Smart technology has the capability to improve your supply chain visibility, which allows you to better manage your inventory, from manufacturing to delivery. Sensors let you track a shipment from start to finish so you can keep your customers informed. In a broad sense, you can monitor shipping data over time and identify patterns and potential weaknesses in your supply chain.
Innovations in Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology have made it even easier to track your shipments over large distances. Learn more about BLE technology, including what it is, how it works, and how you can use it to improve your supply chain management.
What Is BLE Technology?
Bluetooth Low Energy is a wireless personal area network that consumes less power than traditional Bluetooth devices. It’s commonly used for systems that aren’t transferring large amounts of data. For example, streaming music through Bluetooth earbuds involves high volumes of data and requires the radio to be engaged more often. Therefore, earbuds wouldn’t work well with BLE technology. Smart labels, on the other hand, such as those you would use to track shipments, don’t transfer as much data, making them perfect for BLE.
Benefits of BLE for Smart Label Tracking
Bluetooth-enabled devices give you more insights into your supply chain. Unlike traditional tracking technology, these gadgets can track ambient temperature, humidity, air quality, and light. If you’re shipping and storing sensitive equipment or materials, these devices help you maintain proper conditions so your inventory isn’t damaged by heat or humidity.
BLE labels also transmit data throughout the supply chain. Because most smartphones and tablets already support BLE technology, you don’t need special readers to scan a package at each stop along the supply chain. BLE also helps you keep an eye on your inventory to avoid stock-outs and keep customers happy.
Since BLE solutions use less power, they have a longer battery life, so you can use them longer than other IoT devices.
How Does BLE Work for the Supply Chain?
Bluetooth Low Energy technology is often used to track the location and movement of different assets. It works by placing beacons on items, which then communicate with BLE gateways throughout the supply chain.
BLE solutions can help you track your assets and manage your supply chain. For example, your data may reveal bottlenecks in your standard delivery routes. Since you can track your average time to deliver, you can see which manufacturers and distributors are the fastest. You can also monitor your own fleet and see if there are ways to optimize your delivery routes.
How to Turn BLE Into an End-to-End Supply Chain Visibility Solution
Before implementing BLE asset tracking devices, establish your overall goals. Which metrics do you want to track across your supply chain? How will you use the data to improve your operational efficiency? Setting goals will help you determine which assets you want to track and what data you want to analyze.
Start by attaching your Bluetooth Low Energy beacons to the packages, warehouse shelves, equipment, and other areas you want to track. Next, purchase a hotspot gateway or hardware that scans the beacons. You should be able to find scanners on your smartphone. Make sure your BLE system works with multiple cellular networks and providers, particularly if you work with international vendors and distributors. Your BLE technology can transmit information only if it has a Wi-Fi connection.
With your BLE solution in place, start collecting data and use it to track various metrics across your supply chain. You can identify different parts of your supply chain that are impacting your customer service and develop effective strategies to improve.
RFID vs. Bluetooth: Which One Is Better for Asset Visibility?
Bluetooth-enabled devices transmit data when they’re on the move. Since anyone with a smartphone can scan these devices, you get more data as your assets move through the supply chain. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) sensors are static and transmit data only when someone with a compatible device scans them.
Additionally, RFID sensors don’t monitor atmospheric conditions. If your inventory is subject to conditions that damage it during transit, BLE devices will alert you in real time. With RFID sensors, you wouldn’t necessarily know until you opened the container, unless someone along the supply chain manually reported the damage.
What Is the Future of Bluetooth Low Energy?
Now that you know what Bluetooth Low Energy solutions are and how you can use them in your supply chain, you can think about the future use cases for this technology. The demand for BLE is increasing because of the proliferation of wearable tech and other connected devices.
As these devices evolve, BLE technology should be able to transmit data more quickly, allowing nearly real-time insights into your supply chain. Bluetooth.com estimates that 322 million asset-tracking devices will be in use by the end of 2028.
Over time, you may be able to use BLE beacons to locate inventory and equipment in warehouses and navigate large indoor spaces. When you’re hiring and training new people in your warehouses, these devices can help them get up and running sooner.
Explore Surgere’s Solutions to Implement BLE in Your Supply Chain Operations
BLE tracking solutions are easy to use, and they give you more data than other types of supply chain management technology. But you need the right systems in place to make the most out of your BLE beacons. Surgere has experience implementing such BLE tracking solutions.
We can work with you to evaluate your supply chain and devise a strategy that’s right for you. We plan, test, and deploy your BLE and IoT supply chain solutions to deliver fast, accurate, and reliable data. Once you’ve implemented your solutions, we can help you analyze the data for a comprehensive view of your supply chain. Contact us today to gain more visibility into your supply chain.
