Search and re-handling
Operators move several items to reach the one they need. Each extra move costs time and adds risk.
Equipment Tracking and Industrial Asset Tracking
Every asset has a place. ASSET-Rx knows it, and what is in it.
CRATUS tracks equipment and industrial assets, including mobile equipment, tools, containers, totes and bagged material, with the ASSET-Rx platform. Tags identify each asset, placement records tie it to a lot and a location, and LiDAR confirms what is physically there. Search by asset, lot or work order and get the location, the history and a route to it.
- ASSET-Rx with
- UWB
- BLE
- RFID
- LiDAR
Find by lotLocation, history, route
AuditPhysical count vs ERP
- IdentityTag and lot on every asset
- LocationFrom placement records and RTLS
- ConfirmationLiDAR checks what is physically there
- ERP syncLot, bin and position posted automatically
The challenge
Why industrial assets go missing.
Assets are not lost in one event. They drift through small moves nobody records.
Labels fade, lots mix
Painted marks and paper labels wear out outdoors. Items from one lot get stored next to another.
System vs reality
The ERP says it is there; the yard says otherwise. Year-end audits and write-offs follow.
ASSET-Rx ties each asset to its lot and location when it is placed, updates the record when it moves, and checks the yard with LiDAR so differences show up the same day.
See the approachWhere it is used
Where industrial asset tracking pays back.
Each site gets the tag mix and capture method that matches its assets.
- Bulk bag yards1-ton bags and FIBCs tracked by lot.
- Manufacturing plantsTooling, molds, dies, carts and WIP.
- Chemical and process plantsTotes, drums, cylinders and spare parts.
- Warehouses and DCsContainers, pallets and returnables.
- Maintenance shopsTest equipment, tools and rotables.
- Utilities and energyTransformers, reels, meters and spares.
- Mining and mineralsConcentrate bags, parts and mobile equipment.
- Ports and logisticsContainers, chassis and handling gear.
Side by side
Industrial asset tracking methods compared.
ASSET-Rx combines identity from tags with confirmation from LiDAR.
| Barcode or paper | Passive RFID portals | ASSET-Rx | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | Read by hand | Read at portals | Tag read at placement and on demand |
| Location | Last scan point | Last portal passed | Position from placement records and RTLS |
| Outdoor durability | Labels fade | Tag dependent | UV-rated tags with a printed backup code |
| Physical confirmation | Manual count | No | LiDAR scan of the yard |
| Missing or stray items | Found at audit | Not detected | Flagged the same day |
| ERP update | Typed in | Interface | Automatic post of lot, bin and position |
General characteristics of each method. Tag types, capture methods and update frequency are selected per site.
Our approach
Identify, place, confirm, act.
Tags, positioning, LiDAR, software and AI, engineered as one system by one team.
Identity
UWB and BLE tags on equipment that moves on its own schedule; UV-rated RFID tags with a printed 2D code on bags, totes and containers. The code is a backup when a tag cannot be read.
- UWB and BLE for mobile equipment
- RFID plus 2D code for material
- Handheld readers for audits
Positioning
UWB anchors locate tagged equipment in real time. Forklifts and loaders carry positioning so each placement is recorded where it happens, outdoors with GNSS and indoors with UWB.
- Real-time position for equipment
- Placement capture on forklifts
- Indoor and outdoor
LiDAR & edge
Fixed LiDAR masts, drone flights or mobile scans measure the yard. ASSET-Rx EDGE matches each object to its record by position and flags missing items, strays and untagged ones.
- Fixed, drone or mobile capture
- Matched to records by position
- Missing and stray detection
AI
AI compares records with what is physically there, ranks exceptions, plans pick and audit routes and predicts where items are likely to have been moved.
- Exception ranking
- Pick and audit routes
- Search suggestions
What we deliver
Equipment and industrial asset tracking.
From one storage yard to every plant and warehouse you run.
Find by asset, lot or order
Location, last move and a route to the item from one search.
Software
Real-time equipment location
Forklifts, carts, tools and test equipment on a live map.
Tags · Software
Lot and batch tracking
Every item linked to its lot, so a lot can be found or held as one.
Software
Physical inventory confirmation
LiDAR checks the yard against the records and flags differences.
LiDAR · AI
Audit support
Random samples, planned routes, handheld confirmation and an exception report.
Software
ERP and EAM integration
Lot, bin and position posted automatically to SAP and other systems.
Software
The full list of ASSET-Rx use cases is on the ASSET-Rx Use Cases page.
Example
Example: thousands of 1-ton bags, tracked by lot.
A CRATUS 3D digital twin modeled an outdoor yard of bulk bags stored in clusters by lot. The method applies to any bagged, palletized or containerized material.
- 01
Tag at fill
Each bag gets a UV-rated RFID tag with a printed 2D code when it is filled. The lot is written to the tag and the record.
- 02
Place and record
When the forklift sets the bag down, its position is captured and lot, bin and coordinates post to the ERP. Nobody types a lot number in the field.
- 03
Scan with LiDAR
LiDAR masts, drone flights or a mobile scan measure every bag in the yard and match each one to its record by position.
- 04
Find a lot
Type a lot number and every bag in it lights up, including strays stored away from the rest, with storage bin, coordinates and a pick route.
- 05
Audit
The auditor draws a random sample from the ERP. The twin plans the route, a handheld read confirms each bag and exceptions are reported.
Can LiDAR read lot numbers?
No. LiDAR measures shape and reflectance, so it sees each bag and the tag on it but cannot read a number. The lot comes from the tag and the placement record, and LiDAR confirms that a bag is physically where the record says it is.
- Bare-bones: tags and handheld readers
- Add forklift position capture
- Add drone or mobile LiDAR surveys
- Fully automated: fixed LiDAR masts
Start with a proof of concept on one cluster, then scale.
The ASSET-Rx system
Hardware and software for asset tracking.
Tag type and capture method follow the asset: real-time for equipment, placement and scan for material.
ASSET-Rx
UWB Anchor and Transponder
ARX-UWB-Ax / Tx
- Exact position
- Indoor and outdoor
- Real time
For equipment that moves on its own schedule.
ASSET-Rx
BLE Anchor and Tag
ARX-BLE-Ax / Tx
- Zone level
- Long battery life
- Low cost per item
For tools, carts, totes and returnables.
CRATUS
RFID and 2D-code tags
Material identity
- UV-rated
- Printed backup code
- Handheld readable
Applied at fill or receipt; carries the lot.
CRATUS
LiDAR capture
Masts, drone or mobile
- Shape and position
- Works in the dark
- Whole-yard scans
Confirms what is physically in the yard.
ASSET-Rx
Edge computer
ASSET-Rx EDGE
- Point cloud processing
- Record matching
- Runs on site
Matches scanned objects to records.
ASSET-Rx
Cloud Platform
SW-01x / SW-03x / SW-04x
- 3D digital twin
- Custody
- Workflow Studio
Search, audit, custody and workflows on 2D and 3D maps.
One platform
Tags, sensors, edge, software and AI from one team
CRATUS surveys the site, plans coverage, supplies the hardware, sets up zones, rules and integrations, and supports the system after commissioning. ASSET-Rx is hardware-agnostic and works with compatible off-the-shelf components.
ASSET-Rx platformASSET-RxStack
AI
- Exceptions
- Routes
- Search
Software
- Digital twin
- Lot search
- ERP sync
Edge
- Point clouds
- Matching
- Alerts
Sensing
- UWB / BLE
- RFID + code
- LiDAR
What to send us
These details let CRATUS plan tags, sensors and coverage for your site.
- Asset types and counts
- How items are identified today
- Storage layout: yards, racks, buildings
- Equipment that moves items
- ERP, WMS or EAM in use
- How audits are done today
- Power and network on site
- Weather and environment
How we work
Proof of concept first, then scale.
Every site is planned from its asset mix and storage layout, and proven on one area before rollout.
- 01
Site details
Assets, storage layout, current process and the system of record.
- 02
Design
Tag types, capture method and LiDAR coverage chosen for the site.
- 03
Proof of concept
One cluster, line or building tagged and tracked end to end.
- 04
Integrate
ERP, WMS or EAM connection, roles and reports set up.
- 05
Scale & support
More areas and sites added, with remote support and updates.
Standards & practices
Planned around the requirements you work to.
Installations follow the safety, asset management, radio and cybersecurity requirements that apply to the site.
- ISO 55000Asset management
- ISO/IEC 24730Real-time locating systems
- ISO/IEC 18000-63UHF RFID air interface
- GS1 EPCItem identification standards
- ISO 21898Flexible intermediate bulk containers
- IEC 60825-1Eye-safe laser classes
- ISA/IEC 62443Security for industrial networks and devices
- IEC 60529Ingress protection for outdoor equipment
Compliance decisions rest with the site owner and the applicable authority. CRATUS designs and documents installations to support your programs and audits; we don’t self-certify.
The basics
What is industrial asset tracking?
Knowing what each asset is, where it is and what happened to it. ASSET-Rx uses tags for identity, real-time location or placement records for position, and LiDAR to confirm what is physically there.
Which assets can be tracked?
Mobile equipment, tools, test equipment, molds and dies, carts, containers, totes, drums, pallets and bagged material such as 1-ton bulk bags.
Can LiDAR read lot numbers or labels?
No. LiDAR measures shape and reflectance. The lot comes from the tag and the placement record, and LiDAR confirms that the item is physically where the record says it is.
Tags and capture
Which tag is used where?
UWB for equipment that must be located in real time, BLE for zone-level tracking of many small items, and UV-rated RFID with a printed 2D code for material that is placed and stored.
What if a tag cannot be read?
The printed code on the tag is a backup that any camera or handheld can read, and the item can still be matched to its record by position.
Do we need fixed LiDAR masts?
Not to start. Sites can begin with tags and handheld readers, add position capture on forklifts, then drone or mobile scans, and move to fixed masts where continuous confirmation pays back.
Systems and audits
Does it work with SAP or our ERP?
Yes. Lot, storage bin and position post to SAP and other ERP, WMS or EAM systems through standard interfaces, so the system of record stays current.
How does it help with audits?
The auditor samples records from the ERP, the system plans the route, a handheld read confirms each item and exceptions are reported in one file.
Working with CRATUS
How do we get a proposal?
Send us the asset types and counts, the storage layout and how items are identified today. A CRATUS engineer replies with questions, a tag and capture plan and a proof of concept scope.
Can CRATUS build a digital twin of our site?
Yes. CRATUS builds 3D simulations of a site with synthetic data before deployment, so teams can see the workflow and agree on the scope.
Talk to a CRATUS engineer
Need to know where every asset is?
Send us the asset list and the storage layout. A CRATUS engineer will reply with a tag and capture plan.
Illustrations are not to scale. Specifications subject to change without notice.