IoT Based Smart Asset Tracking And Monitoring System

Construction Business Owner Magazine

IoT technology takes asset tracking and inventory management automation to the next level. Use conditions monitoring sensors, BLE beacon tags, a smartphone or a gateway, and a cloud software for the smart, automated asset tracking and remote asset monitoring. Real time asset and inventory tracking and monitoring data with little or no employees' participation.

IoT Asset Tracking

Automate asset tracking with BLE tags and sensors. Always know where your assets are, assets usage and movement history. More

IoT WIP Tracking

Automatically track work orders through the production process using BLE tags and IoT gateways. Access live work order status and history from anywhere. More

IoT Inventory Management

Have a real time visibility into the inventory stock and locations. Use smartphones for bulk scanning or IoT gateways for automated inventory tracking. More

IoT Remote Conditions Monitoring

Use IoT sensors to remotely monitor assets, inventory and storage locations conditions, such as temperature and humidity. Prevent assets damage and breakdowns. More

Asset Tracking And Monitoring System With Modern Technologies

QR Inventory software gives you the right tools and set of technologies for your needs and budget. Use IoT sensors and gateways, cloud software, mobile devices, BLE tags, NFC, QR codes, digital forms for the efficient asset tracking and asset conditions monitoring.

Investing in the right technology will be key to securing future work. What might seem like a costly nice-to-have today will likely become a competitive must-have in the near future...

Construction Executive Magazine

Digital Transformation Of Asset Tracking And Inventory Management Process

QR Inventory software uses modern technologies to help you digitize and automate your business process. The flexible, modular structure of QR Inventory software allows you to pick the right technologies and modules combination that fit your needs and budget. Use QR Inventory software system for the real time assets and inventory management in the field and warehouse. Complete all types of paperwork, from inspections and safety audits, to quality control and equipment maintenance, using digital mobile forms. Track workflows and processes, and achieve full traceability. Create a fully automated solution using Bluetooth IoT asset tracking technologies, or use a simpler asset tracking system with the smartphones and QR code scanning.

Advantages Of Using An IoT Based Software System For The Asset Tracking And Inventory Management

Automated Asset And Inventory Tracking

QR Inventory software uses BLE tags as the most functional and the least expensive option for the IoT asset tracking. BLE tags are constantly broadcasting an asset identification number that can be picked up by a smartphone or a dedicated Bluetooth IoT gateway. Regardless of which BLE signal receiver you pick, the asset information is transferred to the cloud software in real time, and is immediately available to the authorized personnel via reports.
Use a smartphone for the fast bulk asset scanning and entering additional information, or a BLE gateway for asset tracking without any human participation.

Remote Asset Conditions Monitoring, Preventing Damages to Assets And Properties

A network of BLE sensors ensures that assets and inventory are stored at the right conditions. You can monitor a variety of conditions, such as temperature, humidity, gas or water leaks, unusual vibration patterns, etc. BLE sensors automatically and continuously measure the corresponding parameters, and send data to the cloud software through the IoT gateway. You configure how often the measurements received from the sensors should be sent to the remote cloud server, as well as a gateway edge data processing rules.
If any of the reported asset conditions are outside of the acceptable range, you receive an immediate alert and can act quickly to correct the problem. IoT based remote conditions monitoring can save you a lot of money and headache by preventing costly damages to the assets, materials and properties.

Increasing Job Site Safety, Preventing Accidents

IoT technologies help you increase workplace safety, prevent accidents and decrease insurance costs. This is especially relevant for the construction sites with a high number of the workplace accidents. Wearable BLE devices or smartphones help you monitor employees and visitors location, alert them on the approaching of the heavy construction vehicles, and ensure that unauthorized personnel on the construction site stays out of the restricted areas. Project managers receive instant alerts on any hazardous situation, and can act on it quickly.

Components Of The IoT Asset Tracking And Monitoring System

IoT based asset tracking systems can have very different configuration and components. Which components you need depends on your business process, requirements and typical workflow. In general, you will need IoT hardware, which may include BLE tags, sensors and gateways. You will always need a cloud software for the data processing and reporting. Optionally you may use a mobile application for monitoring asset location, interacting with the sensors and for data collection. For the automated asset tracking systems that use IoT gateways you will need a gateway software. A QR Inventory software allows you to select the right configuration and components of the IoT based asset tracking and monitoring system for your project.

Hardware Used In The IoT Asset Tracking And Monitoring System

BLE Sensors

A bluetooth sensor for temperature and humidity conditions monitoring is a wireless, easy to install device which is operated on the battery. Once you install the sensor and added it to the list of your IoT devices, the sensor starts sending temperature and humidity values to the gateway at the specified time intervals.

The measured values are also logged on the sensor. If a connection between the gateway and the sensor is interrupted for any reason the data are preserved and can be retrieved later.

When adding a sensor to the system you can specify the meaningful temperature and humidity step at which data should be logged, and configure temperature and humidity thresholds.

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BLE Beacon Tags

BLE beacon tags are the most practical and the least expensive option for the IoT asset tracking. BLE tags broadcast the asset identifier that can be picked up by the nearby bluetooth receiver. A receiver can be a mobile device, a computer, or a dedicated bluetooth gateway. Depending on the specific BLE tags, a receiver and the environment, the BLE signal can be picked up at a distance from tens of meters to 500-600 meters or more.

BLE asset tags are small plastic tags, around 3-6 cm and about 1 cm in thickness. They can be rugged, waterproof, and are suitable for the harsh outdoor environment. BLE tags are attached to the asset using an adhesive surface, with a zip tie or screws. There are also wearable BLE tags for tracking employees and site visitors.

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Bluetooth IoT Gateway

A gateway reads data from the BLE beacons and sensors, and sends data to the cloud software for the processing and reporting. A single gateway collects data from the multiple sensors and BLE beacons.

AHG provides a BLE gateway with the edge processing capabilities - meaning that a gateway can pre-process and filter data before sending them to the remote cloud server. You can configure the edge processing rules, temperature and humidity thresholds, asset tracking alerts, time intervals and more. You can configure the system by logging directly into the gateway on the local network, or via a cloud software interface.

A gateway stores data locally until the data are successfully sent to the cloud software, so collected information is never lost.

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Software Used In The IoT Asset Tracking System

A Cloud Software

A cloud software is an essential part of any IoT system. It is responsible for accepting data from the gateways, processing and storing data, and producing human readable reports.

You can also manage and configure gateways and sensors using a cloud software interface. Alternatively, you can configure each gateway by logging into it locally on the company's internal network.

QR Inventory software gives you flexible options for hosting a cloud software part of the IoT system. You can host it with us, internally on your company network, or with a cloud hosting provider of your choice, such as Azure or AWS.

A Mobile Application

Depending on your exact requirements you may or may not need a mobile application as a part of your IoT asset tracking and monitoring system. A smartphone with the mobile application can be used as a gateway for collecting data from the sensors and BLE beacons and transferring data to the backend cloud software. Using a smartphone as a gateway can give you more flexibility. Smartphones allow employees to collect additional information to accompany asset tracking and conditions logs reported by the sensors and BLE beacons. Using smartphones as gateways also reduces the overall expense of the IoT asset tracking system. You may use a mobile application, or a combination of the mobile application and fixed bluetooth gateways - depending on your project and requirements.

An IoT Gateway Software

A function of a gateway is to serve as a bridge between the cloud software and local IoT devices. A gateway transfers information both ways. It collects data from the sensors and BLE beacons, pre-processes data and sends them to the cloud software. You also use a gateway to manage and configure local IoT devices, and set alerts for the adverse conditions that may be reported by the sensors. The software installed on the gateway is responsible for supporting this functionality. The gateway software should be able to understand the messages sent by the sensors, and know what data format is expected by the cloud software. The customization of the gateway software may be required to support sensors and cloud software from the different vendors.

We provide a complete IoT asset tracking and monitoring system. The system includes BLE beacons, a Bluetooth temperature and humidity sensor for the assets conditions monitoring, a BLE IoT gateway with the edge data processing capabilities and custom configuration, as well as a cloud software, a mobile application and a gateway software. You will likely not require all of these components in your asset tracking system. We will recommend the right components based on your specific project, and can modify the components of the system as needed to accommodate various IoT devices and cloud hosting options.

Using IoT Asset Tracking And Monitoring In Different Industries

Using IoT Technology In Construction
Connected construction sites are the construction sites of the future. IoT technology gives project managers a complete view of the construction site. Use IoT software system for tracking assets, equipment, materials, employees and visitors. Monitor construction site and equipment conditions with the sensors, and much more.

IoT Technology For Field Service
Digitize field service operations using IoT technologies. Automate tracking of tools and equipment, and always know what do you have at each service truck, job site and in the warehouse. Remotely monitor equipment conditions with the BLE sensors. Use predictive maintenance vs preventive maintenance, prevent equipment breakdowns and correct adverse conditions before they lead to a problem.

IoT Manufacturing Process Tracking
Automate manufacturing process tracking with the IoT gateways and BLE tags. Install a gateway at each workstation, and you will know when each work order arrived and left the station, live status of everything in production and the production history for each work order. Work in progress tracking is happening automatically without any human participation.

Smart Warehouse With IoT Technology
Bring warehouse management up to date by using IoT technologies. Automate tracking of the warehouse inventory using BLE tags and a smartphone. Bluetooth warehouse inventory management is a more robust and less expensive alternative to RFID inventory management. Use IoT gateways and sensors for the automated warehouse temperature and humidity monitoring.

Tool Tracking Automation With BLE Beacons
Tag work tools with the BLE beacons, and you will always know where the tools are. Track tools with the smartphones or use dedicated BLE gateway. Mix and match both methods to achieve the best results. With the Bluetooth tools tracking system you will have a full tools and equipment accountability, and will never lose track of the valuable tools again.

lot number inventory tracking for food industry

IoT Traceability For Food Manufacturers
Use temperature and humidity sensors to monitor food products conditions through the entire supply chain: warehouse storage, transport and food processing. Make sure that the cold chain is preserved and that food products are safe to consume. Receive instant alerts if temperature or humidity conditions go out of the acceptable range, and correct the situation quickly.

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Business Use Cases For The Smart IoT Tracking And Monitoring System

Bluetooth IoT Asset Tracking
IoT technologies allow for a real time asset tracking with little or no human participation. QR Inventory software uses BLE asset tags to automate assets tracking. You can use a smartphone or a dedicated IoT gateway for transferring asset data to the backend cloud software. Regardless of the method, you can always review real time assets locations and usage history.

Bluetooth IoT Inventory Management
Bluetooth low energy emerges as a viable lower cost alternative to the RFID for inventory management. BLE tags allow for the fast bulk scanning of inventory, without a need to locate and scan a barcode on each single inventory item. Unlike RFID, you can use regular smartphones and tablets for the bulk scanning of BLE inventory tags.

IoT Technology For WIP Tracking
Track work in progress inventory and work orders automatically using IoT technology. Install a gateway at each workstation, or use employees owned smartphones for automatically detecting inventory and work orders at each process step. Review real time WIP inventory and work order status via the QR Inventory software web dashboard from anywhere.

IoT Temperature And Humidity Monitoring
Make sure that environmentally sensitive assets and inventory are stored at the right conditions. Prevent assets damage, inventory spoilage and waste. A network of BLE sensors continuously monitor temperature and humidity conditions in the designated zones, and send data to the cloud software in real time. An IoT system provides a completely automated climate conditions monitoring without any manual labor involved.

Using IoT Sensors For Damage Prevention
Use sensors to detect the conditions that can cause damage to the assets or properties. Detect higher or lower temperature, unusually high humidity that can indicate water leaks, leakage of the harmful substances, unusual vibration patterns, etc. Receive instant alerts if something goes wrong. Correct the conditions in time, preventing costly repairs to the properties or assets.

Safety Management Using IoT Technology
Use wearable BLE beacons for the job sites employees and visitors to monitor their location. Make sure that unauthorized personnel and visitors stay out of the danger zones, and do not accidentally wander in the path of the heavy construction machinery. Alert project management teams of a hazardous situation that require immediate attention, and reduce risk of the accidents and injuries on the construction sites.