The lifting industry has traditionally tracked and inspected rigging and cranes with pen and paper. This form of information management can be very time consuming, it is often prone to error due to illegible or missing identification. Never mind the gear that always seems to escape annual surveys; data entry, chasing paper certificates, and islands of information are not exactly the ideal safety model.
After the inspection survey, users are left in a difficult position. Imagine you’re on-site, about to use a critical piece of safety gear, and you’re not sure exactly when it was last inspected. You spend hours trying to locate an inspection file, with no luck. If only the asset could have a voice. If only you could access the history of an asset with the click of the button.
InfoChip’s Lifting Manager Solution allows users to access safety information by simply scanning an RFID tag and using a mobile app. InfoChip’s management information system utilizes a cloud database allows information to be accessed from any device in a variety of locations for simple identification, location edits or safety / test procedures.
Everyone in the asset lifecycle can work together to track, manage and inspect equipment. With IC Manufacture, manufacturers assign asset profiles and certifications to the unique ChipID in the cloud. Distributors and customers access this information with a free application on their PC, tablet or smartphone. Additional updates, location changes, rental and inspection/testing data add to the record history. Everyone in the lifecycle benefits from accurate identification and avoid data/document re-entry. Total cost of ownership is further reduced with “reorder” functionality flagging suppliers in near real time.
With Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, smart phones are now able to read RFID tags enabling virtually any user to interact with their assets. If they prefer a tablet or PC, InfoChip’s wireless Bluetooth Easy Reader pairs with the device up to 30 feet away.
Most RFID tags were designed for supply chain applications; tend to be fragile with poor performance near metal. InfoChip has developed the world’s most durable RFID that is attached to over two million rigging and crane components. Amongst the family of chips, the DuraPlug8 tag compress fits into a small cavity without glue or adhesive. The DuraPlug size is driving down to a very small 6mm x 3mm. Smaller tags mean assets that typically do not receive a visible serial number are now able to be uniquely identified tracked and inspected. InfoChip technology enables organizations to track the untrackable, improve safety and compliance and save time.
Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
