Technology has played its part in maintenance since the first industrial revolution, but it has advanced considerably since then. In the same way, maintenance and management tools have been updated to keep up with the industry’s evolution and growth, besides increasing equipment reliability.
Consequently, the need for maintenance resources, asset management and reliability indicators has grown in production lines.
Nowadays, we have advanced technologies that have emerged to optimize the work of maintenance teams at our disposal, and the QR Code is one of them. That is why we have brought everything you need to know about this tool in this article. Enjoy!
Learn everything about the main tools for asset management in industrial maintenance
What are QR codes and how do they work?
You have probably already seen a QR Code in some kind of advertisement. But can you explain what it is?
QR stands for Quick Response. It is a two-dimensional barcode that can be automatically converted into interactive text, URL address, phone number, geo-location, email, contact, or even text message.
QR Codes are easily scanned by most smartphones and equipment with cameras. All you have to do is turn on the smartphone’s camera and aim it at the barcode.
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If this functionality is not available on your device, you can install certain apps and/or programs that enable the scanning.
And how can this tool be useful for maintenance? Since its creation in 1994, the QR Code has become an ally for maintenance management, being widely used, at first, to catalog parts in vehicle manufacturing.
Today, maintenance management has broadened its uses, and the code is also utilized in inventory management, stock control, obtaining asset information, and many others.
Check out our complete guide to Maintenance Planning and Control (MPC)
This is only possible because the QR Code has the ability to compress a considerable amount of data that can be accessed quickly, using only the camera of a smartphone. This way industries can enter detailed information about a piece of equipment and track it through the code.
QR Code as a tool for maintenance management
Have you ever thought about the time a maintenance team wastes every day with inaccurate information, rework, lack of communication between team members, and limited access to machines?
Now, imagine what it would be like if there was a tool that allowed quick access to all the information about a specific asset or a Work Order (WO) through your smartphone.
This is possible with CMMS TracOS™, designed and created to make the maintenance manager’s work easier.
TracOS™ has many features available. One of them is the possibility to point the camera of your phone at the QR Code, enter the platform, and check the asset’s details.
With this tool, the visualization of all the operation history and activities performed in each asset becomes a lot easier, as well as adding a new Work Order or consulting key metrics and indicators.
By scanning the QR Code when adding Work Orders, maintenance teams are able to:
- Prevent the risk of confusing assets, since the information presented in each Work Order is very clear;
- Save time, as there is no need to fill out printed forms and/or spreadsheets;
- Quickly check the asset’s history, previous maintenance, and future plans for preventive maintenance;
- Control stock and track equipment location in the plant;
- Increase the speed of activity execution;
- Guarantee accurate information, avoiding mistakes or missing information in Work Orders, which may cause delays.
TRACTIAN is ranked as one of the 3 best maintenance softwares in the world
Creating a QR Code through the TRACTIAN platform
First of all, you need to register an asset and its location on the platform. After all the necessary information is provided, it will automatically give you the option to generate a QR Code. After saving it, you can print and attach the code to the asset. This way, maintenance can be closely monitored, and you will have control of all equipment in the plant.
Optimizing your maintenance routine with QR Codes
Imagine this situation: you are the manager of a large industrial plant, with several assets that are located far from the maintenance room and far from one another.
While walking through the plant, you come across a leak in one equipment. In normal situations, you would need to walk all the way back, talk to other team members, fill out a Work Order, and wait until the problem is solved. A slow, manual, and faulty process.
With TracOS™, when you come across a leak, all you have to do is point your camera at the asset’s QR Code, which should be attached to the equipment in a visible way, and add a Work Order in the app.
In a few minutes, you can specify which person will be responsible for this task and its due date, as well as include all information associated with the incident.
It’s also possible to add comments and update the status of this Work Order so that the entire team is aware of what is happening.
Those responsible for the Work Order will automatically be notified through their phones, and you will be able to track the status of the activity in real time, until the failure is fixed.
After registering the WO on the platform, you and your team will save time, considering you will not have to check huge piles of paper to update maintenance information manually in a system, with the risk of losing important details.
Learn more about the benefits of automatic Work Orders in our complete guide
Technology applied to maintenance routines
As you can see, TracOS™ is the solution that will optimize your maintenance routine, preventing your team from wasting time with unnecessary activities.
Our tool integrates online monitoring, asset management, and OEE (Overall Operations Effectiveness). It automatizes and organizes the entire process of your industrial maintenance routine, preventing massive amounts of paper from getting lost on desks and avoiding tasks that remain pending for a long period of time.
TRACTIAN was named one of the fastest-growing SaaS companies in the world
All of that will optimize your maintenance routine, freeing up time for MPC management and possible actions that might be more critical in the plant.
There is no reason for maintenance managers to be wasting time with manual processes anymore. Contact one of our specialists to learn about the best solution on asset management through QR Codes.
