Tracking Industrial Batteries and Charging Equipment Using QR Codes

Batteries used in consumer devices are not designed to operate in industrial environments. Industrial applications require ruggedized batteries that can operate in extreme temperatures. Businesses around the world spend a substantial amount every year to acquire industrial batteries and charging equipment for their devices.

To get the most out of these equipment, asset managers must come up with a plan to continuously track them. Managers must have important information related to industrial batteries and charging equipment such as their location, who is currently using them, and usage patterns on their fingertips. To track industrial batteries throughout their lifecycle, many businesses use QR asset tags.

What are QR code inventory labels?

First used by the Japanese automotive manufacturing industry in 1994, QR code asset labels or Quick Response Codes are machine-readable optical labels that contain information about the item to which they are tagged. QR codes are two-dimensional versions of barcodes. A QR inventory tag contains data in a format that can be utilized by a locator, tracker, and identifier that points to a specific website or app.

QR code inventory labels contain black squares arranged against a white background. While most QR asset tags use four standard encoding modes (kanji, alphanumeric, numeric, and binary), some may utilize an extension. Thanks to their superior readability, high fault tolerance, and the ability to store more data than many other types of asset identification tags, QR codes have become ubiquitous.

What can be stored in a QR code?

A QR asset tag can be used to store up to 7,089 digits/4,296 characters, including punctuation, phrases, characters, numbers, and words. QR inventory tags can hold contact data, calendar data, URL, plain text, email address, geolocation, and phone numbers. More the amount of data stored in a QR code, the longer the code size.

Steps to setting up a QR-code asset tracking system 

Identify asset types and assign your equipment unique identification numbers 

If you already use asset management software, you must have set up a system to classify assets. If, however, you are new to asset tagging, set up a categorization system that aligns with your reporting and integration needs. After setting up a categorization system, assign all your batteries and charging equipment a unique identification code.

Select an app 

One of the most significant USPs of QR codes is that they can be scanned using a smartphone. To use their smartphone for scanning, your employees first have to download a scanning app. Choose an app that is compatible with your cloud-based software. Your app must allow you to view custom data fields, view asset locations on a map, and add photos to asset descriptions.

Generate your QR codes 

If your items already have manufacturer barcodes, you don’t have to relabel them and can re-use the existing asset tags. For assets that are not labeled, you will have to generate QR codes.

To generate your QR codes, you need to visit a QR code generator site. When choosing a QR code generator, some important things to consider are whether the provider allows you to track performance and whether you can generate custom QR code inventory tags (unique to your brand). Before heading to a QR code generator website, check out what needs to be encoded in your QR codes. Remember your QR code asset labels must be compatible with your asset tracking software.

Some common information that most software requires to be encoded includes asset serial number and inventory SKU number; however, many software may also require URL to be encoded in the QR code.

After you have decided on the structure of your QR codes, head to a QR code generation site. Once you are on a site, enter information related to your industrial batteries and charging equipment. To ensure you are able to edit information encoded in your QR codes, use dynamic codes.

After generating your codes, print them. When printing your QR codes, avoid common printing errors such as using materials that reflect too much light. Once all the codes are printed, make sure that they are scannable and legible.

Enter initial stock and location 

Enter/import the list of your industrial batteries and charging equipment. Enter important information related to your assets, such as their serial number, unique identification number, acquisition date, and asset value.

Place your QR tracking labels on your assets 

Place your labels in such a way that they are clearly visible and easily scannable. To ensure your QR asset tags last long, clean the surface thoroughly before affixing them. After affixing assets, give them ample time to settle.

Once your QR asset tags grip the surface of the assets they are attached to, your employees can start scanning them using their smartphone.