Keeping Your Cylinders Safe from Theft: Solutions for Cylinder Tracking and Security
Missing cylinders has been an issue in the gas industry, creating a disastrous problem for gas distributors. Their response was installing increasingly sophisticated tracking and management systems.
It’s crucial to be on high alert for cylinder theft. The trend of using nitrous oxide as a recreational drug has led to increased robberies, causing companies to lose revenue. As metal prices spike, it’s becoming more difficult for companies to continuously replace lost cylinders.
There are many options when it comes to cylinder management, such as inventory audits, customer invoicing, bar coding, transponders, or a combination of these methods.
Find out more about what gas distributors are doing to prevent cylinder theft.
Barcoding
Barcoding cylinders was a tracking technique in use for a while, but the typical barcode tracking system had many disadvantages, such as low memory, non-rewritable property, and high-sensitivity toward direct light and moisture.
The growing competition in the industry caused companies to seek alternative methods for cylinder tracking.
RFID Tracking
Companies that were open to modern technology and innovation adopted radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology.
RFID proved to be more cost-effective than barcoding technology, which is always a positive in the industry and profitability. The biggest advantage to RFID, however, was the lack of labor that it required. It didn’t rely on humans to operate. Instead, it required three main components: a scanning antenna, a transceiver, and RFID tags.
Benefits of Sophisticated Logistics Solutions
These refined solutions offer many benefits that work to keep your cylinders safe rather than untracked and open for theft.
- Real-time data: With old methods, you never knew where your cylinders were. Modern solutions allow you to access accurate data in a timely manner in order to make more informed decisions.
- More accuracy in deliveries: With this technology, the correct cylinder gets to the right customer every time.
- Safety of workers and customers:When cylinders that are damaged or on a recall list are delivered to a company location for servicing, it could be dangerous for workers or customers. Logistics solutions can eliminate these cylinders so the right product is delivered and safety is never compromised.
- Cost-efficiency: With these solutions, the process is improved and automated, meaning that the cost is reduced and error is eliminated. With the elimination of error, there won’t be money spent on correction. Automated operations deliver a large cost reduction.
- Adaptable dynamic solutions: They utilize architecture that’s flexible, so it can be adapted to any plant.
Consider these methods to keep your cylinders safe from theft and reduce the amount of money your company is spending replacing missing cylinders.
CPV Manufacturing serves the following industries: ship building, petrochemical, and industrial gases. In these industries, valves and fittings must be high quality and perform efficiently and accurately. A faulty product could result in disastrous damage, and that’s why companies in these industries rely on CPV for their non-failing valves and fittings.
Contact CPV Manufacturing for more information.