Asset tracking, a challenge for Industry 4.0

Asset tracking represents a major productivity challenge for industrials. This process allows them to monitor real time visibility of their stocks, to geolocate their resources and to monitor several critical indicators. (Temperature, movements, ...)

This asset tracking system covers multiple technologies with different operations and uses. This includes geolocation technologies BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), GPS, bar-codes, and RFID chips. The challenge for Industry 4.0 will therefore be to know the various asset tracking systems to select those that are adapted to their activity.  Asset tracking when well used, not only allows you to increase productivity, but also helps to develop and optimize your processes.

What does Asset tracking consist of ?

Asset tracking, also known as asset management, is the process of providing the ability to track physical assets (equipment, goods, human resources, etc.) by recording them on a digital system. (Cloud system?) This process facilitates the automation of inventory management. It gives the possibility to obtain decisive and specific information such as position, condition, maintenance schedule, (…). Asset tracking is based on various technologies:

Asset Tracking and RFID

RFID (radio frequency identification) is one of the most used technologies for identifying, locating and tracking industrial assets.  It is based on an on-chip storage and recovery system data using scanners or RFID readers.

The chip can take the form of a label, a card, a badge or a bracelet. It contains the GTIN of the asset to which it is related.

Asset tracking and BLE

BLE (Bluetooth low energy) is an optimized Bluetooth technology for industrial uses and IoT processes.  It allows data to be transferred online then enters sleep mode to extend battery life until it’s needed again.

BLE is also used for asset identification and management.  It requires fewer hardware components than RFID and gives devices the ability to communicate with each other.

RFID and BLE are therefore different technologies but can be combined for more efficiency. At UBI Solutions, we have developed a Universal Industrial Tracker (TUI) designed specifically for asset tracking. This equipment takes the form of a compact and resistant box. It combines state-of-the-art low-power GPS, Wi-Fi, LoRa and BLE technologies for maximum efficiency. It allows plenty of industrial sectors to benefit from asset tracking. 

Why should I have an asset management system ?

Having a detailed asset management system is crucial for an industry, regardless of its field of activity. As a logistician or industrialist, with asset tracking, you can:

• • increase your profitability with real-time stock management.

  • easily track & trace equipment and items by geolocating them.

  • monitor asset movements (zone entrance and exit alerts, geofencing, …).

  • monitor crucial data such as expiry or maintenance dates.

  • establish preventive and automatically scheduled maintenance.

  • remain compliant with production orders (PO).

  • export, update and manage a registry of fixed assets, mandatory in many sectors.

  • reduce your costs, especially in labor, by automating inventory and inventory management procedures.
    
    

In the long term, asset management allows you to visualize what adds value to your business and what doesn’t. Aggregated data from RFID tags or BLE trackers can serve as the basis for strategic business and operation directions.

The reason why automated remote asset monitoring is increasingly being adopted across all industries. But for it to be truly effective, this solution must be properly implemented.

How to set up asset tracking in your Industry?

Installing and deploying asset tracking solutions is simple and reliable. The major challenge and the main difficulty are above all to have an overview of the needs to select which management system is adapted to your activity and organization. Here are some essential questions to evaluate the upstream.

Which assets should be tracked?

Asset tracking makes it possible to geolocate all types of resources and assets, but this does not mean that we must systematically trace everything or at least not with the same precision. For example, only critical business assets will need to have real-time tracking.

Asset tracking can also solve logistics and transport problems by ensuring the location, but also by controlling the integrity of items and goods during their transport.

Finally, asset tracking can improve security and authentication, especially in sensitive areas like the medical industry and hospitals.

Depending on the needs and assets, different technologies will have to be deployed.

Which technologies should be picked for asset tracking?

The historical technology related to asset tracking is the barcode. But, this solution has a certain lack of reliability (tear, lack of readability, etc.). In the era of Industry 4.0, the barcode has been replaced by automated and powerful techniques such as the Internet of Things (IoT).

For indoor asset tracking, one of the most widely used technologies is RFID with, for example, the implementation of a network of sensors. These sensors make it easy to identify and find equipment within large industrial zones using a reader. RFID is suitable for mass-deployed items that do not require real-time location, but rather a posteriori tracking with checkpoints.

BLE is ideal for accurate, real-time asset tracking. It is perfect for situations where battery life is better over data transfer speed. It therefore finds its interest in the industry, particularly for device control and low-bandwidth applications both indoors and outdoors.

How to automate asset management?

Once identification and geolocation technologies are in place, another challenge is to automate their operations and aggregate the data. These actions will allow you to further increase your productivity and be more proactive at work.

Here, the automation will depend on the offer you select. For example, asset management with UBI’s technologies gives you access to UBI Cloud, a web solution giving you the ability to view all the information collected during RFID or BLE readings. You can:

• Enable alert mode to receive immediate notification in case of errors, zone exits, etc.

• Monitor items in real time and keep an archive of all previous actions.

• Scheduled automated maintenance.

• Edit and download custom reports for analyzing purposes.

• Launch an automated inventory of all assets in a couple of seconds.

• The UBI Cloud platform also makes it possible to interface with any type of management system of industrial partners (SAP, Oracle, etc.).  

The UBI Cloud platform also makes it possible to interface with any type of management system of industrial partners (SAP, Oracle, etc.).  

The 3 key advantages to remember :

•  Asset tracking is a competitive trump card that increases productivity and reduces industry costs.

• This productivity can be further improved by implementing automated asset tracking processes with smart chips based on BLE technologies;

• To benefit from it, the challenge is to choose the appropriate asset management system(s).

Still wondering which asset management system is appropriate for your industry? How to deploy technologies and equipment tracking? What is the price of automated management systems? Contact us so that we can analyze your traceability project together.

¹ https://www.futura-sciences.com/tech/definitions/tech-rfid-4187/
² https://ubisolutions.net/en/products/universal-industrial-tracker-tui-en/
³ https://www.journaldunet.com/ebusiness/internet-mobile/1498287-asset-tracking-et-iot-comment-ce-binome-bouscule-7-secteurs-cles-de-l-economie/
⁴ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4of_xhJmPzY