Using RFID for Tool Control

[flingwing1]

This is a question about tool control and the capabilities of RFID tags on tools. If we tagged each tool that our mechanics own, could we scan their toolboxes at the end of each work shift to see if the required (number of) tools were present in their boxes?

The RFID tags are not expensive – only $1 each. I was thinking of buying handheld scanners to use at each of our seven work locations. These scanners cost $2500 - $7000 each.

However, I just learned that if the mechanics’ tools are jumbled up in their toolboxes, the RFID scanner cannot read the RFID tags. This means that each mechanic would need his own rollaway tool cabinet with cut-out foam places for each tool. Further, we may need to buy an RFID portal to pass through that can read these RFID tags in the box;. Those portals cost $24,000 each.

Does anyone have experience with using RFID for tool control? I’d surely appreciate any ideas about less expensive workarounds in using RFID for tool control. Thanks much.

[cockney steve]

I'd be astounded to learn that Radio Frequency sicnals would work on a load of METAL tools stored in a big, screening METAL toolbox.

Recently heard of a comuter Tech. had trouble with corrupted floppy-discs. Jumps in car one day, throws handful of discs on passenger seat, DING! the penny drops! Automatic heated seats= inductive elements...
place discs in a biscuit tin, no magnetic or RF disruption.

Shadow-boards /foam cutouts/ clip-rails is the way to go.

[glum]

Try
TrackerPoint RFID

I know Gulfstream and Westlands use the system.

I believe they have a fixed tool cabinet containing all the tools. The cabinet is opened with the employee ID card, and registers all tools taken / replaced against the person who opened the cabinet.

[flingwing1]

Thanks . . .

First, thanks to you both for your help.

For Cockney Steve I want to say “blimey! Surely can be done, Mate” <grin>. Go to this Cribmaster website for the whole story <RFID Tool Control | CribMaster>. To save you time, you can go to this video off the same website to see RFID in action <CribMaster PROTOid™>.

And for Glum, thanks for the tip-off. I went to the Tracker Point site this morning and will contact them today by email to see exactly how that RFID system works. I've already seen they have an impressive customer list.

To an extent I agree with Cockney Steve that “shadow-boards /foam cutouts/ clip-rails are the way to go”. But we’ve got 100 mechanics with about 150 tools each (many tools different from each other) and no way to neatly make tool box cutouts. But, if we can’t make RFID work at a reasonable price, we’ll have to do the cutout thing. That means new tool boxes but not rollaways. Some of these guys work in remote locations on helicopter contracts. Shadow boards I see good only for company tools in tool rooms.

Finally, let me say again that if anyone has further ideas, I’d really like to hear them.

[helicopterray]

I have a massive roll-away tool box with over $10 000 in tools. (Which is 3 sets of Snap-On sockets..)

RFID for my tool box won't work, but what I do is neatly lay out tools in my box for a quick 'tool check' at the end of the day. If you're familiar with what tools you have and where they're supposed to be, it's easy to pick out a missing tool at a glance.

All of our shop tools have RFID and sit in a tool crib. Torque wrenches, specialty sockets and holding tools, etc.

[woptb]

Why are you going for such an expensive/complex system.You need to ask yourself why you need it?
Is it because of your peoples behaviour when tools are lost,i.e. do they report it OR is it to stop tools being lost ?
If its the latter,it won't work,no matter how expensive the system you get. If its the former,that is, your people arn't behaving in the right way, then your just treating the symptom & need to look at your culture,the reason your people arn't displaying correct behaviour. How have people been treated when they have lost tools in the past ?
Why not a toolbox inventory list checked on task completion,easy & cheap.

[Saint Jack]

flingwing1: I recently saw a presentation of an RFID-based tool control system in Singapore (close to your location) and it looked good. Contact the following:

Daifuku Mechatronics (S) Pte. Ltd.
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
web-site: www.daifukusingapore.com

[flingwing1]

Daifuku RFID

Hi Saint Jack, thanks for that. I did in fact contact Daifuku about 10 days ago but their quoted price for the tags was a bit high. They want ten Singapore Dollars each and we'd been previously quoted only two US Dollars each by another company. NOTE - you know those RFID tags only cost a few cents each to make .

However, that was before we got word from that other company that a hand scanner won't work in an dis-ordered tool box. However, I think I will contact Daifuku again to check on their technical claims. Your post made me realize Daifuku said a hand scanner will work.

Further to Glum, I have already exchanged several messages with Tracker Point and we'll see where that goes.

To all, thanks with this project.

[flingwing1]

More Daifuku

I just heard back from Daifuku and according to the Singapore representative, if there are air gaps between the tools, a hand-held scanner could still read the RFID tags. However, if the tools are just thrown in a toolbox and not separated (i.e., foam cutouts) the scanner/reader might not be able to distinguish between some of the tools.

Therefore for us, that would likely mean a major change of tool boxes for everyone and if the tool boxes are too large, they wouldn't be practical to take to remote work areas.

Back to the drawing board <grin>.

[cockney steve]

Well! Thanks, guys..I just wouldn't have thought that tags on tools would even be a starter! In the Motor-trade, i wound -up painting a load of spanners , then dipping the ends in a contrasting colour to code as Metric /AF / BSF/Whit. kept sockets on "sticks" of clips rivetted into the toolbox-easy to see a full line or a gap. Screwdrivers etc-separate compartment and count the pieces.

Foam gutouts are not that dear, I'm told. - Perhaps firms specialising in pop-group flight-cases are worth a look-see?

"Daifuku"--Really? -What have they got against the Welsh?

[Saint Jack]

Daifuku RFID

flingwing1 / cockney steve: At the presentation I witnessed, the tools were properly laid out in drawers with foam cut-outs - all very neat. The RFID chips were attached to the individual tools by nothing more than heat-shrink tubing - a very simple and effective solution. Finally, I distinctly remember the guy doing the presentation say that the RFID chips were "...a dollar a piece".

[flingwing1]

St. Jack- I heard a first unofficial quote from one agent in SIN saying that, too. He said $1-$2 each. Later, he upped it to $2-4. When asked why the increase, he said he was including the price of the "special tape" used to affix the RFID tags to the tools (we do the tagging, though).

That wasn't the deal killer, though. That Dutch agent of a large US tool firm was the same one who only later made it clear you'd have to have the tools laid out neatly in cutouts.

St. Jack, we're at the point now where I do want to see a demonstration. I need to see this thing work, both with tools in cutouts and tools just "thrown" in a toolbox. If you don't mind can you say we're you saw your demo? I'd hate to call some company rep here to INA and then realize his RFID scheme wouldn't work for us or cost a small fortune (i.e., hundreds of thousands of dollars).

Thanks for this help, everyone. We have a large audit coming in July so this tool control thing had better be fixed before then. Right now, it looks like making RFID work for us or buying new tool boxes for everyone with cutouts and self-inventories each day, or a combination of both. Thanks.

[Saint Jack]

Daifuku RFID

flingwing1: I saw the RFID-based tool control demonstration at the Daifuku Mechatronics booth at the recent Aero Exchange 2013 in Singapore. The person giving the demonstration was Mr. Quah Sien Kian, [email protected]

[flingwing1]

St. Jack, thanks for the info. I wish I lived in SIN so I could go to those events like those without cost of hotel and airfare <grin>.

This weekend I took a look at Penguin cases – those tough cases with pre-perforated/cut foam in them. They’re okay but not cheap, either. About $300 US for a case half the size of a suitcase. The problem is getting all 150 tools of different types for each mechanic to fit.

Thanks.

[lovegroove]

I'm a contractor (avionics, so not quite so many tools) but have managed to fit quite a lot of tools all nicely laid out in foam cut outs in a very small and easily transportable toolbox. I don't know what sort of tool box your guys are using now, but maybe you don't really need to change tool kits.

I have 5 layers of tools all neatly stacked on top of each other in foam cutouts and if you count each socket as an individual tool, then I have about 100 items in my kit which measures approximately 45cm x 25cm x 25cm. I can do a tool check in about 30 seconds and can easily see if anything is missing and it cost me about $10 in foam to do it. Sometimes low tech is the way to go.

This is what I have in it:


5x Ratchet ring spanners – 1/4-5/16, 3/8-7/16, 1/2-9/16, 3/4-5/8

7x Combination spanners – 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, ½, 9/16, ¾, 5/8

Setof 7 x miniature combination spanners

Largeratchet screwdriver

Smallratchet screwdriver

Setof 8 screwdrivers

Setof 6 miniature screwdrivers

Setof 4 picks

Smalladjustable wrench

Mediumadjustable Wrench

Needlenose pliers

Bentnose pliers

Snubnose pliers

Wiresnips

Flushcut snips

Plugpliers

LockingWire pliers 6”

1/4”ratchet handle x 2

3/8”ratchet handle

6”1/4” extension

4”1/4” extension

2”1/4” extension

6”3/8” extension

Setof 11 1/4” drive sockets 5/32” - 1/2” + bit holder

Setof 9 3/8” drive sockets 3/8”-5/8” (5) + 3/8” - 9/16” DoubleDepth (4)

Setof 9 Sockets 3/8” - 5/8” in 3/8 drive (5) + 1/4” - 9/32” 1/4”drive Double Depth (4)

3/8”Driver

3/8”T-bar

3/8- ¼ step down adapter

Scissors

Magnet

Inspectionmirror

Knife

Measuringtape

Setof 7 Allen keys

3x Scrapers

Softbristle brush

6”Steel Rule

JuniorHacksaw





This is what I manage to get in my travelling tool kit and it is enough for 99% of the jobs that I need to do.

I cut my foam by hand, but there must be many companies that can CNC cut the foam for this purpose.

[flingwing1]

Tool Box or Rollaway? <grin>

Hello Lovegroove, thanks for that great reply. It looks like a comprehensive set of tools in a small space. Your box seems similar to the ones our mechanics own. Also, I assume those foam inserts are about 5+ cm thick and sit inside your tool box one on top of the other. Just to mention, I saw a Penguin case the other day that was like that with two foam layers in it.

Another hitch we could have if doing it your way is that we might not be able to trust all the mechanics to do a neat job of cutting their own foam inserts. I think we'd have to have someone help them so the job ends up looking good and makes the best use of space on their foam.

That said, I have a feeling we're going to end up doing it just like you described. Because this company isn't known for its "loose purse strings", I bet we'll end up with a low tech/low cost method. That's fine with me, and would work, as you have said. However, it'll take someone who cares about cutting the foam inserts to do a good job

Thanks again.

[lovegroove]

Hi Flingwing,

Yes, the layers are stacked on top of each other. The foam is about 3cm thick and I glued it to some thin 3mm plywood to stiffen it up and I added some loops on them to help with getting them out of the tool box.

I don't know exactly what type of foam it is, it was just something that we had a lot of in a previous work place, but it was really easy to cut. It took me about 2 hours to do my entire tool box by hand, simply tracing around the tools with a pen and then cutting it with a stanley knife. The foam is white, so I painted the bottom of the cutouts with some red paint (actually permanent marker), so it's really easy to do a tool check.

I made one layer with all of my most used items, like torch, snips and ratchet screwdriver and then every other layer was by type of tool, so I have a layer for spanners, a layer for sockets, a layer mostly for pliers and misc layer with all the rest.

Cheers,

LG

[Epsomdog]

RFID is an over-engineered solution to a simple problem!

Basically all we need to do is a check that all the tools taken on an aircraft are taken off.

To simplify that task an effort should be made to reduce the number of tools taken on board. Do you really need a whole kit just to replace an instrument etc.

My company has recently re-issued tool kits in Peli-cases complete with CNC foam cut outs. The tools were supplied by a well known German tool manufacturer.

Personal tool kits are no longer permitted, just a selection of carefully thought out kits that can be booked in/out of stores.

This way you don't have to re-issue tools to everyone, this makes sense as not all of the tools are being used all of the time.

Tool kits breakdown

A&C Grab and Go (1/4 drv socket set, small combi spn, wire twisters etc)
AVO Grab and Go ( similar to above but with few extra specialist items)
These items in Peli briefcase

AOG Kit (A&C Grab and Go contents plus 3/8, 1/2 socket sets, large combi spn, hacksaw, hammers etc.)
All in Peli 5 draw roller box

Base kits have also been provided in steel roller cabs, for hangar use only.

Initially people were distrusting of the whole idea. However as time goes on we are starting to accept the idea. It does get rid of all those "Tool Kit Egos" amongst us.

I think the key to the success of the whole scheme, is the careful selection of the tool kit contents.

[Mac the Mechanic]

RFID

I saw the same company (Daifuku Mechatronics (S) Pte. Ltd.) at the Air X change at the Sing EXPO They did say that the spanners etc were ok to attach tags too ( as previously mentioned. With heat shrink) But sockets were another problem, they ended up with the tags in the cutouts which would tell the system if any sockets were not in place. Looked like a V expensive system