Paws Pump Sees Huge Benefits from RFID

Paws Pumps has a rental fleet of 20,000 pipe slings that they not only have to manage in terms of inventory, but also manage inspection/recertifications.  RFID offers significant improvement in process for managing both.  

The company also manages other companies sling inventory.  RFID allows them to streamline this service business with improved inspection scheduling, automatic emails, and other labor saving solutions.  This level of service is a big selling point with new customers and will generate significant new revenues for the company in 2010.   This outside the box solution has also got the company thinking about customers outside of their traditional pool of oilfield customers.  

The durable metal RFID tagging solution used by Paws Pumps comes from Holland 1916 Inc. a full service product identification company located in North Kansas City MO.

What Is Durable? How About a Metal RFID Tag That Can Withstand Fire?

 This RFID Tag was burned in the field during actual use.  Even after sustaining fire damage, the tag was readable.  Now, that is a durable design.

Pipelines and RFID

Pipeline owners should consider implementing a rugged RFID solution on their pipelines.  Due to the requirements of 49 CFR Part 192 Pipeline Safety: Standards for Increasing the Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure for Gas Transmission Pipelines; Final Rule frequent inspections are required to ensure pipeline safety.  What better way than RFID to perform, improve and document those inspections?

Anatomy of an RFID Bolt

RFID BOLT – RFIDCHIP-003 Rev0 Specification

RFID- enabled bolts are a great solution to ensure safety and compliance when bolt tension is a critical safety element.  See the link above for specifications.

 

Durable RFID Chips Continued

Durability.  Wikipedia defines durability as the “ability to endure.”  The question becomes: Endure what?  Industrial environments are rife with hazards for an RFID chip.  Heat, cold, moisture, harsh chemicals, abrasive conditions and direct impact from sharp or heavy objects are just a few hazards that are common in industrial environments. 

What are the hazards that your RFID chip must endure?  What chips offer those characteristics?

Some chips are immediately out of the running because they are not designed for outdoor or even lengthy use.  Most outdoor chips are fully or partially encapsulated in a tag.  Tags can vary between flexible, non-paper-based substrates, to plastic enclosures and to milled metal pockets that provide 3 sided protection.  Each tagging method has strengths and weaknesses based upon the hazard the tag has to endure.  Usually as the level of protection increases, the read range shrinks.   The correlation between price and protection is not as exact and is greatly impacted by choice of RFID chip.

A Durable RFID Chip?

Is plastic on metal durable?  Is a chip that sits proud of the surface durable?  Is a chip that is fastened with an adhesive durable?  Will a zip tie be sufficiently durable attachment mechanism? 

Durability is an important question.  This question, like most questions involving the development of an RFID solution, depends upon the application.  Many chips on the market are advertised as durable.  Since the definition of durability depends upon you application, do not take a chip or tag makers description as gospel.  Please do your own homework.  More on this topic tomorrow.

The Oil & Gas Industry is Trying to Create RFID Standards

For information on this effort, please contact:

Konrad Konarski
Co-Founder of Oil & Gas Solution Group
001.281.900.1625
kkonarski@rfidsolutiongroup.com

Rugged RFID in Action

RFID solutions for metal are proving their worth in harsh environments.  The following is an article on how one producer in the oil and gas industry is using a rugged RFID solution.  The value that these industrial RFID solutions are providing are improving output, increasing efficiency, enhancing safety and strengthening security.  http://log.ae/2009/07/15/tracking-gas/#more-3574

Top 10 Reasons for Owners of Assets that Require Asset Inspections to Use RFID

1. Improved accuracy of compliance data (enter data only once)
2. Better  inspections (inspectors have access to electronic asset data)
3. Reduced inspection costs (faster inspections, no duplicate data entry)
4. Real time access to inspection data (data is immediately available)
5. Better decision-making regarding assets ( improved information)
6. Paperless records (easier to maintain, easier to locate)
7. Better coordination between third-party inspectors and asset owners (shared data)
8. Competitive advantage  (RFID is a value add, differentiator for your product)
9. Peace of mind (knowing that you have conducted all required inspections, are in compliance and your facility is safe)
10. Easier to satisfy government inspectors (easy access to data)

Anatomy of a Metal RFID Tag

Metal RFID Tag from Holland 1916