Near Field Communication (NFC) tags are becoming more and more popular in business applications. But what are they, and why should you care? From streamlining equipment checkout to making it easier to identify assets and find their records, there are some benefits to using NFC tags in maintenance. In this blog post, we’ll explore the many reasons why NFC tags are a valuable tool for maintenance teams and how they can help you improve your workflow.
What are Maintenance NFC Tags?
Maintenance NFC tags use near-field communication, a wireless technology, in small chips that hold data. You can easily include these chips in stickers, magnets, or labels for many different applications. Short-range communication is made possible via NFC between two suitable devices, most often an NFC tag and a smartphone or tablet. The majority of smartphones and tablets can read an NFC tag’s data at a close range of roughly four inches.
How Do Maintenance NFC Tags Work?
The ease of implementation of NFC technology is one of its biggest advantages. Using your mobile maintenance management app, you can start using NFC tags once you attach them to each piece of equipment. On most phones and tablets, the NFC antenna is located in the top left corner, usually near the camera. With a tap on the tag, users will receive a notification in their mobile application that will open a quick action menu. This makes for a highly efficient way for your technicians to access asset data without needing to search for it. Additionally, if you have several of the same assets, maintenance NFC tags ensure that technicians enter maintenance data in the correct asset file.
The Benefits of NFC Tags for Maintenance
Equipment Tracking
With NFC technology, maintenance managers can increase productivity across operations by managing a variety of equipment and tools. You may feel overwhelmed if you are unable to view equipment assignments in real-time. With maintenance NFC tags, you and your team can check out equipment much more easily. After simply scanning the NFC tag, users can view equipment availability and quickly assign tools to themselves.
Lower Implementation Cost than Barcodes
Keeping track of tools and equipment is a big part of every maintenance team’s responsibilities. But, the steep prices of barcode scanners and other hardware to support this responsibility may be prohibitive for some organizations. Furthermore, once you include additional training and resolve any technical issues, the cost is even higher.
NFC technology requires no additional hardware to be installed, which makes it easy to implement. Additionally, this system is easier to adopt for team members, and it is more cost-effective. Maintenance NFC tags are fairly inexpensive to purchase, and everyone already has a smartphone that is NFC compatible. Using their mobile devices, maintenance crew members can scan equipment NFC tags rather than carrying around bulky barcode scanners.
Durable Enough for Any Industrial Environment
Another major benefit of maintenance NFC tags is that they are built to last. You can use them indoors, outdoors, in the sun, in extreme weather, or even with abrasive materials. Generally, NFC tags should be able to withstand 10,000 readings, which is around 27 years if they are read every day.
Provides Accountability and Reliable Data
When you implement an NFC-based system, managers can automatically register technician presence on site. Since NFC technology functions only nearby, maintenance technicians must remain on-site at all times to register tasks. In this way, operations become more transparent and data more reliable. It prevents technicians from waiting until the end of the day to enter data, further preventing inaccurate data due to the delay. Additional accountability comes when you use NFC tags for equipment or tool tracking. You will always know who used a tool last and can get to the root cause of a failure or other issues, such as locating lost or missing equipment.
Creates Real-Time Notifications
Using NFC tags with a maintenance management app on a mobile device, users can relay information instantly to their managers or administrators. To keep managers informed about equipment status and health, operators can update information on their mobile devices. Having real-time visibility into all aspects of your assets and maintenance can enhance the way you manage operations.
Streamlines Use of Maintenance Software
The use of maintenance management software can seamlessly replace previously complicated and burdensome paper-based systems. When combined with maintenance NFC tags, your technicians can gain access to all the information needed quickly and easily. NFC tags integrated with our maintenance software will allow users to tap the tag with their phones and navigate directly to the record. As mentioned earlier, this saves them time spent looking it up and guarantees they have the correct asset file.
NFC Tags: A Vital Maintenance Resource
NFC tags aren’t brand-new technology. However, they are becoming increasingly popular for maintenance and many other industries. The biggest benefit, making them a vital maintenance resource, is how quickly they can communicate information concerning inventory, equipment usage, shipment information, and more. If you’d like to hear more about how our customers are using maintenance NFC tags to further streamline their operations, schedule a demo today.
