Tool Tracking

[DP68]

Excuse me if this isn't the proper forum for this topic, but I thought since some of you are probably construction managers, you might could help.

I'm the Buyer for a mid-size Mechanical Contractor in North Alabama. Along with jumping through hoops for our Engineers (sorry!) on a daily basis...I'm trying to come up with an effective tool/equipment tracking system.

I suppose my question is; Software? Anyone suggest a program, procedure, link...anything to guide me? We've tried a lot of different things, and it's still like shooting in the dark around here looking for our crap.

Thanks for any tips.

Danny
Huntsville, AL

 

[telecomguy]

Not exactly designed for the application, but I have used this software for personal use.

http://www.knowyourstuff.org/

It's designed for taking inventory of your household items for insurance purposes. It stores make, model, serial number, purchase date, your receipt (scanned), photo, estimated cost, etc. Haven't had to use it yet, but it could be invaluable if I ever have a house fire or something.

<tg>

 

[MintJulep]

A Google search for tool room management software returns many hits.

 

[Romefu12]

DP68
I don't fully understand your entire issue of tool tracking in this case however if your desire is to prevent theft of tools and equipment than Laser Etching is a good choice, if your deire is to track what tools and equipment have not been returned to your tool room, broken, lost, etc than an attendant and bar coding works well with some reasonably priced software and a pc.

Romefu12

 

[vpl]

Romefu,

FYI in the nuclear industry, at least, there is a requirement to track certain calibrated equipment and what jobs it's used on. If a piece of equipment goes in for calibration and comes back as being-out-of-spec, then utilities are required by NRC regulations to go back and evaluate all the jobs where the "un"calibrated equipment was used to make sure they're ok.

DP68, I don't have any suggestions on software; it rather depends on how labor intensive versus automatic you want to go. Using an attendant with a computer and a simple spreadsheet of your desired information (equipment name, employee name, job location, work order, calibration dates...) is one way. But you have to make sure the attendant is there any time you're working because, all too often, the mechanic or technician at 3:00 in the morning won't know how to fill in the spread sheet.

On the other hand, I've seen a system where the employee couldn't get the equipment off the shelf unless he filled out a computerized form so that an electronic lock would release. Lots more expensive to set up second one, but they had very, very few cases where they couldn't track the equipment down later.

Patricia Lougheed

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of the Eng-Tips Forums.

 

[telecomguy]

You mentioned you're the Buyer. So I assumed you were just tracking the purchase data. If it's physical tracking you need, then I'm sorry my post was of little help.

If you have a central tool distribution location where you can issue the tools, would RFID be a possibility. You might look at something like a library book checkout/checkin process.

<tg>

 

[DP68]

Thanks for all the replies.

We are a small contractor with around 200 folks right now, and do indeed have a central warehouse of inventory and tools, along with a couple 'big' jobs with tool trailers and attendants. We also have several 'foreman trailers' pulled from job to job, all of which are crammed full of our stuff.

We will take an inventory every so often, and I even came up with a unique numbering system, etc...but a few months later, everything is scattered around, with no one really knowing where everything is. Which, if you think about it, is a problem of management not letting us know who is trading tools around, and is being addressed now. Good luck me, with that one around here.

Bar Codes has been suggested, but I simply vetoed that idea. I mean, if a black magic marker or paint pen markings on a tool won't stay on over a period of time, a bar code will definitely not. So, that's not applicable.

I've been thinking of hiring someone specifically for tracking tools and equipment. I'm just not sure it's a full time job, though they would stay busy for a couple months non-stop. I have a Mechanic, but he's way too busy to bother with a number on a grinder and does Bob have it anymore.

We use a simple sign in/sign out sheet here at the warehouse, which works pretty well. And I've used some spreadsheets to try and keep everything tracked, but it's just getting too much. I suppose my real question is; What software specifically...if someone happens to read this that has a tried and true program. I realise I could just pick from many Google results, but, just thought I'd ask!

Thanks for letting me vent...which, surely most of you know, us Material Control guys are a stressed out breed. Thanks to people like most of you! j/k Thanks again.

 

[arto]

How about something like they do with checking out library books?

 

[ornerynorsk]

Good luck. Tools grow legs. The best you can do is have a real physical person do the check-out, honor systems don't work. Make the person sign a tool-check that has the replacement cost prominently printed on their copy, and the due date.