Robotics & Electronics Co-Working Space
inexpensive tools with a large cost
What do you do when the cost of managing tools exceeds their value?
Circuit Launch operates high tech maker spaces in Oakland and Mountain View, CA, with the Oakland space used by more than 30 separate companies.
The value of most shared tools was not extremely high, but tracking down and replacing them could take hours a week. When a tool is missing that another member needs, that relationship is on the line.
"In any shared tool space with more than a couple users you will lose tools, not by theft,
but by simple forgetfulness."
Nathan Cooke - Shop Manager
Even with regularly working to chase down tools they'd still go missing, and so the team would keep boxes of screwdrivers and cutters in stock like disposable inventory.
"For me, it's not necessarily the cost of the tool, it's that there is this moment when a user goes to look for something and it is not there. Oh yeah, that's when I lose a member."
Dan O'Mara - COO
Between the cost of replacing tools, the time spent managing them, and the impact on members, the problem needed an answer.
A low friction solution to asset traceability
Given that these shared tools are provided as a part of customer's membership, a cumbersome sign-out process didn't make sense and couldn't be enforced anyway!
The ItsWare Cabinet allows users to simply badge in and take what they need, with no manual scanning required. When Circuit Launch heard about the ItsWare's solution, they jumped at the chance to use it for managing their shared tool collection.
Where other systems have failed, ItsWare excels.
The Circuit Launch tool collection is made up primarily of metal hand tools thrown into bins. Casey Spencer, the CEO of ItsWare rightfully called this, "nearly the worse case scenario" for RFID scanning accuracy.
The tags must be placed directly on metal
The tags must not get in the way of the tools use
The tags must stand up to the abuse of tool use and storage
Tags may be completely obscured by metal objects above and below during scanning
It might be the worst case scenario for RFID scanning, but it's what Casey planned on when he developed the Cabinet and ItsWare's exclusive on-metal tool tags.
Scan accuracy has been excellent, ensuring Circuit Launch staff know who took what items.
"I don't think we've had a single thing that's been fully unaccounted for yet since the cabinet got put in…
Instead of spending hours per week looking for missing tools, I’m directly messaging members who have the tools checked out."
Nathan Cooke - Shop Manager
"The cabinet instantly improved our shop by helping us keep tabs on our tools and also gives us unique insight into what tools the community uses the most and how often each individual tool is used. This means we can easily track when tools need calibration and know where to spend our money on better equipment when its time to consider upgrades."
Dan O'Mara - COO
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ITSWARE
We’re headquartered in Mountain View, CA
599 Fairchild Dr Mountain View, CA 94043
