Asset tracking has become easier and more efficient with the emergence of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon technology. BLE beacons are small wireless transmitters that broadcast signals at regular intervals. When paired with a mobile app, they allow for real-time location tracking and data collection of assets in a facility or workspace.
Bluetooth Low Energy beacons provide several advantages over traditional asset tracking methods like barcode scanning or RFID tags. Their compact size makes them unobtrusive and easy to attach to assets, even small items. BLE signals can penetrate materials like wood and plastic better than WiFi or GPS, providing more accurate indoor positioning. Beacons also have long battery lives up to 5 years, eliminating the need for frequent battery swaps.
Setting up a BLE asset tracking system starts with strategically placing beacons throughout the tracking area. Beacon placement should ensure overlapping coverage to avoid dead zones. Mounting locations can include walls, ceilings, under shelves or on assets themselves. Once positioned, beacons are configured with the mobile app which assigns them unique IDs. Asset tags paired with beacon IDs are created for inventory items.
When an asset moves within range of beacons, its location data is picked up and relayed to the app in real-time. The app displays asset locations on an interactive map of the floor plan. Users can click on map assets to pull up item information like serial numbers. Asset movements generate time-stamped logs for tracking custody and usage trends. Alerts can also be set up for restricted area breaches or missing inventory.
BLE asset tracking provides many benefits beyond just location data. It improves inventory accuracy by pinpointing misplaced assets. Real-time tracking cuts down time spent manually searching for items. Insights from beacon analytics aid efficient floor plan and inventory management. It also enhances loss prevention and theft monitoring.
From large equipment in warehouses to small tools in retail outlets, BLE beacons scale for diverse industry use cases. Beacon tracking integrates with existing business systems like ERP and WMS platforms. APIs enable beacon data to synchronize across the software ecosystem. With the flexibility to track both stationary and mobile assets, BLE asset tracking optimizes workflows across an organization.