The application of active radio frequency identification technology for tool tracking on construction job sites

Tool availability is a critical factor in the productivity of construction crews. In an effort to improve the efficiency of tracking tools and improve their availability, this research effort developed a tool tracking and inventory system which is also capable of storing operation and maintenance (O&M) data using commercially available active radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. With participation of two electrical construction firms, the system was tested on a number of construction jobsites. The project demonstrated that active RFID can be used to inventory small tools and store pertinent O&M data on the tools in construction environments despite metal interference and low temperatures. Economics, lack of standardization, and lack of direction and range data from the tags were identified as the most significant constraints limiting active RFID commercialization for tool tracking.