paulr

Has anyone any ideas regarding tracking of expensive tools. I work in the offshore wind sector and we have issues with expensive tooling being left on offshore turbines. Give it a few weeks and you are then looking for a 3k item on one of 200 offshore turbines.

If each item could have a GPS tracker, we would always know where they are.

andy97

iTrader: (1)

Why don't you just be more diligent before you leave the site, it will cost a packet to fit any form of tracking device to each piece of kit.

legb4rsk

Start fining the negligent morons!!!

30+ years as an engineer, traveled all over the world.Don't remember losing so much as a screwdriver.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

The only tools my lad has "lost" in ten years as palter/welder are either mine... or they have been stolen.
Users need to take responsibility.

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

RFID Tags

Put a reader on each turbine and it should help locate where stuff was last.

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

A while ago Fujitsu asked if I would be interested in evaluating a product for this very purpose. I think it was "Globe Range" or something like that they had named it.

If you had a vehicle which carried equipment or tools, this could be used to quickly check the kit in the van at the start of the day, and recheck at the end of the day to identify losses, or to cut down the time needed at the start or end of the day to load or unload the van.

Doesn't solve your problem of tracking the tool, but, a simple, verifiable process of checking tools in and out would prevent them being left behind.

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

I don't think there is a way you can GPs track a tool without it being obvious ? Plus if a tool goes missing on an off shore rig there can't be many people that you need to check for theft

bigtel

Most trackers need GPS to know where they are and then mobile network / GPRS to tell you where it is. Probably not much signal if along way off shore?

Trackers for plant etc can last on their own battery for a year or two but can take several hours to tell you where they are unfortunately.

paulr

Not as simple as that. Many genuine reasons they get left, ie increased wave height means a quick departure. Removing tools can take two hours, so have to be left. Then people go off shift halfway through a job, etc.

RFID tags will look into.

hodgy0_2

RFID tags don't have much range

daveyj

iTrader: (1)

Get in touch with a company called Codegate nr Abingdon. They do this sort of thing. Speedy Hire are one of their clients. They designed the drop off tool cabins which automatically register tools in/out system they now use.

vindaloo

In conjunction with some of the ideas above, though, it might at least be possible to identify at the earliest opportunity that something had been left. And therefore, what offshore installation it had been left on.

JGlanzaV

iTrader: (3)

I dont see the need for complex trackers etc.... Surely a simple paper exercise of signing tools in and out for each location would do....

How did we ever manage before technology its ridiculous

daveyj

iTrader: (1)

Very inefficiently.........hence why people like Codegate are coining it from companies like Speedy, Royal Mail etc. Unfortunately, people just can't be trusted to do their jobs properly and they are losing out to ze robots.

boomer

It is because the windmill industry survive on subsidies rather than busiiness accumen, so spend first and then try to justify!

It is sooo easy spending other people's money

mb

urban

iTrader: (1)

How about because technology is so much better at certain things than humans.

Carnut

I used to fly birds of prey and used telemetry like this http://www.falconryelectronics.co.uk/shop/ . It could be more than you were thinking but I'm sure you can get some cheaper stuff of eBay etc.

urban

iTrader: (1)

What religion did they follow?

JGlanzaV

iTrader: (3)

All very well until itts bad weather and your gps isn't working... Also how doesgps work when inside a big metal cased turbine?

I would imagine not very well....

Where as a piece of paper and a pencil (as per russias astronauts v usa astronauts) will always be available and always work.

If your staff can't get their head around a simple signing in and out log then can you trust them with massively expensive equipment? I would proffer the suggestion that possibly not...

Why waste thousands on technologgy when a simple solution that is free will work....

Carnut