Welding Asset Heartbeat Monitoring for Usage and Location Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Locating and managing welding assets in large environments is difficult due to their similarity, leading to inefficiencies and high costs from lost, misplaced, or stolen assets, and reallocating assets without knowing their usage status is inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A welding asset tracking system with heartbeat monitoring, utilizing tags, hubs, and gateways that continuously track asset identity, location, and use, enabling efficient allocation and maintenance determination through heartbeat signals and thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If welding assets are tracked using traditional manual methods, then the system complexity is low, but the loss of time for locating and managing assets increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking methods with an automated electronic system using tags, hubs, and gateways that communicate through wireless signals. The system automatically tracks asset location, usage status, and maintenance needs without requiring manual intervention, thereby reducing time loss while managing complexity through standardized communication protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The welding assets are equipped with self-contained tags that automatically transmit their status and location information without requiring external manual input. The system performs self-monitoring and self-reporting of asset conditions, usage patterns, and maintenance requirements, eliminating the need for manual tracking efforts.
2Reliability
If welding assets are monitored continuously with heartbeat signals, then the reliability of asset status information improves, but the use of energy by the tracking system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic heartbeat signals that are transmitted at predetermined intervals rather than continuously. This allows the asset status information to be updated regularly and reliably while reducing energy consumption by keeping devices in low-power states between transmissions. The periodic nature ensures reliability is maintained without constant energy expenditure.
3Measurement precision
If asset tracking network density is increased within welding areas, then the measurement precision of asset location improves, but the device complexity of the network increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking system is segmented into distributed tags attached to individual assets and fixed hubs positioned throughout the welding area. Each tag independently tracks its associated asset, and multiple hubs provide redundant location determination through triangulation or signal strength measurement. This segmentation allows improved location precision without requiring a single complex centralized system.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for welding asset tracking with heartbeat monitoring 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 welding asset tracking system may generate heartbeat signals that certain welding assets may require for normal operation, so as to ensure the welding assets are used in appropriate welding contexts and/or welding areas. In some examples, information obtained from the asset tracking network may be used to determine whether one or more heartbeat signals should be discontinued.