How to Track Manufacturing Production Equipment and Why

Published on April 4, 2022 • 4 min read

Production equipment is not only costly, but it can be crucial to the manufacturing process. Having the right equipment to hand ensures processes are consistent and targets are more likely to be met.

By implementing equipment tracking solutions, it’s possible to keep track of your production equipment at all times. There are multiple benefits to equipment tracking, even when it’s used with equipment that is never moved.

What Production Equipment can you Track?

• Assembly line components
• IT Assets
• Jigs
• Manufacturing equipment
• Most fixed assets
• Moulds
• And more

Tracking equipment such as this has many benefits. There is much more to equipment tracking than merely knowing where it is located at all times.

How to Track Production Equipment

Tracking production equipment is a relatively easy process. While it does call for a lot of work to be undertaken, the results will be worth it.

Build Your Asset Register

Log all of your assets in itemit and tag each item with a QR code or RFID. Fill in each asset’s details so you can control them in real-time. 

While you are building your asset register you will gain an understanding of your assets. All of your assets can be viewed instantly via the web portal and your mobile app. The asset’s details will be clear for you to see. More information can be added about individual assets along with photographs and notes. 

Should a user wish to find out when a specific piece of equipment needs to be maintained, they simply need to scan the QR code or RFID. Details of the specific piece of equipment will then be shown on the screen. Any information that has been inputted will be displayed via a set of menus. Selecting the appropriate menu ensures that the user can find or add the information that they need.

Assign Assets To Staff Members

Specific assets can be assigned to your chosen staff members. The staff members can record the condition and status of the assets should they wish.

Tracking The Location of Production Equipment

Production equipment that can be moved from place to place can easily be tracked. It is possible to see where the equipment is at all times, either through QR code tracking which requires the interaction of scanning to update an items location or RFID tracking which requires no more than an RFID reader to be placed in a chosen location.

Production equipment that has been assigned to staff members is less likely to go missing thanks to asset tracking software. 

Tracking also ensures that equipment can be located in the warehouse, office, or wherever it is stored. This ensures that less time is spent looking for it.

Production equipment that can be moved from place to place can easily be tracked. It is possible to see where the equipment is at all times, either through QR code tracking which requires the interaction of scanning to update an items location or RFID tracking which requires no more than an RFID reader to be placed in a chosen location.

Production equipment that has been assigned to staff members is less likely to go missing thanks to asset tracking software. 

Tracking also ensures that equipment can be located in the warehouse, office, or wherever it is stored. This ensures that less time is spent looking for it.

Why Production Equipment Should Be Tracked

There are multiple reasons why production equipment should be tracked. Not only is it convenient to track equipment, but the tracking process comes with additional benefits.

 

 

It is possible to monitor all of your assets for the purposes of maintenance control. itemit’s equipment tracking software can be used to help you to understand what equipment needs to undergo maintenance. 

Keeping a track of when each piece of machinery needs to undergo maintenance, can ensure the maintenance schedule is always adhered to. As soon as all machinery has been logged along with the maintenance schedules, users will be alerted when the date of maintenance is approaching. This ensures that equipment can be looked after so that it continues to work well. 

PAT test and inspection reminders can also be set.

Monitoring Inventory Levels

Monitoring stock inventory levels allows more stock to be ordered on time. It is easy to accidentally order stock that may be surplus to requirement. Ordering too much stock can result in it taking up too much room in storage areas. 

Tracking production equipment and its associated stock can ensure that goods are only ordered when stock levels reach a specific and agreed amount. The monitoring of inventory levels can help to keep stock levels consistent while preventing incidences of over and under-ordering.

Organising Your Warehouse

Equipment tracking can help warehouses to instantly become more organised. Stock can quickly be located. Additionally, the tracking software can help warehouse workers understand where stock needs to be placed. Rather than storing stock in the closest gap, it can be stored in the correct area.

Improving Security 

Assets can be assigned to staff members, ensuring management knows where the assets are at all times. Staff members can record the condition and status of the assets if required. Should a staff member take an asset off the premises, the equipment tracking software will locate it. 

The software can alert users if an asset is taken off the premises. Offering an improved level of security means that less equipment is likely to be misplaced or stolen. 

Equipment can also be checked in and out as and when it is being used. This extra level of security helps management to keep an additional eye on all assets.

Eliminating Ghost Assets

Ghost assets are pieces of equipment that cannot be accounted for. Assets such as these exist because they are either unusable or missing. As soon as a piece of equipment is labelled unusable, management can choose whether to repair or replace it. 

If a piece of equipment has gone missing, management can choose to replace it, should they wish. Equipment tracking may not be able to prevent the incidence of historic ghost assets. However, thanks to the way itemit’s tracking software works, it can eliminate future incidents.

Get Real-Time Updates

Real-time updates show users exactly where the production equipment is at all times. Users can also read notes and view photographs that staff members have left. Constantly updating, itemit’s production equipment tracking software keeps the guesswork to a minimum.

 

Easy To Use Interface

 

The easy to use interface ensures that users can gain quick access to the information they need. Whether the user is accessing the software via a laptop or mobile app, tasks can quickly and easily be undertaken. 

Production equipment can prove costly if it is not correctly maintained or it goes missing. Using the right tracking software can help to reduce costs and potentially increase production efficiency.

itemit

itemit is a user-friendly cloud-based software that allows you to track all of your assets with ease. Gain complete control of your assets with no fuss. Email our expert team today at team@itemit.com or sign up for a no-obligation 14-day Free Trial so you can see how well our asset management software works.