ON!Track & Bluetooth Enabled Equipment Tracking

Our Bluetooth enabled equipment tracking has been described as the missing piece of the asset management puzzle - taking our ON!Track offering to the next level. In this blog, we'll discuss why and how we developed it, and how smart tags can benefit you and your business.

Until now, ON!Track has allowed the construction industry to track assets via a system of rugged barcode tags that communicate with cloud-based asset management software. This is a reliable solution to identify equipment, assign it to the responsible person and location, and maintain all the relevant associated documentation. 

However, if a worker forgets to update the location of an asset by scanning the tag, then it can be tricky to work out where that item has gone. Our customers asked us to find a solution to this problem, which is why we developed Bluetooth enabled ON!Track smart tags. With an average of 35% of all construction projects having a major change part-way through the build, you don’t want to waste precious time looking for tools…

By working closely with some of our customers worldwide, we put the new system through its paces. It's very much part of our culture at Hilti to have direct contact with customers on-site, and the rapport we have built with them means we listen to their ideas and develop solutions to help solve their everyday challenges.

We put a lot of thought and research into designing the Bluetooth enabled equipment tracking that could deliver the functionalities that our customers were asking for. The aim was to develop a solution that reduced the chances of losing high value assets and being able to conduct quick and accurate inventory checks.

Firstly, we investigated the potential of over 30 different solutions before creating a new kind of rugged tag that combines Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Near Field Communication (NFC) technologies.

Thanks to close collaboration with our customers, we tested our new Bluetooth enabled ON!Track smart tags on real, rugged jobsites. These tags are quickly establishing themselves as a vital part of what is becoming the go-to asset management solution for the construction industry. 

Nearly 60% of construction companies aren't investing in new technologies. This lack of investment prevents them from leveraging technology to improve jobsite productivity, quality and delivering projects on time.

Bluetooth enabled equipment tracking can help in 5 main ways:

1) By using the Bluetooth capabilities of your mobile device, you can quickly check the inventory of a location nearby - saving time and improving accuracy.

2) You can also carry out live inventory checks for un-manned storage locations, like warehouses and tool cribs.

3) Equipment with Bluetooth tags will have a 'last seen' location based on the location of the nearest ON!Track user - so you won't have to waste time searching for tools.

4) Quickly check what is nearby so nothing is lost or left behind - a solution that will save you time and money.

5) Proactive in-app alerts let you know when equipment is removed unexpectedly, or hasn't been detected by a gateway within a specified time limit.

At Hilti, we know how important - but also how challenging - it is to keep track of multiple tools and equipment. Our ON!Track asset management solution can not only help digitise processes, but can also enhance efficiency and help you gain competitive advantage. Are you ready to take asset management to the next level?