leading manufacturers such as Stanley Black & Decker (for its Cribmaster, Proto, and Facom brands), Kyoto Tool, SnapOn. Tool manufacturers respond to the strong interest for evolutions in tool management and FOD prevention.
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