How Do Asset Tracking Technologies Compare
The most frequently used IoT asset tracking technologies are Bluetooth low energy (BLE), RFID and GPS.
RFID and GPS asset tracking methods are very different, and are used to achieve different goals.
RFID allows you to track assets in designated locations (such as warehouse, job sites, service trucks, office), while
GPS technology allows you to track an asset outside no matter where it is located.
Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology is similar to RFID and in most cases is used to track assets in the designated locations. However it
can also work as GPS if you have an employee with a smartphone next to an asset.
In this case GPS tracking is provided by a smartphone, that communicates with the asset via a Bluetooth.
❱❱ More on Bluetooth asset tracking options
When To Use BLE, RFID And GPS Tags For Aset Tracking
Both Bluetooth low energy (BLE) and RFID technologies allow you to track assets in the designated locations (warehouse, job site, yard, smart building areas, etc.).
You can track assets automatically using a network of IoT gateways that connect assets to the remote cloud server. Alternatively, company employees can use
BLE or RFID scanners to track assets using bulk asset scanning.
GPS asset tracking, on the other hand, is used to track assets anywhere using asset GPS location. GPS tags are relatively large and expensive devices, and
are capable of connecting to the remote cloud server on their own, without a need for IoT gateways or scanning.
Therefore, when selecting which asset tracking technology to use, take into account what kind of assets yu want to track, where, and how much employee involvement in the process you want.
Tracking Assets In Designated Locations With The Scanners
If you need to track assets in and between specific locations, and you are OK with company employees taking part in the process,
you can use
BLE tags
or RFID tags and a scanner. Unlike barcodes,
you can bulk scan RFID and BLE tags, so processing of asset transactions is very fast.
BLE tags will work better for this purpose due to the simple fact that
you can use regular smartphones and tablets for BLE tags scanning. RFID, on the other hand, requires special scanners
which are quite expensive.
Using smartphones will not only make the IoT asset tracking software less expensive, but will also make it easier for the company employees to adapt to the
new asset management system. Field technicians will be able to utilize their own smartphones they are already familiar with and know how to use.
Tracking Assets In Designated Locations Using IoT Gateways
If you need to track assets in designated locations and prefer to have a fully automated asset tracking system that does not rely on company employees,
use BLE tags or RFID tags and
IoT gateways. It will take about
the same time and money to implement either Bluetooth or RFID automatic asset tracking system. RFID is older and more traditional technology. However
Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technolgy is developing fast and is quickly catching up.
Therefore you may find newer and more advanced solutions among BLE asset tracking systems.
Continuous Tracking Of Outside Assets On The Move
If you need to know where outside assets are at any time regardless of the location, you can use either BLE or GPS tags.
In order to track moving outdoor assets using BLE tags you will need an
employee with a smartphone next to the asset any time it is moving.
A smartphone should have an
asset tracking mobile app running in the background. The smartphone with a running app plays the role of the Bluetooth IoT gateway.
A mobile app will be scanning for the
BLE tags and sending GPS location to the backend cloud software.
GPS asset tracking tags are self-contained and do not require smartphones and human participation. They have a built-in cellular connection, and can send
GPS location of an asset to the cloud software automatically at the preset time intervals. Therefore, for the automatic tracking of the outdoor moving assets,
GPS may work better than BLE.
The drawback is that GPS asset tracking costs much more than BLE asset tracking. GPS trackers are significantly more expensive
than BLE beacon tags. But evn more important, you
will have to pay a monthly fee for every single asset you plan to track using GPS trackers.
Therefore GPS tracking is suitable for a relatively small number of very valuable,
expensive assets.
For the work tools and small equipment BLE asset tracking option may work better.
IoT Asset Tracking vs Asset Tracking Using QR Codes or NFC
The main advantage of the IoT asset tracking vs QR Codes or NFC is in the complete automation of the asset tracking process.
A QR code asset tracking system
makes it really simple for the company employees to track assets in the field and warehouse. All they need to do is to take a smartphone
out of their pocket and scan QR codes or NFC tags on the assets that they move between locations. They also can input extra data. For example they can record
a project number, asset conditions on check out and return, enter notes, attach images and collect signatures. If company employees do this job, you not only know
current asset location and transactions history. You also know exactly who handled the asset, who checked it out last, and get access to extra data
on each asset transaction.
The only problem with this approach is that company employees do need to do something each time they check out or move assets.
If anyone forgets or just won't scan the assets when they are moved, the asset tracking system won't have a correct information.
With IoT asset tracking system the process is completely automated and does not rely on the company employees. Once assets are
tagged and IoT gateways are installed, IoT asset tracking system works on its own without any employee participation.
Since no humans are involved, there is much less opportunity for errors and mix ups.
