Welding Asset Tracking Network for Fast Identification and Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large welding environments, such as construction sites and shipyards, it is difficult to distinguish and locate specific welding assets due to their similarity, leading to inefficiencies in asset management and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A welding asset tracking system that employs a network of tags, hubs, and gateways retained by welding assets, utilizing internal and external positioning systems to continuously track the identity, location, and usage of assets, allowing for efficient identification and location through a server-based system that sends commands for perceptible outputs to the assets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If welding assets are deployed in large environments, then the coverage and capability of welding operations are improved, but the difficulty of distinguishing and locating specific assets increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the large welding environment into manageable tracking zones using multiple positioning systems (GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RFID) that can independently identify and locate specific assets within different areas, making it possible to track individual assets across large coverage areas without increasing identification difficulty
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary tracking devices (tags, beacons, positioning systems) that mediate between the welding assets and the location system, enabling indirect but precise identification of assets without requiring direct visual or physical contact, thus solving the identification problem in large environments
2Productivity
If multiple similar welding assets are deployed, then the productivity and capacity of welding operations are improved, but the time required to locate a particular asset increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback through real-time tracking of welding asset locations using positioning systems, providing immediate location information to operators and automatically notifying relevant personnel when assets are moved or need maintenance, eliminating time-consuming manual searches
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing a comprehensive tracking network with multiple positioning systems before deploying welding assets, and by continuously maintaining updated location data in advance, so that when an asset needs to be located, its position is already known without requiring time-consuming search operations
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for welding asset tracking are disclosed. In some examples, a welding asset tracking system may comprise an asset tracking network of tags, hubs, and/or gateways retained by welding assets within a welding area. The asset tracking network may obtain and/or communicate to an asset tracking server welding data related to one or more of the welding assets, as well as position data obtained via an internal and/or external positioning system. In this way, the welding asset tracking server may continually receive updated information regarding each welding assets identity, location, and/or use. The asset tracking server may additionally send a command to a selected welding asset that causes an interface of the selected welding asset to emit an output that enables an operator to physically identify the welding asset.