I wonder if anyone has any experience of the pitfalls of using RFID tags for maintenance tracking? My literature seach is all positive talk, but I expect the devil will be in the detail.

My initial concerns are centred on:
1. workforce acceptance
2. the reliability of the passive LF tags/readers
3. the ability to match RFIDs with an existing equipment database in particular with regular equipment changes using functional locations
4. Cost

Thanks in advance for your thoughts

RFID , what is that?

Steven,

Is that your opinion/ experience of them?

Otherwise its those little things that Walmart make their suppliers stick on all products; also others refer http://maintenanceforums.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3191034...461035721#3461035721

Andy

That does not answer the question what is a RFID

About paperless lubrication routes, I have routes for inspecting steam traps, the operator checks maybe 40-50 traps with a preprinted checklist. And the result is uploaded in a database. Actually updating the database is about 10 minutes. There were "ideas" about doing it on a PDA, but analyzing it further it would only be a "nice to have"

• The operator goes out on pre-established route with UE systems ultrasound detector
  
• He has a printed checklist, where he only has to check, good, leaking, hissing, rattling etc.., only a pencil needed
  
• He carries maybe a small plastic bottle with water to "awake" the steam trap
  
• He has a small valve wrench to open some valves
  
• He needs to climb monkey ladders to get were the steam traps are out in an oil refinery in the open environment (rain, dust, wind etc..)
  
• we bought special gadgets like a headphones which can be used with a hardhat and a holster for the ultrasound equipment, just to have our hands free.
  

Now adding a PDA to the scheme:

• is it explosion proof (or at least intrinsically safe), that discussion alone will kill any PDA project, especially in an oil refinery.
  
• Is it rugged, will it survive a drop from 20 feet, if it gets some rain or snow, will it sill be working? (that is only for the PDA).
  
• I saw an enclosure from DataStick to protect their product, but that is not something for the average PDA
  
• Are we going to give a PDA to all operators or use only one that will be used and abused by everyone?
  
• If the PDA gives problems, who will help us? Corporate IT Department?
  
• A plain PDA will cost $200, a pencil and two sheets of paper will cost less more (fewer operating and maintenance costs)
  

Since you still need someone to do the job, and the goal is to have a working steam trap, a PDA would not enhance anything. And going through microscopic screens and using feather-though pencils to write, for somebody accustomed to handle a twenty inch gate valves and 36 inch pipe wrenches is asking for trouble

This message has been edited. Last edited by: svanels,

quote:

That does not answer the question what is a RFID

Steven,

It is a Radio Frequency Identification tag for tracking products in a store, business, etc.

rfid.JPG (10 Kb, 3 downloads)

Thanks Ralph, just like the bar-code, it definitely has its place in a supermarket, or a big central warehouse of a big company.
But just as with our steam trap survey system, people started dreaming of using a barcode scanner coupled to a PDA, without knowing how a steam traps works, or tell inlet from outlet.

As with any system:
1) What do we gain with it?
2) Makes it our task easier?
3) Does it reduces cost?
4) In case of malfunction, do we have a fallback, and how many we will spend to get it functioning again?
5) Do I need to employ a rocket-science engineer to keep it functioning, after getting rid of the normal workers?

Steven and Ralph,

Thanks for the contributions, yes the RFID's would have to be read by a PDA or some such device and I share all your concerns, hence the original request. The case studies are all good news but they would be nobody presents 'our big failure' at a conference.

However the need has mainly arisen on a company's wastewater treatment works; some 400 of them which have no equipment tags. The result is maintenance work is recorded at site or process level so analysis is almost impractical. There is firstly a need to re catalogue the equipment, which presents the opportunity to use RFID's. I wanted to gauge peoples responses and experiences. This doesn't seem like an appathetic forum so perhaps the lack of responses is proportional to the lack of successful installations.

quote:

some 400 of them which have no equipment tags. The result is maintenance work is recorded at site or process level so analysis is almost impractical. There is firstly a need to re catalogue the equipment,

Step 1
Make an equipment masterlist, paint the ID with Big letters on the equipment, so when Operations say it is Pump 16, maintenance does not dismantle Pump 60.
Step 2
Communicate this list to everyone coming close to the equipment, maintenance, operations, engineers, the accountants etc..

IMO a RFID can work in a mature system that is already in place, where people are used to work with workorders and there is an equipment hierarchy and system hierarchy in place.

Steven,

I agree with you that it might well be a step to far and the main issue is getting the basics right. In particular providing asset tags that can be easily associated the database. Fundamentally its a people thing and not fancy tags will solve that!

However the effort/ expense required to paint big letters on is probably the same as sticking and RFID tag on. But.... we know big painted letters work. So are the theorectical gains of RFID eg. less manual data entry, more accurate data entry worth the risk at this stage of the technology development?

Andy,

Our company is implementing a Operator Driven Reliability program for 1500 conveyor gearboxes and motors in our facility. The PDA we are using is a SKF Marlin. I just ordered RFID tags to be installed at evey asset. The RFID will allow the operator to scan the tag and the PDA will bring up the points to be collected. We in our in house CBM crew have tested it and it seems to be just the ticket. We also have plans to do our steam trap audits using this technology. The SKF Marlin PDA allows a thermo gun to be interfaced to the PDA and data to be collected.This looks to be quite promising in our plant.

Regards, Dave Dane

Dave,

Just for interest what are you expecting to gain from the RFID's and are there currently any issues with associating work orders with the correct equipment etc at your plant?

Thanks,

Andy